phd in medicinal chemistry

PhD in Medicinal Chemistry

Application deadline for incoming class of 2024:   December 15th, 2023 Prospective student visits (by invitation only): Late Feb 2024

The Department

We have 8 faculty running active research labs tackling health-related problems at the interface of chemistry and biology. Our department is internationally recognized for work on the mechanism and kinetics of xenobiotic metabolism by cytochrome P450s (CYPs) and other detoxification enzymes. CYPs metabolize most drugs used in the clinic, and their dysfunction is linked to harmful drug-drug interactions, inflammation, cancer, heart disease, and impaired neurodevelopment. Recently, our research has diversified into other areas of biochemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, biophysics and chemical biology. Some faculty study therapeutic antibodies, peptides and other biologics, which are revolutionizing clinical practice. Other faculty study virology with the goal of developing better vaccines and treatments for diseases like HIV/AIDS and influenza, or neurodegeneration with the goal of improving the diagnosis and treatment of dementias like Alzheimer’s disease. Our faculty also develop new analytical techniques, such as mass spectrometry methods to characterize lipids, metabolites and glycoproteins more quickly and sensitively than ever before. Learn more about each lab’s research here .

The PhD Experience

Coursework requires students to become proficient in organic, medicinal and physical chemistry, pharmacology, biochemistry, and molecular biology. (See a typical Program of Study , and course descriptions in the course catalog .) The curriculum is adaptable to individual interests and needs, and most didactic coursework is completed in the first two years.  For more information on the program please refer to our most recent Med Chem student handbook .

Professional development outside the laboratory and classroom is a major point of emphasis. Students build communication skills through regular presentations to their labs, and in departmental journal clubs and research seminars. Many students interested in biotech/pharma careers have benefited from our innovative industry mentorship and internship programs.

Financial Support

Incoming graduate students are generally supported by a research assistantship from the department for the first year of study, allowing students to dedicate their time to study and work in the lab. It currently covers tuition (excluding a $265 per quarter student fee) and an additional stipend of $3259 /month. In subsequent years, support is provided either by the department or by research or training grants. Outstanding applicants are considered for an ARCS Scholarship that provides an additional stipend of $7,500 for the first year and $5,000 for the next two years of graduate school. The research assistantship also provides health insurance at no charge for students; coverage is available for spouses and dependents for an additional fee. (You can find more information on the Graduate Appointee Insurance Program and other benefits through UW Human Resources .)

Career Opportunities

Our graduates also excel in academia. Recent graduates have done post-doctoral work at institutes such as Yale University, University of California San Francisco, University of California San Diego, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Queen Mary University of London, and Children’s Hospital Research Center. Subsequently, alums have gone on to tenure-track faculty positions at top-tier research universities, colleges of pharmacy, and liberal arts colleges.

More Application Info & FAQs

The PhD Program in Medicinal Chemistry educates and trains students in the design and synthesis of novel, biologically active compounds and in delineating their mechanisms of action using biochemical, biophysical, and pharmacological approaches. Research specializations are available in synthetic, biochemical/pharmacological, and biophysical aspects of medicinal chemistry. Doctoral research in these specializations will relate to faculty areas of research, which currently include substance use disorders and addiction; neuropathic pain; obesity and metabolic disorders; neuropsychiatric disorders (psychoses, ADHD, depression, anxiety, eating disorders); and neurodegenerative diseases.

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This specialization offered by the Center for Drug Discovery (CDD) trains students in the design and synthesis of novel biologically active compounds and in the study of their mechanisms of action using biochemical, biophysical, and pharmacological approaches. Concentrations are available in synthetic, biochemical/pharmacological, and biophysical medicinal chemistry. The CDD’s excellence in teaching has been recognized by the award of a training grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse for predoctoral and postdoctoral training in development of medications. These will be targeted to treat drug abuse; addiction; and other indications such as neuropathic pain, obesity, neuropsychiatric disorders (psychoses, ADHD, depression, anxiety, eating disorders); and neurodegenerative disorders.

Where They Work

• Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research

What They Do

• Healthcare Services
• Business Development

What They’re Skilled At

• High-Performance Liquid Chromatography
• Pharmaceutical Industry
• Cell Culture
• Biotechnology

Application Materials

Application.

• Application fee – US $50
• Three letters of recommendation
• Transcripts from all institutions attended
• Personal Statement
• Official GRE scores
• TOEFL score for applicants who do not hold a degree from a U.S. institution and whose native language is not English
• Please note all international applicants will need to provide a WES evaluation. Link to WES: https://www.wes.org/ https://www.wes.org/

Admissions deadline for Fall term: December 6

• Program Website

Request Information for PhD in Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery

Academic Catalog 2023-2024

Medicinal chemistry and drug discovery, phd, journal club participation, colloquium attendance, internship requirements and regulations for department of pharmaceutical sciences, qualifying examination, doctoral candidacy status, doctoral dissertation committee, dissertation proposal defense, registration for dissertation, publications and presentations, phd dissertation preparation, pharmaceutical sciences colloquium, sopps professional code of conduct .

The PhD Program in Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery educates and trains students in the design and synthesis of novel, biologically active compounds and in delineating their mechanisms of action using biochemical, biophysical, and pharmacological approaches. Research specializations are available in synthetic, biochemical/pharmacological, and biophysical aspects of medicinal chemistry. Doctoral research in these specializations will relate to faculty areas of research, which currently include substance use disorders and addiction; neuropathic pain; obesity and metabolic disorders; neuropsychiatric disorders (psychoses, ADHD, depression, anxiety, eating disorders); and neurodegenerative diseases.

The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences sponsors weekly journal clubs, Pharmaceutical Science Seminar ( PHSC 6300 ) , at which students present and evaluate current scientific literature in their fields of study. Students must attend one of these journal clubs (Pharmaceutics & Drug Delivery Journal Club, Pharmacology Journal Club, or Medicinal Chemistry & Drug Discovery Journal Club), chosen in consultation with their advisors.

Attendance at one of these journal clubs is required each and every academic semester, as an integral part of the PhD curriculum, with the exception of the last year (year four) in the program. All PhD students must participate full-time in journal club for course credit, Pharmaceutical Science Seminar ( PHSC 6300 ) , for six semesters. Failure to attend journal club regularly may result in sanctions such as probation or dismissal from the PhD program. Any student who does not comply with these (or any other) conditions required in the PhD program faces potential dismissal.

All PhD students, regardless of program, are required to attend the weekly Pharmaceutical Science Colloquium series. Announcements of times and locations will be distributed weekly to students by email to their university email addresses. Attendance is recorded by sign-up sheet. One excused absence is permitted per semester. Failure to attend colloquia may result in sanctions such as probation or dismissal from the PhD program.

Internships provide an experiential component of the graduate curriculum that fosters professional development through work in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

After PhD candidates have completed their dissertation research and are working on their dissertations, they are able, with the express permission of their PhD advisor, to participate in an internship if they choose. They are never allowed to intern while they are serving as teaching assistants.

