Kansas University administrators have selected one of their own to lead the KU School of Pharmacy.

Ken Audus, a KU graduate who has been chairman of the pharmaceutical chemistry department since 1998, was named pharmacy dean Monday.

“This appointment is particularly meaningful because of my long association with the school,” Audus said in a prepared statement.

Audus will replace Jack Fincham, who announced in August he would step down after 10 years to return to full-time teaching and research. The school in 2003 ranked second in the nation for the amount of National Institutes of Health funding received, at $13.6 million.

“(Audus) is a well-respected scientist in one of the nation’s premier schools of pharmacy, and he has been very successful as chair of pharmaceutical chemistry,” said David Shulenburger, provost and executive vice chancellor.

Audus received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1980 from the University of South Dakota, then earned his doctorate in pharmacology from KU Medical Center in 1984. He completed postdoctoral work at KU in 1986.

He taught at several pharmacy schools before returning to KU in 1998 as department chair.

Audus also is a professor of molecular and integrative physiology and associate editor of the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.