About Ike C. De La Pena, PhD

Ike de la Peña, PhD, is an Associate Professor at Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy (LLUSP). He teaches physiology and pharmacology in the Foundations in Biomedical Sciences series, incorporating active learning, multimedia resources, and emerging educational technologies to enhance student engagement and learning.

A translational scientist by training, his research spans behavioral neuroscience and neuropharmacology, with a focus on neurodevelopmental and cognitive disorders and brain injury. His Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) work examines data-informed instructional design and assessment strategies while exploring intellectual humility in interprofessional education. He has authored numerous publications and book chapters and has delivered presentations in both translational neuroscience and health professions education.

Dr. de la Peña is a recipient of the Innovation in Teaching Award (2026) and the New Investigator Award (2020) from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), as well as the Junior Prize from the European Network on Hyperkinetic Disorders (2013, 2016). He has also received the LLUSP Junior Faculty Award (2020) and the Global Service Award (2023). His research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association, along with industry partnerships including Lundbeck and Novo Nordisk.

He serves on the editorial boards of Scientific Reports, Brain Sciences, and Frontiers in Medicine: Health Professions Education and has contributed to the scientific program of the Collegium International Neuro-Psychopharmacologicum.