• Students are responsible for finding their own internship and must be honest and accurate representing their experiences on their resumés. Students are responsible for tracking this experience on their resumés as there will be no detailed record on students’ transcripts of these opportunities.
• In order to be eligible for internship, students must take   Professional Development for Pharmaceutical Sciences ( PHSC 5305 ) a semester before internship.
• Students must not accept more than one position. They must honor the first offer accepted. Any student not adhering to this requirement will not be allowed to participate.
• International students must register for Pharmaceutical Science Internship ( PHSC 6401 )  and follow instructions to receive Curricular Practical Training authorization from the Office of Global Services every semester they work. This applies to part-time jobs and volunteer opportunities. International students cannot engage in full-time CPT authorization totaling more than 52 weeks. Doing so will eliminate the possibility of engaging in the postgraduation benefit of Post-Completion Optional Practical Training.
• In order to receive a grade for the course, students must write at least two learning goals within the first two weeks of the internship and a one- to two-page paper describing what they learned, mid- and end of semester. Supervisors for internships will reply to a questionnaire about students’ performance.
• Taking internship must not extend international students’ visas.
• There are no vacations on co-op/internships. Companies’ sick time policies may vary. Students should check with their employers. For all other matters, please see the University-wide Academic Policies and Procedures and/or Bouvé College of Health Sciences Academic Policies and Procedures .

The PhD qualifying examination is required for students in all four programs under the auspices of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences: pharmacology, medicinal chemistry and drug discovery, biomedical sciences, and pharmaceutics and drug delivery. Students from each of the four programs will take the exams within the same time frame (below), regardless of specialty-area program focus.

Doctoral students should have selected a dissertation advisor by the end of their first year in the program and are expected to have begun research and demonstrated initial proficiency in the laboratory before taking the PhD qualifying examination.

The PhD qualifying examination tests the candidates’ knowledge and skills in core courses and program content areas. The overall PhD qualifying examination consists of two written exams and one oral exam. The qualifying examination is taken as a course,  Doctoral Training and Research ( PHSC 8940 ) , no later than during the fall semester of the student's second year, after having successfully completed all the core courses of their respective programs.

At least two departmental faculty will contribute questions for the written exams, and no one faculty member will write more than the equivalent of one entire exam. All students qualified to sit for the exams are expected to take them at the times announced.

The format for the written exams may vary (e.g., faculty may ask a series of comprehensive essay questions or provide research publications(s) from the biomedical literature and ask questions based upon the publications’ content). The first exam is given in the first week of fall semester, with the written portion of the second exam (i.e., the F31 written document) to be submitted to the student’s exam committee by end of October with the oral presentation to be completed by mid-November and graded by the providers of the question(s).

• For example, if the student is in the pharmaceutics and drug delivery PhD program, part 1 will be about pharmaceutics and drug delivery, and part 2 can focus either on pharmacology or medicinal chemistry and drug discovery.
• Written exam 2 requires that students write an NIH F31 grant proposal and have the proposal signed off as passing by their examination committee after an oral defense.

A score of at least 70% is required to pass the first written exam (two parts). Students must pass all written portions of the PhD qualifying examination prior to the oral defense of the F31 proposal. Students who fail one written exam will have one opportunity to retake and pass that examination. A student who fails the first exam twice will be required to withdraw from the PhD program.

During the oral exam, students defend their NIH F31 grant proposal before an examination committee of, minimally, four faculty members: the dissertation advisor, at least two other Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences faculty members, and at least one member from outside the department. This committee is convened only for the oral exam and does not need to be the same committee as the student's dissertation committee. 

Members of the oral examination committee are selected by the student, after consultation with the dissertation advisor and/or the director of graduate studies. The oral exam is graded on a pass/fail basis. Students who fail the oral exam on the first attempt may retake the exam within a time period designated by the examination committee not to exceed two months from the first oral exam. Those who fail twice will be dismissed from the program.

Doctoral students who have completed satisfactorily and thereby earned the credits for all required core courses (including those for their specialized area) and who have passed the written and oral qualifying examinations shall be admitted to candidacy status for the PhD degree.

Doctoral students must complete a dissertation that embodies the results of extended research and makes an original contribution to their field. This work should give evidence of candidates’ abilities to conduct independent investigation and interpret the results of their research in a professional manner. The doctoral dissertation advisor serves as chairperson of the Doctoral Dissertation Committee, which consists of no fewer than five members. Selection of an advisor is by mutual consent of the student and a member of the faculty, with approval by the director of graduate studies in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. At least two members of the Doctoral Dissertation Committee must be faculty members in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. At least one member is to be selected from outside the department. Committee members are chosen for their expertise in students’ research areas.

Within a year after successful completion of the PhD qualifying examination, but no later than the beginning of the fall semester of the third year, students must prepare and defend a written proposal detailing their planned dissertation project. Failure to do so will be regarded as a failure to progress in the PhD program and will result in a warning from the director of graduate studies of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Students who do not correct this deficiency within one semester will be placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation must complete the dissertation proposal defense and return to nonprobationary status within one semester or be dismissed from the PhD program.

The dissertation proposal should be no more than 50 double-spaced pages (12-point font minimum and one-half-inch margins on all sides). This page limit excludes references but includes figures, figure legends, and tables. Aside from these exceptions, the proposal should otherwise conform to the format and structure of an NIH grant proposal with four main sections: specific aims, background and significance, preliminary studies, and experimental design and methods. The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Dissertation Proposal document provides detailed instructions on the preparation of a dissertation proposal. Associated required forms may be found on the SOPPS Student Portal Canvas site.

The dissertation proposal must be defended orally before the student's dissertation committee and signed by all dissertation committee members in approval of the student's planned dissertation research.  Upon dissertation approval, the copies of the signed proposal approval cover sheet must be submitted to the department’s director of graduate studies and to the Bouvé College of Health Sciences Graduate Office.

Biannual Review

Dissertation committees meet routinely at six-month intervals, but no less than once a year, to evaluate students’ research progress and to be presented with written and oral progress reports on the direction and status of the research. Progress reports should be written in a brief format, identical to that described for the formal dissertation (see instructions listed on the SOPPS Student Portal Canvas site). Unsatisfactory productivity provides the basis for a warning by the dissertation committee and/or the Graduate Committee. Two such warnings will result in a student’s dismissal from the program.

Advisor consent and completion of all coursework (with the exception of the colloquium course) must be documented before students register for the first dissertation course. Students must register for Dissertation Term 1 ( PHSC 9990 )  and Dissertation Term 2 ( PHSC 9991 ) . Students must register for Dissertation Continuation ( PHSC 9996 )  each semester thereafter until the dissertation has been successfully defended. The department strongly encourages PhD students to complete the program within five years after acceptance, i.e., by three years after establishing degree candidacy. According to university policy, no PhD students may remain in the program for more than seven years.

Prior to completion of PhD training, candidates must present their research either as a poster or podium presentation at a regional or national scientific conference. Also prior to completion, the student must have submitted (preferably, published) at least one manuscript in a peer-reviewed journal that reflects original findings and laboratory work from the candidate's dissertation research.

Detailed guidelines for the format and content of the written dissertation are given in Instructions for Preparation of the Dissertation found on the SOPPS Student Portal Canvas site. The completed dissertation document should be reviewed first by the dissertation advisor. Feedback from the advisor should be incorporated into the dissertation draft before its distribution to the dissertation committee. The completed dissertation should be delivered to all dissertation committee members no later than two weeks before the scheduled oral defense.

