Arthur J. Tipton, Ph.D., Named President of Controlled Release Society

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama, July 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Research Institute today announced that Arthur J. Tipton, Ph.D., President and CEO of Southern Research Institute, has been named president of the Controlled Release Society (CRS) for the 2014-2015 term.  The inauguration took place at the Society's annual meeting on July 12 in Chicago with attendees from more than 40 countries. 

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The Controlled Release Society is an international, interdisciplinary, not-for-profit organization whose guiding purpose is the advancement of delivery science and technology. CRS is the home for experts dedicated to the science of delivery, including delivery scientists, engineers, clinicians, and technical professionals. The primary interest of about 70% of the CRS membership is in the pharmaceutical area (including ~18% animal health) and 30% in the non-pharmaceutical areas (called consumer and diversified products).

Dr. Tipton has worked in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries for more than 25 years.  During that time, he has pioneered the use of controlled release technologies through his work in polymer science and engineering.

"It is an honor to be named president of the Controlled Release Society," said Dr. Tipton.  "Over the past several decades, controlled release formulations have changed the treatment paradigm for a number of serious health conditions, including cancer, pain management, cardiovascular and central nervous system disorders, and have been involved in many industrial applications such as food flavorings and long acting fertilizers.  As controlled release technologies continue to mature, industry and academia are meeting the challenges of developing the next generation of faster, safer, more accessible formulations, and CRS represents the world's leaders in advancing these novel techniques.  I look forward to leading this distinguished and important group."

Previously Dr. Tipton held senior positions at Durect Corporation, its wholly-owned subsidiary Southern BioSystems, Birmingham Polymers, and Atrix Laboratories.  In 2005, he founded Brookwood Pharmaceuticals, which was subsequently acquired by SurModics and later by Evonik.  At Evonik, he served as senior vice president of the Birmingham Division and also led the company's global drug delivery program.  Dr Tipton has 31 issued U.S. patents, 22 published U.S. patent applications, and numerous foreign equivalents, with more than 70 presentations and publications.

He is a fellow of AIMBE and CRS and was awarded the CRS Distinguished Service Award in 2012. He serves as an external advisor to the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteers as a mentor and judge in business plan competitions.  His election as president of CRS marks the first time in the organization's 36 year history that it has been led by two individuals of the same organization.  Danny H. Lewis, Ph.D., former Head, Biosystems Division for Southern Research Institute, served as president of CRS for the 1982-1983 term.

In his role as president of the Controlled Release Society, Dr. Tipton will continue to serve on the CRS Board of Directors as well as the boards of the Birmingham Venture Club, the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama Foundation, the Biotech Association of Alabama, and as a member of the Alabama Workforce Council spearheaded by Governor Robert Bentley.

Dr. Tipton earned a Ph.D. in Polymer Science and Engineering from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, and a B.S. in Chemistry from Spring Hill College.

About Southern Research Institute
Southern Research Institute is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) scientific research organization founded in 1941 that conducts preclinical drug discovery and development, advanced engineering research in materials, systems development, and environment and energy research. Approximately 500 scientific and engineering team members support clients and partners in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, defense, aerospace, environmental, and energy industries. Southern Research is headquartered in Birmingham, AL, with additional laboratories and offices in Wilsonville and Huntsville, AL, Frederick, MD, Durham, NC, Houston, TX, and Cartersville, GA. For more information visit: http://www.southernresearch.org.

Contact: Jonathan M. Nugent
+1-205-566-3026
Nugent@SouthernResearch.org