Hollander named chair of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Toxicology
John Hollander, Ph.D., has been named chair of the West Virginia University School of Medicine Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Toxicology effective Dec. 1.
“I'm looking forward to working with the outstanding faculty, students and staff,” Hollander said. “The department has played an important role in the education, research and service missions of the institution, and I am excited to be a part of the group moving forward.”
Hollander has served as the interim chair since September of 2024. Prior to this, he held numerous leadership roles within the School of Medicine’s Exercise Physiology program including senior assistant dean, director of graduate studies for the Pathophysiology, Rehabilitation and Performance Graduate Program, and interim vice-chairperson for Research and Graduate Education.
Hollander was selected for the role following a national search.
“Dr. Hollander’s experience in teaching and research, combined with his vision for innovation, makes him the ideal leader to build on the Department's strong foundation,” Clay Marsh, M.D., chancellor and executive dean for WVU Health Sciences, said. “We’re excited to advance discovery and education in physiology, pharmacology and toxicology at WVU.”
Hollander has a Ph.D. in nutritional science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a bachelor’s degree in mammalian physiology from the University of California, San Diego.
He is the primary investigator on two R01 grants, one from the National Institutes of Health and the other from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. He also serves as a co-investigator on R01, R21, and R15 grants. Hollander is the principal investigator for the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley – Whipkey Trust Endowment, which has been consistently funded since 2017.
He serves as a consultant on an NIH K99 award, is a sponsor on an American Heart Association grant and is a mentor on an NIH R25 grant.
For more information on the department, visit medicine.wvu.edu/physiology-and-pharmacology.
-WVU-
po 11/25/25