All PhD candidates nearing completion of their research are required to present their dissertation findings at the department’s Pharmaceutical Sciences Colloquium. These presentations should be scheduled at least six months before anticipated completion of the dissertation. In turn, the dissertation should be completed no later than one year after the colloquium presentation. Students must register for  Pharmaceutical Science Colloquium ( PHSC 6810 )  during the semester that the colloquium presentation is to be given.

Oral Dissertation Defense

The oral dissertation defense takes place after students complete their PhD dissertation research and all other requirements for the PhD degree. The oral defense deals with the subject matter of the dissertation, significant developments in the field, and students’ background knowledge in their field of concentration.

The dissertation committee conducts the final defense. The committee may recommend that the student clarify, amplify, or rewrite portions of the dissertation before the final defense is scheduled. Once the committee concurs that that written dissertation document is acceptable, a date is chosen for the final oral examination.

At least two weeks prior to the defense, students should inform the director of graduate studies in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the date of defense, so that advance announcement may be distributed. The final defense is open to anyone who wishes to attend and typically lasts at least two hours. After presentation of the work by the student in a seminar format, and responses to audience and committee questions, the committee meets first with the student for any follow-up discussion and then in executive session to decide whether the student has defended the dissertation successfully.

The committee’s decision is then announced to the student. If the committee’s vote is favorable, the student incorporates committee suggestions and corrections, if applicable, and the dissertation is signed and passed on to the department’s director of graduate studies. Requests for a second defense are highly irregular but may be permitted in the event that the previous oral defense was judged by the committee to be highly promising but inadequate in one critical aspect.

The final dissertation must be written, defended, and approved at least two weeks before the university commencement deadline. Students must submit signed copies of their dissertations to the website designated by the university and must abide by any embargo sanctioned by the student’s principal dissertation advisor and/or dissertation committee. The students should apply for graduation before the final dissertation defense, on the assumption that the dissertation will be approved. If the dissertation committee decides that more time is required to complete the dissertation beyond the commencement date, then the application for graduation can be withdrawn and a new one submitted pending final dissertation approval.

All SOPPS students (BSPS, Preprofessional, MS, and PhD) are expected to adhere to the Code of Conduct .

Please visit  Bouvé College of Health Sciences Program Learning Outcomes  for the specific student learning outcomes for this program.

Complete all courses and requirements listed below unless otherwise indicated.

Qualifying examination Doctoral candidacy status Doctoral dissertation committee Dissertation proposal Biannual review Pharmaceutical Sciences Colloquium Oral dissertation defense

Core Requirements

A grade of C– or higher is required in each course.

Research and Dissertation

Program credit/gpa requirements.

32 total semester hours required Minimum 3.000 GPA required

Plan of Study

Scientific Writing: Thesis Proposal ( PHSC 7020 )  must be taken the summer before the qualifying exams.

Doctoral Proposal ( PHSC 9681 ) should be taken in summer of second year, but no later than fall of third year. 

Pharmaceutical Science Colloquium ( PHSC 6810 ) must be taken six months before dissertation defense.

PHSC 5305 & PHSC 6213 is suggested to be taken in the fourth year, but can be taken at any point before graduation. 

Plan of Study - Advanced Entry

Doctoral Proposal ( PHSC 9681 )  may be taken in spring of first year but must be taken before fall of second year.

Pharmaceutical Science Colloquium ( PHSC 6810 )  must be taken six months before dissertation defense.

Advanced entry into the Medicinal  Chemistry and Drug Discovery  PhD program requires a master's degree in pharmaceutical sciences or a related area and focuses on various advanced research courses and successful defense of the dissertation. An applicant's transcripts are required to be reviewed by the admissions committee to ensure they are eligible to be in the advanced entry program.

Annual review Qualifying examination Dissertation committee Dissertation proposal Dissertation defense

10 total semester hours required Minimum 3.000 GPA required

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Doctor of Philosophy in Medicinal Chemistry (PhD)

Location: Boston Start Term: Fall Either build on your master’s-level knowledge or start directly on your PhD examining the behavior of chemical substances at the molecular level and conducting research related to the development of new drugs and novel targets.

Research Drug Design and Synthesis in Some of the World’s Most Advanced Laboratories

Your doctoral journey.

Our research-and-development focused curriculum prepares you for roles at the frontier of drug discovery and enhancement in the pharmaceutical industry. You’ll work side-by-side with globally respected faculty working on novel drug targets and diseases. This program is STEM-designated , qualifying international students for an additional two years of OPT work in the United States.

First-Year Experience (following completion of your MS degree)

• deepen your grasp of pharmaceutical science principles
• study medicinal, organic, and bio-organic chemistry and spectroscopic analysis
• participate in related laboratory rotations and graduate seminars

Second-Year Experience

• engage in research in your desired area of specialization
• continue to participate in related graduate seminars

Third-Year Experience

• develop a thorough understanding of drug metabolism
• extend your research in a desired area of specialization and create a grant proposal

Medicinal Chemist compensation reported by Payscale.com in 2022.

The projected professional growth between 2022 and 2032 is 6%, faster than average.  (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Massachusetts is #1 in Industry investment in R&D per capita. (Massachusetts Life Sciences Center)

Developing Future Leaders in the Pharmaceutical Sciences

Dream Jobs That Help Humanity

As a medicinal chemist, you’ll work with some of the most dynamic technologies and life-saving breakthroughs in healthcare.

Working at the Frontier of Therapeutics

Jose Mauricio Paredes Quiroz, MS ’22, pursues his calling as a drug hunter working on RNA-based therapeutics at Dicerna Pharmaceuticals.

Students Publish with Pharmaceutical Sciences Professor

Professor Swati Betharia, PhD in Pharmacology ’11, led a research team of undergraduate and graduate students to a key finding on neuroprotection against metal toxicity.

Graduate Degrees in Pharmaceutical Sciences

As well as the PhD in Medicinal Chemistry, we offer five additional opportunities for graduate study at the master’s, doctoral, and certificate levels.

Master of Science in Medicinal Chemistry

Two-year, full-time program on the Boston campus.

Master of Science in Pharmaceutics

Two-year, full-time program on the Boston and Worcester campuses.

Master of Science in Clinical Research

Flexible full-time or part-time program on the Boston campus and online.

Graduate Certificate in Clinical Research

Flexible three-course program on the Boston campus and online.

Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutics

50-credit, full-time program on the Boston and Worcester campuses.

Download a Program Fact Sheet

Download a program fact sheet for a snapshot of the Doctor of Philosophy in Medicinal Chemistry.

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PhD Program: Medicinal Chemistry

About the track.

The medicinal chemistry track encompasses drug discovery and prepares you with the means to study the behavior of chemical substances at the molecular level.

• You will use computational, biochemical and cell-based screening technologies to identify natural and synthetic compounds with pharmacological activity.
• You will study structure-activity relationships to understand the mechanisms of drug action.
• Your research will be directed towards the identification, synthesis and development of new chemical molecules suitable for biological studies and eventually therapeutic use.

Download our brochure

Faculty Associated with this Track

• Donna Huryn, PhD
• Paul Johnston, PhD
• Velvet Journigan, PhD
• Jaden Jun, PhD
• Terance McGuire, PhD
• Peter Wipf, PhD
• Xiangqun Xie, PhD, MBA
• Wei Zhang, PhD

Download the competency requirements for a PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Primary Contact

Xiangqun (Sean) Xie , PhD, MBA Professor 206 Salk Pavilion 412-383-5276 [email protected]

Graduate Programs

Explore information.

