Amynah Pradhan, PhD, director of the Center for Clinical Pharmacology, was installed as the Russell D. and Mary B. Shelden Professor of Anesthesiology on Thursday, July 9, 2026.
The installation ceremony and presentation were hosted by Michael S. Avidan, MBBCh, the Dr. Seymour and Rose T. Brown Professor of Anesthesiology and head of the Department of Anesthesiology, and Eva Aagaard, MD, Vice Dean for Education and Vice Chancellor for Medical Education.
An internationally recognized neuroscientist, Pradhan has transformed the field of pain research through pioneering discoveries that have advanced the understanding of migraine and chronic pain. Her research focuses on how opioid receptors regulate headache disorders and chronic pain, with the goal of developing safer, more effective treatments for patients.
In addition to her scientific achievements, Pradhan has reinvigorated the Center for Clinical Pharmacology’s scientific mission, expanding its role as a hub for interdisciplinary collaboration. During the ceremony, Avidan emphasized that the center has become a nexus for research across departments and institutions, bringing together experts to develop targeted therapies for pain and related disorders.
Beyond her research accomplishments, Pradhan is widely recognized as an exceptional mentor and educator. She is deeply committed to developing the next generation of scientists, equipping trainees with the technical expertise, critical thinking, and scientific independence needed to lead the future of biomedical research.
In her installation address, “Disentangling Relief from Risk: Opioid Receptors in Migraine, Pain, and Addiction,” Pradhan discussed how delta opioid receptors regulate multiple migraine-related symptoms, with a particular focus on how these receptors modulate neuropeptides associated with migraine pain.
“Dr. Pradhan is truly an exceptional scientist and strategic leader who is helping to shape the future of translational research at WashU Medicine,” said Avidan. “She is a rare investigator whose science bridges molecular pharmacology and clinical relevance with remarkable agility. Her greatest professional driver is to improve the lives of patients for whom existing therapies are inadequate or harmful. Her work exemplifies the goals of research at WashU Medicine: rigorous, collaborative, and deeply impactful.”
About Russell D. and Mary B. Shelden
For Russell D. and Mary B. Shelden, service was a lifelong calling expressed through medicine, military leadership, philanthropy, and a deep commitment to their home state of Missouri.
Dr. Russell Shelden earned his medical degree from WashU in 1949 and was a highly respected anesthesiologist. From 1958 to 1983, he served on the clinical faculty in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Missouri while also building a long career at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, where he served as president of the medical staff and received the Medical Staff Distinguished Award.
He was also a leader within his profession, serving as president of both the Kansas City Society of Anesthesiologists and the Missouri Society of Anesthesiologists, and as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Society of Anesthesiologists. He was an active member of the American Medical Association and the Missouri State Medical Association.
Outside of medicine, Dr. Shelden served in the U.S. Army Reserve for 65 years, retiring as a colonel and earning numerous military honors, including three World War II battle stars and the Department of the Army’s Meritorious Service Medal.
Mary B. Shelden, a graduate of the University of New Mexico, was a dedicated philanthropist and civic leader who championed scholarships, arts organizations, and educational opportunity. She was active in Kansas City as a member of the Junior League and the board of directors of the Women’s Division of the Kansas City Philharmonic.
Together, the Sheldens were Eliot Society Life Patrons and recipients of WashU’s Robert S. Brookings Award. Their philanthropy established endowed professorships at WashU Medicine and the University of Missouri, along with the Russell D. and Mary B. Shelden Clinical Simulation Center. Their enduring investments in medical education and research will continue to improve lives for generations to come.