Professor Tsige Gebre-Mariam is a founding member and the current elected President of the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences. He is Professor of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery at the School of Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences (CoHS), Addis Ababa University (AAU). He has served as the Dean of the School of Pharmacy, Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research of AAU and led the Graduate Program Expansion (2004-2009). His Research interest include Synthesis of starch-based nanoparticles as nanodrug carriers; Transdermal and dermal drug delivery; Controlled drug release; Development of phytomedicines, alternative native starches, celluloses and derivatives from local resources. Prof. Tsige has published extensively. He is a recipient of several awards, fellowships and recognitions including the Prestigious Georg Forster Research Award (2016); Life Time Best Researcher Award; and Dedicated Long Years of Service Award, School of Medicine Golden Jubilee, CoHS (2014); AAU Outstanding Faculty Award for Excellence in Academic Leadership, Teaching, Research and Community Services (2013); Humboldt Ambassador Scientist (2009-2015); Certificate of Recognition and Gold Medal for Outstanding Services to the Profession of Pharmacy in Ethiopia, Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Association (EPA) (2011); Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship; AAU Golden Jubilee Research Award (2000); Certificate of Recognition and Gold Medal for Research, EPA (2000).