If you want a career at the forefront of new drug development, there's nowhere better to study in Ohio than The University of Toledo.  

UToledo’s College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has been ranked first in Ohio and eighth in the U.S. for teaching and value. UToledo also is ranked among the nation's best pharmacy schools by U.S. News & World Report. 

Our master’s and doctoral programs in Medicinal Chemistry focus on the theory and practice of drug design. Our strength — and what sets us apart from other programs — is our focus on chemistry and advanced biology. Not many universities emphasize both.

Graduate students learn biological techniques to identify targets. They use chemistry to design drugs to affect those targets. This holistic, interdisciplinary approach makes our graduates more marketable.  

Employers also love that our Medicinal Chemistry students are prepared for hands-on research. UToledo graduates of the Medicinal Chemistry Ph.D. program go on to prestigious post-doctoral appointments and high-level jobs in the pharmaceutical industry or academia. M.S. graduates go on to Ph.D. programs at UToledo or other universities or directly into industry.

Pharm.D./Ph.D. Dual Degree Program

In addition to our Ph.D. and M.S. programs in Medicinal Chemistry, we also offer a dual degree program for those who want to earn both their Ph.D. and Pharm.D. degrees.

Top Reasons to Study medicinal chemistry at UToledo

• Small classes. Our classes are offered in a small-group tutorial format. You have extensive, direct access to faculty mentors. 
• Intensive research. Begin your doctoral program rotating through at least two faculty laboratories, where you will conduct small research projects. These rotations will inform and inspire your future dissertation work. M.S. students enter a lab during their second semesters. 
• Internships. Participate in an optional internship with a Toledo, Ohio-based company or one of our international partners. These experiences have turned into career-track jobs for many Medicinal Chemistry graduates.  
• Health Science Campus. Our college's location on UToledo's Health Science Campus allows graduate students to collaborate with students in other healthcare professions and access research labs, pharmacies and more. All students also have access to the chemical instrumentation on Main Campus. 
• The  Shimadzu Laboratory for Pharmaceutical Research Excellence  has the latest advanced instruments, including a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer. The instruments allow M.S. and Ph.D. students to research metabolism, disease biomarkers, DNA damage and other areas. 
• The  Center for Drug Design and Development  is a university-based hub for collaborative research with the pharmaceutical industry. The UToledo Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry works closely with the center. 
• Financial support. Students in the Ph.D. program are often supported throughout the program as teaching assistants or research assistants with funding from research grants. Assistantships generally require teaching and research. 

Graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, research assistants and visiting scholars contribute to a vital research environment at UToledo.  

UToledo faculty in the Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry are skilled researchers and teachers. They are recognized authorities in their areas of specialization and conduct research that contributes to the development of new treatments, practices and innovations.  

Master’s and doctoral students are trained in applied research in rational drug design. They work closely on research with faculty members for their theses. 

UToledo Medicinal Chemists collaborate with chemistry, biology and medical faculty on research. They are involved in research in: 

• Neuroscience 
• Cancer therapy and vaccines 
• Kidney and cardiovascular diseases 
• Organic synthesis 
• Autoimmunology and basic immunology 
• Inflammation and obesity 
• Targeted drug design and development 

What jobs can I get with a medicinal chemistry degree?

Graduates of UToledo's Medicinal Chemistry master's and Ph.D. programs have had a 100% job placement rate during the past few years. The interdisciplinary training our graduates receive is in demand in industry and academia. 

Employers include: 

• Pharmaceutical companies 
• Biotechnology companies 
• Hospital and government laboratories 
• Universities 

Non-laboratory opportunities include: 

• Clinical trial administration 
• Scientific writing 
• Intellectual property 
• University faculty and other positions in academia 

Our graduates have been accepted into doctoral programs and offered postdoctoral fellowships at: 

• Walter Reed Army Institute of Research  
• Harvard University 
• Columbia University  
• Ohio State University 
• University of Michigan 
• University of Georgia 
• Johns Hopkins University 
• University of Chicago 
• Northwestern University 
• Scripps Research Institute, Florida 

Our graduates in Medicinal Chemistry have been employed in the following positions: 

• Chemist, Anatrace, Maumee, Ohio 
• Chemist, Stepan Company, Chicago 
• Quality control technician, Mondelez International, Deerfield, Ill. 
• Portfolio manager, medical imaging, U.S. Department of Defense 
• Medical director/compliance officer, Informed Medical Communications, Rockville, Md. 
• Research analyst, Compass Labs, Memphis, Tenn. 
• Medical writer, Integra Lifesciences, Plainsboro, N.J. 
• Associate professor, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutics & Medicinal Chemistry, Stockton, Calif. 
• Director general, Arab Company for Drug Industries and Medical Appliances, and assistant professor, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan 
• Program manager for peer-reviewed Alzheimer’s/epilepsy research programs, U.S. Department of Defense 

How to Apply to Graduate School

Find your next steps whether you are a new student, readmit student or guest student.

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• Enroll & Pay
• KU School of Pharmacy
• Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)
• Pharmaceutical Chemistry
• Pharmacology & Toxicology
• Pharmacy Practice
• Neuroscience

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Medicinal Chemistry

The KU Department of Medicinal Chemistry provides Ph.D. students a strong foundation in organic and medicinal chemistry with flexibility for additional emphasis in aspects of biochemistry, pharmacology and other biological sciences.

Apply for Ph.D.

Ph.D. Program Overview

Standard ku graduate admission requirements —.

Students must meet all requirements for Graduate Admissions .

Prerequisites —

Previous degree requirement —.

B.S. or M.S. degree in pharmacy, medicinal chemistry, chemistry, biochemistry, or a closely-related field

Grade Point Average (GPA) —

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. 

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Scores —

• GRE General Test  is recommended but not required.
• GRE scores should be sent directly to the University of Kansas and to the Department of Medicinal Chemistry (codes: KU-6871, Medicinal Chemistry - 0621). 
• Although not mandatory, applicants are encouraged to also take the subject test in chemistry.

English Proficiency Requirements —

Non-native English speakers must demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing and listening via English Proficiency Scores from the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE test. See  KU's English Proficiency Requirements  for detailed information, including minimum score requirements. Request that the testing agency send your official scores directly to KU (codes: KU-6871, Pharmacy-47).

Time to Complete —

The program typically takes five years to complete. Required core graduate courses for students who meet standard requirements can be completed within the first two years of study. Students attend year-round with time off for holidays and vacations.

Minimum Enrollment —

Students enroll in at least 9 credit hours in both the fall and spring semesters and 6 hours in the summer. Students must take all required courses, even if that requires more than the minimum hours a given term. Students must be enrolled in at least 1 hour of thesis or dissertation research each term (MDCM 895 or 999), regardless of other coursework.

Foundational Prerequisite Courses —

One year of organic chemistry with laboratory (equivalent to CHEM 624, 625, 626, 627) and at least one course in physical chemistry (equivalent to CHEM 640, 646) and one course biochemistry (see note below).

Note About Biochemistry A one-semester survey course in biochemistry is acceptable if the student received a grade of B or better in the course OR if the student scores a 70 or better on the ACS Biochemistry placement exam given to entering graduate students in the fall (one try only will be allowed). If neither of these applies, the student will take one semester of biochemistry through the Department of Medicinal Chemistry (MDCM 701).

