WNEU Dean of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Listed Among Top 2% of World’s Scientists

SPRINGFIELD — Western New England University (WNEU) announced that Dr. John Pezzuto, dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, has been recognized in Stanford University’s recently released list of “Top 2% of Scientists in the World.” The list names an elite group of scientists with criteria based on the citation impact of their publications.

“Faculty who take part in university research are actively participating in their field and have access to cutting-edge insight in their subject matter. By bringing that insight back into the classroom, they bring the academic world to life for our students,” said Curt Hamawaka, WNEU’s interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.

In the overall category of career impact, Pezzuto is ranked in the top 4% of the top 2% of scientists. His placement is even more remarkable in the discipline-specific ranking of medicinal and biomolecular chemistry, where he is placed 21st among 80,622 researchers in that field — the top 0.02% of the top 2%.

“It is a great honor for us to have such a distinguished scientist among our ranks,” university President Robert Johnson said. “We are pleased that Dr. Pezzuto joined us and will continue his research in addition to his other administrative and academic responsibilities. As WNE enters its second century, research, scholarship, and discovery will all assume greater and greater prominence. Building this into our very fabric is well-exemplified by the work of Dr. Pezzuto.”

Pezzuto joined Western New England University in August 2020 as professor and dean. Over the years, he has investigated natural products as drugs, with special emphasis on cancer therapy and prevention. He is well-known for his pioneering work concerning resveratrol, a component of grapes and grape products, that has been shown to mediate a raft of biological responses. His work on investigating the effect of grapes on health and longevity continues at WNEU.

“Nature provides many clues for the treatment and prevention of human disease. I have been blessed to work with many icons in the field, and to continue being active in research and discovery at WNE,” Pezzuto said. “It is heartening that my work has been recognized by colleagues and become integrated with the continuum of science searching for the truth. Academia provides the perfect environment for scholarship, and this is imbued by the spirit of WNE.”