James C Coons

James C Coons is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacy and Therapeutics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, and holds roles as PGY2 Cardiology Pharmacy Residency Program Director at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, Fellowship Director for the Implementation Science and PharmacoAnalytics Program, and Co-Director of the Pharmacotherapy Scholars Program. He is affiliated with the Pharmacogenomics Center of Excellence and the Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences Center. With over 20 years of clinical practice experience, he specializes in managing patients with cardiovascular diseases, particularly in cardiac intensive care, advanced heart failure, and pulmonary hypertension.

He completed his PharmD at the University of Pittsburgh, followed by residency training at the University of Virginia (PGY1) and UPMC (PGY2 Cardiology). Prior to joining Pitt Pharmacy and UPMC in 2012, he served as a clinical specialist and PGY-1 Residency Director at Allegheny General Hospital.

His research focuses on cardiology pharmacotherapy, clinical outcomes, translational medicine, and pharmacogenomics implementation. He leads initiatives such as PreCISE-Rx and Test2Learn, advancing precision medicine and educational programs in cardiovascular pharmacy. He has authored over 75 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters, emphasizing his contributions to cardiovascular drug management and personalized treatment approaches.

Coons has received numerous awards for teaching and clinical excellence, including the 2023 Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award and the 2021 ASHP Foundation Pharmacy Residency Excellence Preceptor Award. He has also been recognized for innovations in teaching and scholarly contributions by the Rho Chi Society.

In advising and grants, he mentors residency and fellowship trainees and has directed multiple educational programs. His work includes developing standardized approaches to improve guideline-concordant care and advancing clinical pharmacy practice through residency excellence initiatives. He contributes to UPMC’s cardiovascular medication policies and collaborates on translational research and implementation science projects.

He is part of the Pharmacogenomics Center of Excellence and the Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences Center at the University of Pittsburgh, as well as multidisciplinary teams like PreCISE-Rx and Test2Learn. These affiliations support his research in pharmacogenomics integration and precision cardiology drug therapies.