See Courses - Ph.D. for details about required coursework, safety training and academic standing.

Research Requirements —

Graduate degrees in medicinal chemistry are research-based and awarded only after a student has made a significant, in-depth contribution of new knowledge to the field in the form of research publications and the M.S. Thesis or the Doctoral Dissertation.

Academic Standing —

At the end of the first semester, continuance in the program is dependent upon satisfactory academic program progress.

Comprehensive Written Examination —

After the spring semester of year one, students take a comprehensive written examination and must score 70% or higher. A score of 50%-69% qualifies students for one additional attempt, which must occur before fall semester of year two. A score below 50% will typically result in dismissal.

Comprehensive Oral Examination —

Students take a comprehensive oral exam after the first two years of coursework. Successful completion results in the student attaining the status of doctoral candidate. A non-thesis M.S. degree is automatically awarded to all students after the successful completion of their oral comprehensive examination.

Seminar Presentations —

Students must prepare and present two seminars in the departmental seminar series. The first is the Literature Seminar (MDCM 798) and presented during the spring semester of year two. The second seminar is the research seminar (MDCM 799), during the fall semester of year four and highlights research progress.

Original Research Proposal —

As part of the “Proposal Preparation” course (MDCM 980), during the fall semester of year three, students prepare an original proposal (NIH format), and submit it to the faculty for evaluation. This proposal is based on the same topic as their literature seminar.  

Research Rotations —

Students perform two research rotations during the first semester and are assigned a research advisor, both for rotations and the final research group assignment. Assignments are based on student’s preference as well as the availability of funding and research space.

Student Self-Assessment —

Starting in the third year, students are required to complete a yearly self-assessment of their goals and progress toward those goals.

Dissertation Defense —

The final requirements for the Ph.D. degree are the preparation and defense of a dissertation based on the original laboratory research conducted by the student.

Safety Training —

Students must comply with training required by the KU Department of Environment, Health and Safety and the Department of Medicinal Chemistry. Training can include research seminars, hands-on training and online training. Safety training specific to assigned labs must also be completed before students are allowed to begin laboratory work.

Director of Graduate Studies Course Mark Farrell Assistant Professor [email protected] 785-864-1610

Graduate Student Recruiting Application [email protected] 785-864-4495

KU Graduate Admissions [email protected] 785-864-3140

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MedChem Banner

TOP RESEARCH EXPENDITURE IN THE U.S.

Medicinal chemistry involves the application of a number of specialized disciplinary approaches all focused on the ultimate goal of drug discovery.  Drug target identification and validation, rational (target-based) drug design, structural biology, computational-based drug design, methods development (chemical, biochemical, and computational), and “Hit-to-lead” development are all aspects of medicinal chemistry.  The techniques and approaches of chemical biology, synthetic organic chemistry, combinatorial (bio)chemistry, mechanistic enzymology, computational chemistry, chemical genomics, and high-throughput screening are all used applied by medicinal chemists towards drug discovery.

For our Pharm.D. students, medicinal chemistry is integrated with pharmacology to present a coherent picture of the principles of drug action.  Pharmacology mainly deals with drug action at the cellular, tissue/organ and organism levels.  Medicinal chemistry focuses on the molecular aspects of drug action: interactions with the drug targets from both the drug and the target point of view, the relationship of drug chemical structure to drug action and the effects of metabolism on the drug structure and hence its action.

In 1913, the University of Michigan first outlined a graduate program offering M.A., M.S., Ph.D. and D.Sc. degrees in a joint effort between the Graduate Department (now the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies) and the Pharmacy Department (now College of Pharmacy).  As a discipline, Medicinal Chemistry in the United States started with the appointment of Dr. F. F. Blicke as Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry in 1926.  Prof. Blicke initiated the first graduate education program in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, focusing on synthetic organic chemistry.  The program expanded in the 1950s to include analytical aspects and pharmaceutics.  After Prof. Blicke’s retirement in 1960, his former student, Prof. J. H. Burkhalter returned to the College and argued for an independent graduate education program in Medicinal Chemistry.  Along with the support of Graduate School Dean Alfred Sussman and the participation of a core group of interdepartmental faculty (within and outside of the College of Pharmacy), in 1967 Prof. Burkhalter established the Interdepartmental Program in Medicinal Chemistry (Med Chem IDP).  The Med Chem IDP was established to train students in a broad range of chemically-based disciplines so that its graduates are able to apply the rigor and methods of the physical sciences to drug discovery research.  Subsequently, in 1973 Prof. Raymond Counsell and in 1977 Prof. Leroy B. Townsend were appointed as Director of the Med Chem IDP.  The Med Chem IDP is administered by the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies with direct oversight by the College of Pharmacy.

In 1999, in response to the significant growth of the College of Pharmacy under previous Dean Ara G. Paul, then Dean George L. Kenyon initiated a process of departmentalization of the College of Pharmacy.  Prof. James K. Coward was the first Chair of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Director of the Med Chem IDP.  The Department of Medicinal Chemistry is the administrative component of the College of Pharmacy that oversees the Medicinal Chemistry faculty, research scientists and postdoctoral fellows (e.g., recruitment, mentoring, evaluation), has responsibility for the medicinal chemistry Pharm.D. and Ph.D. courses and seminar program, and coordinates the participation of medicinal chemistry faculty in College-level committees and other administrative duties.

The Department of Medicinal Chemistry is the home for the Med Chem IDP Ph.D. program, which serves to administer the Med Chem Ph.D. program, with responsibility for graduate student recruitment, training/mentoring, progression and graduation.  The Med Chem IDP includes all faculty from the Department of Medicinal Chemistry as well as select faculty from the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the College of Pharmacy and a variety of schools (e.g., Literature, Science and the Arts, Medical School) and departments at Michigan (e.g., Biological Chemistry, Biophysics, Chemistry, Pathology, Pharmacology, Radiology).  Approximately half of the Med Chem IDP faculty have their primary appointments outside of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry.  These faculty currently mentor ~20% of the Med Chem Ph.D. students and are fully engaged in the Med Chem Ph.D. program in many other ways including seminar attendance, recruitment of students, teaching in our graduate courses, and serving on candidacy and dissertation committees.  There is an annual meeting of the Med Chem IDP faculty to review the status of the IDP and the students.

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Bulletin 2023-2024, pharmaceutical sciences/medicinal chemistry phd.

SCHOOL OF PHARMACY

Learn more about the Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences .

About the Program

The School of Pharmacy offers a graduate program leading to the MS and to the PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences with a concentration in Medicinal Chemistry. The program is designed to prepare students for positions in the pharmaceutical industry, government agencies, and as faculty in schools of pharmacy.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 7 years

Campus Location: Health Sciences Center, Main

Some courses may be offered at the Fort Washington campus. Research must be carried out at the Health Sciences Center campus under the supervision of an advisor who is a member of the Graduate Faculty.

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: Full-time status is recommended due to the nature of ongoing research.

Interdisciplinary Study: The program encourages interdisciplinary coursework, research and collaborations among faculty and students with interests in biochemistry, molecular modeling, organic chemistry and pharmacology.

Areas of Specialization: The focus is Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, including design and synthesis of ligands for cholinergic receptors and ligands for retinoic acid receptors, novel anticonvulsants, and the development of analytical methodologies.

