Paul E. Richardson, Ph.D., professor of biochemistry and chemistry department chair in Coastal Carolina University’s Gupta College of Science and the 2023 recipient of the HTC Distinguished Teacher-Scholar Lecturer Award, will present a public lecture titled “How Diseases Have Shaped and Will Shape the History of Humanity.” The event will be held Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. in the Johnson Auditorium, located in CCU’s Wall Building.

Richardson joined the CCU faculty in 2004 and was promoted to associate professor in 2009. That same year, he was named the outstanding researcher in applied medical sciences, and in 2012, he earned the Harry M. Lightsey Jr. Visiting Scholar award. In 2016, he was promoted to the rank of full professor of biochemistry. From 2016-2020, he was the principal investigator for CCU’s IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence program and was on the S.C. INBRE steering committee. Richardson was named chair of the Department of Chemistry in Fall 2020. In 2021, he co-won the student engagement award for his service to the students. In 2022, he co-won the University Service Award for his work on the COVID-19 pandemic and his leadership to keep the University safe.

Richardson has mentored more than 72 undergraduate students, resulting in over 63 student poster presentations, 14 student oral presentations, seven student-led research publications, and four non-research publications. During his 18 years at the University, he has received more than $2.3 million in grant money to support his research.

Richardson earned a degree in biochemistry in 1996 from Lebanon Valley College. He then worked for Bayer Pharmaceuticals, testing over-the-counter drugs (Aspirin, Midol, etc.) in the quality control department. After a year at Bayer, he went to the University of Southern Maine and earned a master’s degree in medical immunology and molecular biology in 1999. He received his Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular genetics in 2004 from the University of Alabama, Birmingham School of Medicine, and conducted research on molecular modeling of proteins in diseases.

“Dr. Richardson’s research projects are current and build on existing scientific challenges we are facing, but have components that allow students to learn and work on these projects,” said Chad Leverette, Ph.D., dean of the Gupta College of Science. “His most recent project was a tremendous help to CCU as we combated our University’s approach to the COVID-19 pandemic. He worked with his students and collaborators to build a COVID test for the campus. Dr. Richardson weaves together topics and skills he teaches students in his biochemistry courses with real-world undergraduate research projects. This is exactly what is meant by the teacher-scholar model; current and active scholarship intertwined with high-quality teaching. Dr. Richardson is an incredible professor, a tremendous asset to the Gupta College of Science, and a worthy recipient of this honor. We are extremely proud of him and all that he does for our students.”

The HTC Distinguished Teacher-Scholar Lecturer Series and Award is made possible through the generous support of the Horry Telephone Cooperative Inc. The award annually recognizes a CCU faculty member who has distinguished him/herself as a teacher, a scholar, and a communicator.