Job Prospects: The program primarily concentrates on providing research scientists for the pharmaceutical industry and government agencies, as well as faculty for schools of pharmacy.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy: Non-matriculated students are able to take up to 9 credits before formal application must be made to the program.

Financing Opportunities: Support options include University fellowships, teaching assistantships and research assistantships. Recipients are determined on a competitive basis during the admission process and receive a stipend and full tuition remission (up to 9 credits per term).

The principal duties of a Teaching Assistant (TA) include assisting faculty members in laboratory instruction, preparing apparatus or materials for PharmD students, conducting recitations, grading quizzes and reports, and proctoring exams. TAs are expected to work 20 hours per week.

A Research Assistant (RA) is expected to spend 20 hours per week engaged in research and is assigned to a specific faculty member. The research subjects are determined by consultation between the student and their research advisor.

Applications should include a statement of previous teaching and/or research experience, areas of interest, and future goals; official transcripts; and a curriculum vitae. The department attempts to make offers of assistantships on or before May 1. June 1 is the final date for acceptance or declination of department offers. Applications should be directed to:

Temple University School of Pharmacy 3307 North Broad Street, Suite 528 Philadelphia, PA 19140

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall: December 15

All applications are evaluated together after the deadline.

APPLY ONLINE to this graduate program .

Letters of Reference: Number Required: 3

From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from college/university faculty members familiar with the applicant's academic competence and professionals in a supervisory position.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration: It is recommended that applicants complete the courses (or their equivalent, as determined by the School of Pharmacy) to obtain a BS in Biochemistry, Chemistry (preferably Organic Chemistry), or Pharmacy before entering the program.

Master's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: A master's degree is not required.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: A baccalaureate degree in Biochemistry, Chemistry (preferably Organic Chemistry), or Pharmacy is required.

Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended may be sent electronically to [email protected] . Alternately, unopened official transcripts bearing the school’s seal must be sent directly from the Registrar at each institution to the School of Pharmacy’s Office of Graduate Studies.

Applicants who earned a degree at a non-U.S. institution must submit an equivalency evaluation of their transcript(s) through a third-party provider, either World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) .

Statement of Goals: In approximately 500 to 1,000 words, state your specific interest in Temple's program, research goals, future career goals, and academic and research achievements.

Standardized Test Scores: GRE: Scores are expected to be in the 65th percentile or above.

Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master’s degree at a U.S. institution, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:

• TOEFL iBT: 85
• IELTS Academic: 6.5
• PTE Academic: 58

Resume: Current resume or CV required.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements: Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 46

Required Courses:

Suggested electives include CHEM 4201 Organic Structure and Mechanisms , CHEM 5201 Physical Methods in Organic Chemistry , CHEM 5205 Organic Syntheses , and PS 8009 Advanced Medicinal Chemistry I . Electives should be taken primarily in Chemistry. Coursework in Biomedical Sciences, Computer and Information Science, and other disciplines is also permissible with guidance from the advisor.

Of the 6 required research credits, a minimum of 2 credits of PS 9999 must be taken. The other 4 credits may be taken in any combination of PS 9994 , PS 9998 , and PS 9999 .

Culminating Events: Preliminary Examination: The purpose of the preliminary examination is to demonstrate critical and interpretive knowledge in specialized areas of the discipline. The examination evaluates the student's ability to apply specific research foci to anticipated practical problems in the field. Students who accumulate 40 didactic credits are eligible to take the exam.

The preliminary exam consists of two sections. The first is a written section consisting of questions from the student’s Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC). Each member of the DAC submits a question and then judges the quality of the student's answer based on criteria such as accuracy, thoroughness and originality. They then share that score and their rationale for it with the other members of the DAC. The evaluators look for a breadth and depth of understanding of concepts in the areas being tested, application of that knowledge, and the ability to write technical prose in a manner consistent with scientists in the field. The second section of the preliminary exam includes the preparation of a research proposal approved by the DAC and a 30-minute oral summary of the proposal followed by an oral defense of the proposal.

Students who are preparing to take their preliminary examination should confirm a time and date with the Director of Graduate Studies and register with the Administrative Assistant in the Office of Graduate Studies. The student and Director receive confirmation of the time, date, room and proctor for the examination.

Dissertation Proposal: The dissertation proposal demonstrates the student's knowledge of and ability to conduct the proposed research. The proposal should consist of:

• the context and background surrounding a particular research problem;
• an exhaustive survey and review of literature related to the problem; and
• a detailed methodological plan for investigating the problem.

The proposal should be completed and approved no more than one year after completing the preliminary exam. Upon approval, a doctoral student is promoted to PhD candidacy, and a timeline for completing the investigation and writing process are established.

Dissertation: The doctoral dissertation is an original, theoretical and/or empirical study that makes a significant contribution to the field. It should expand existing knowledge and demonstrate the student's knowledge of research methods and a mastery of their primary area of interest. The dissertation should be rigorously investigated; uphold the ethics and standards of the field; demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the primary area of interest and the broader field; and be prepared for publication in a professional journal.

The Dissertation Examining Committee (DEC) is formed to oversee the student's doctoral research. It is charged with evaluating the student's dissertation and oral defense, including the student's ability to express verbally their research question, methodological approach, primary findings and implications. The DEC, which includes the members of the DAC, is comprised of at least three Graduate Faculty members. Two members, including the Chair, must be from the School of Pharmacy. The Chair is responsible for overseeing and guiding the student's progress, coordinating the responses of the Committee members, and informing the student of their academic progress. At least one additional Graduate Faculty member from outside the School of Pharmacy must be included on the DEC. This outside examiner should be identified no later than the beginning of the academic term in which the student will defend the dissertation. The DEC members vote to pass or fail the dissertation and the defense at the conclusion of the public presentation.

Committee compositions must be approved by the departmental graduate committee. If a student needs to change a member of a committee, the new member must be approved by the departmental graduate committee and by the Graduate School. The changes must be documented with the Administrative Assistant and the Graduate School using the "Request for Change in Dissertation Committee" form, found in TUportal under the Tools tab within "University Forms."

Students who are preparing to defend their dissertation should confirm a time and date with their DEC and register with the Office of Graduate Studies at least 15 days before the defense is to be scheduled. The Office of Graduate Studies arranges the time, date and room and forwards to the student the appropriate forms. After the Administrative Assistant has made the arrangements, the student must send the Graduate School a completed "Announcement of Dissertation Defense" form, found in TUportal under the Tools tab within "University Forms," at least 10 days before the defense date. The department posts announcements for the defense.

Program Web Address:

https://pharmacy.temple.edu/academics/phdms-pharmaceutical-sciences

Department Information:

Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences Office of Graduate Studies

School of Pharmacy

3307 N. Broad Street, Suite 528

Philadelphia, PA 19140

[email protected]

215-707-4972

Submission Address for Application Materials:

https://apply.temple.edu/PHARM_GRAD/

Department Contacts:

Admissions:

Program Coordinator:

Daniel J. Canney, PhD

Graduate Chairperson:

Swati Nagar, PhD

[email protected]

Department Chairperson:

Ellen Walker, PhD

[email protected]

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College of Pharmacy - Chicago | Rockford

Phd in pharmaceutical sciences.

We enable students with backgrounds in fundamental sciences to become leaders in pharmaceutical sciences

Located in the vibrant and multicultural city of Chicago, UIC's PhD Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences is one of the strongest and largest of its type in the United States. Our college is consistently ranked in the top ten in terms of funds secured annually from the National Institutes of Health and by US News and World Report. We pride ourselves on giving students from all types of backgrounds the tools they need to become independent researchers. Students in the program select one of the program concentrations, described below.

Important dates Heading link Copy link

We are so pleased you are considering graduate studies in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago! Although Pharmaceutical Sciences is one of the best graduate programs of its kind in the country, our real pride is mentoring students into independent researchers who become leaders in our field. The program has some unique strengths, including providing flexibility to carry out internships in your later years. Have a look around our website. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] . We look forward to reading your application! Debra Tonetti, PhD  |  Professor, Pharmaceutical Sciences

Program Coursework Heading link Copy link

All students in the Pharmaceutical Sciences program take the following courses. Additional concentration coursework is also required and is shown in each of the concentration tabs.

• Drug Discovery, Design, and Development (PSCI 501, 3 credit hours)
• Training in Research Presentation (PSCI 502, 1 credit hour)
• PSCI 503: Biostatistics for Pharmaceutical Scientists (1 credit hour)
• BSTT 400: Biostatistics I (4 credit hours) [Note: BSTT 400 is required for the Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery concentration]
• Scientific Ethics and the Responsible Conduct of Research (GC 501, 1 credit hour)
• Research Rotation (PSCI 592; 3-4 credit hours)
• PSCI PhD Course Requirements
• PSCI Department Course Descriptions

Program Concentrations Heading link Copy link

Five concentrations comprise the PhD program in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Click on the tabs below to learn more about each of them. To see the faculty mentors for each concentration, visit the Faculty Mentors page .

Chemistry in Drug Discovery

Concentration description.

Faculty in the Chemistry in Drug Discovery concentration use the tools and techniques of chemistry to discover and develop new chemical probes and potential therapeutics. Students in this concentration learn how to design, synthesize, characterize and analyze small molecules, peptides, and proteins.

Concentration Coursework

Students in the Chemistry in Drug Discovery Concentration take the following courses:

• Fundamental of Drug Action I (PHAR 422, 4 credit hours)
• Principles of Medicinal Chemistry (PSCI 530, 5 credit hours)
• Electives (9 credit hours)

Concentration Coordinator

Prof. Terry Moore ([email protected])

Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutics

The Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutics concentration is designed to provide advanced understanding of fundamental causes of diseases, strategies that identify new drug targets, and mechanistic explanations of how drugs work (or fail) from the perspective of the target and systems they impact. Faculty affiliated with MMT integrate a wide variety of molecular, biochemical, genetic, bioinformatic, and bioengineering approaches to study mechanisms of pathogenesis ranging from infectious diseases to cancer. Students will enroll in fundamental molecular and cellular biology courses and select elective courses in areas of their focused research.

Students in the Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutics Concentration take the following courses:

• Biochemistry (e.g., GEMS 501 or equivalent graduate-level biochemistry course, 3 credit hours)
• Molecular Biology (e.g., GEMS 502 or equivalent molecular biology course, 3 credit hours)
• Biostatistics I (BSTT 400, 4 credit hours)
• Molecular Genetics (GEMS 511, 3 credit hours)
• Receptor Pharmacology and Cell Signaling (GEMS 515, 3 credit hours)
• Microbial Pathogenesis (MIM 560, 3 credit hours)
• Cancer Biology and Therapeutics (PSCI 540, 3 credit hours)

Prof. Alessandra Eustaquio ( [email protected] )

Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery

Faculty in the Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery concentration use the tools and techniques of physical and biologic sciences and engineering to understand and develop delivery systems and formulations for therapeutic molecules and control the biodistribution of therapeutic molecules. Students in this concentration learn how to design, synthesize, characterize and analyze novel materials and drug delivery systems and design and develop technologies related to therapeutic distribution in the body.

Students in the Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery Concentration take the following courses:

• *This 4 credit hour course will count 1 hour toward the program core statistics requirement and 3 hours toward the Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery concentration requirements. Students will not receive credit for two introductory statistics courses.
• Essentials for Animal Research (GC 470, 1 credit hour)
• Experimental Animal Techniques (GC 471, 2 credit hours)
• Principles of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery (PSCI 510, 3 credit hours)

Prof. Richard Gemeinhart ([email protected])

Pharmacognosy

Faculty research programs in the Pharmacognosy concentration aim to develop therapeutics from natural products and to study the mechanisms of pain, cancers, and a wide array of infectious and tropical diseases. Students of this concentration are trained in a combination of bioinformatics, synthetic biology, genetic engineering, chromatography, and spectroscopy to achieve these goals.

Students in the Pharmacognosy Concentration take the following courses:

• Research Techniques in Pharmacognosy (PSCI 520 or equivalent; 3 credit hours)
• Structure Elucidation of Natural Products (PSCI 521 or equivalent; 3 credit hours)
• Advanced Pharmacognosy (PSCI 522 or equivalent; 3 credit hours)

Prof. Brian Murphy ([email protected])

PharmD/PhD Joint Program Heading link Copy link

Pharmaceutical Sciences participates in the joint PharmD/PhD program, which trains students for careers in academic pharmacy and bench science research. Students admitted to this joint program participate in the PharmD curriculum and pursue original doctoral research projects in the laboratories of the university’s graduate faculty in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

The joint program offers the potential of reducing the time of earning both degrees in sequence (9 or more years) by approximately two years. The trade-off is that both degrees are awarded at the end of the training period and neither degree can be received before the other is completed.

The PharmD/PhD program is for exceptional, highly motivated and achieving students ready to meet the challenge of increased academic load and independent research project.

Program coordinator: Dr. Lindsey McQuade ( [email protected] )

• Joint PharmD/PhD Course Requirements
• Joint PharmD/PhD Program Page

PSCI Slideshow Heading link Copy link

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• Go to the next slide
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Pride Points for PhD PSCI Heading link Copy link

$ 35,162 annual graduate stipend for students on teaching assistantship or research assistantship

33 internships completed by department graduate students in the last five years

19 students currently on training grant or fellowship

# 7 nationally ranked College of Pharmacy according to US News

# 7 nationally ranked total research funding among Colleges of Pharmacy according to AACP

Start your application Heading link Copy link

The Pharmaceutical Sciences Program at UIC offers a supportive, inclusive environment and rigorous academic preparation for students who are interested in careers in pharmaceutical sciences. If you have any questions about the program or about your application, please contact [email protected].

Get in touch: Contact Us

• Nebraska Medicine
• Pharmacy Alumni

Medicinal Chemistry PhD Track

College of Pharmacy Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program at UNMC- Medicinal Chemistry Feature

Medicinal Chemistry Faculty

Phone: 402-559-5362 Fax: 402-559-5673

Phone: 402-559-9729 Fax: 402-559-5673

Associate Professor

Phone: 402-836-9763 Fax: 402-559-5673

Professor Vice Chair, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Phone: 402-559-3453 Fax: 402-559-9365

Phone: 402-559-9361 Fax: 402-559-5673

Explore our other PhD program tracks

• Drug Delivery and Biopharmaceutics Track
• Biophysics Track
• Clinical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Track

Amber Hawk, MS Ed

Director of Admissions & Recruitment

Please contact me for any questions regarding the admissions process.

Phone: 402-559-5366

Fax: 402-559-5060

PhD Program

Professor Wender discusses chemistry with his graduate students.

Doctoral study in chemistry at Stanford University prepares students for research and teaching careers with diverse emphases in basic, life, medical, physical, energy, materials, and environmental sciences.

The Department of Chemistry offers opportunities for graduate study spanning contemporary subfields, including theoretical, organic, inorganic, physical, biophysical and biomedical chemistry and more. Much of the research defies easy classification along traditional divisions; cross-disciplinary collaborations with Stanford's many vibrant research departments and institutes is among factors distinguishing this world-class graduate program.

The Department of Chemistry is committed to providing academic advising in support of graduate student scholarly and professional development.  This advising relationship entails collaborative and sustained engagement with mutual respect by both the adviser and advisee.

• The adviser is expected to meet at least monthly with the graduate student to discuss on-going research.
• There should be a yearly independent development plan (IDP) meeting between the graduate student and adviser. Topics include research progress, expectations for completion of PhD, areas for both the student and adviser to improve in their joint research effort.
• A research adviser should provide timely feedback on manuscripts and thesis chapters.
• Graduate students are active contributors to the advising relationship, proactively seeking academic and professional guidance and taking responsibility for informing themselves of policies and degree requirements for their graduate program.
• If there is a significant issue concerning the graduate student’s progress in research, the adviser must communicate this to the student and to the Graduate Studies Committee in writing.  This feedback should include the issues, what needs to be done to overcome these issues and by when.

Academic advising by Stanford faculty is a critical component of all graduate students' education and additional resources can be found in the  Policies and Best Practices for Advising Relationships at Stanford  and the  Guidelines for Faculty-Student Advising at Stanford .

Learn more about the program through the links below, and by exploring the research interests of the  Chemistry Faculty  and  Courtesy Faculty .

Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry

Get your phd in chemistry.

Thank you for your interest in the graduate program at the University of Iowa Department of Chemistry. The Department has had a chemistry PhD program for over 75 years and consists of over 25 research faculty, approximately 130 graduate students, and over 20 postdoctoral associates, research scientists and visiting scholars. Our graduates and postdocs have accepted positions at leading academic and industrial institutions, national laboratories and government facilities, as well as some non-traditional Ph.D. careers.

The Chemistry Building and adjacent Iowa Advanced Technology Laboratory house state-of-the-art laboratories, research support facilities, classrooms, and conference rooms spaces. Extensive resources are readily accessible such as NMR , mass spectrometry , and MatFab facility for fabrication and analysis which houses our X-ray facility and numerous other instruments . The department also supports advanced computational resources, and complete machine, electronics, and glass shops . In addition to strong programs in the core areas of analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry, we offer cross-discipline research opportunities in emerging areas such as (bio)catalysis, natural product synthesis, materials, surface science, bioinorganic chemistry, chemical sensors, chemical education research, and environmental and atmospheric chemistry.

All Ph.D. students with an accepted offer and good standing with the Department of chemistry are guaranteed financial support, including an annual stipend, tuition remission, and employee benefits such as health insurance. Additional funding to support student research is available from a variety of internal and external sources . 

For more information, contact the graduate program by e-mail at [email protected] .

Student resources

• First year student guide
• Annual review resources
• Teaching assistant resources
• Postdoctoral scholar resources
• Thesis and dissertation
• General catalog
• Current courses

Degree requirements

Proficiency requirement.

Students must demonstrate basic proficiency in three chosen sub-disciplines of chemistry (analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic, physical). Proficiency is established in one of the following ways: Scoring at the 50th percentile level (national norm) on the proficiency exam, completing a one-semester review course with a grade of C or better (courses specified below), or completing a one-semester graduate-level/advanced course in that sub-discipline of chemistry with a grade of B or better. The proficiency requirement must be fulfilled before the beginning of the student's third semester in the graduate program.

Review courses

Courses currently designated as review courses are:

• CHEM:4171 (formerly 4:171): Advanced Analytical Chemistry
• BIOC:3120 (formerly 99:120): Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I
• CHEM:4270 (formerly 4:170): Advanced Inorganic Chemistry
• CHEM:4372 (formerly 4:172): Advanced Organic Chemistry
• CHEM:4431 (formerly 4:131): Physical Chemistry I

Advanced course requirement

Beyond the proficiency requirements, students must complete a minimum of four additional advanced courses, totaling at least eleven semester hours of graduate credit, by the end of their fourth semester in residence. Research, seminar, and pedagogy credits; courses that are listed with lower division undergraduate level numbers; and courses taken with the S/U grade option cannot be used to fulfill this requirement. Transfer credits may be applied to a portion of this requirement. Students are encouraged to develop a detailed plan with their research advisor and discuss with the graduate education committee as needed.

Courses that meet the Advanced Course criteria

Graduate Advisory Committee

Before the beginning of the third semester, after a permanent advisor has been appointed, a Graduate Academic Committee (GAC) of four faculty, at least three from Chemistry, will be formed for each student with a PhD degree objective. GACs will be composed of at least four faculty, at least three from Chemistry, who agree to support and advise the student during the course of the Ph.D. and beyond. GAC members will meet the student to discuss research progress and provide feedback and guidance as appropriate.

The committee will consist of the research advisor and three additional members who are nominated by the student, subject to the advisor’s approval, and assigned by the Graduate Education Committee (GEC). 

Comprehensive examination

The comprehensive examination is designed to assess the student's overall progress, knowledge of fundamental chemical principles and chosen area of specialization, and general competency for PhD research. To be eligible to take the Comprehensive Examination, the student must have completed the advanced coursework requirement and maintain a cumulative average of 3.00 or greater on appropriate graduate coursework at The University of Iowa. The comprehensive examination must be completed by the end of the fourth semester in residence, unless written consent for an extension is received from the GAC and is approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.

The comprehensive examination is a two-part process consisting of a written research report and an oral defense of the report.  The written document and oral defense are evaluated by the student’s GAC. Each member of the GAC will use a departmentally prescribed rubric to score the oral exam .  The exam typically occurs in a student’s fourth semester in residence.

Seminar requirements

Each student is expected to give a minimum of two acceptable seminars. One seminar must cover the student's research. The other may also deal with the student's research, or can be an extensive literature report. The student may register for the appropriate divisional seminar course and receive letter grade credit during those semesters in which the seminars are presented. The final PhD defense cannot be used to meet this requirement.

The research conference/three-month seminar

At least three months before the anticipated final defense, the PhD candidate must meet with their graduate academic committee. If scheduling permits, the research work can be reported as a research seminar during a regularly scheduled divisional seminar, with a subsequent committee meeting for questions and advice.

Final defense of the PhD dissertation

The Dean of the Graduate College will make a public announcement of a candidate’s final defense three weeks prior to the exam date. This final oral examination is open to the public. Dissertation copies must be made available to all members of the examining committee not later than two weeks before the examination date.

Milestones toward the PhD

The milestones on the path toward earning your PhD in chemistry at the University of Iowa are described below. These are illustrative of a typical student; most students follow this path, but some variations are possible.

Typical timelines for PhD completion

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Current course list

The MyUI Schedule displays registered courses for a particular session and is available to enrolled students. The list view includes course instructors, time and location, and features to drop courses or change sections.