SIUE School of Pharmacy Adds Medicinal Chemistry Specialization 

EDWARDSVILLE – The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Pharmacy (SOP) continues to expand its robust curriculum with a new medicinal chemistry specialization within the Pharmacology and Neuroscience cooperative PhD Program that will launch in fall 2021.

The medicinal chemistry specialization is offered in collaboration with the Department of Pharmacology at the SIU School of Medicine. It prepares students for the complex and multidisciplinary approach needed for discovery of the next generation of therapeutics to fight acute and chronic disease.

“Anyone with a passion for research, and who is driven to make an impact through a career in drug discovery or other areas of pharmaceutical sciences in both industry and academia, should consider pursuing this new track,” said Joseph Schober, PhD, SOP director of graduate programs and professor of pharmaceutical sciences.

“This collaboration brings together experts in medicinal chemistry with regional leaders in neuroscience and pharmacology for creation of a degree opportunity that meets the demands of a fast-moving biotechnology field,” he added. “This new specialization will further strengthen current teaching and research collaborations with the Department of Pharmacology.”

Advanced courses reach across disciplines, including Rational Drug Design, Organic and Analytical Chemistry, Molecular Pharmacology and Applied Biostatistics. With a degree in pharmacology and neuroscience, students can pursue careers in drug design and discovery, pharmacodynamic, and translational research in both industry and academic settings.

To learn more about the SOP pharmacology and neuroscience cooperative PhD program with a medicinal chemistry specialization, visit siue.edu/pharmacology- neuroscience.

The SIUE School of Pharmacy curriculum is an innovative model that offers students a unique combination of classroom education, research, community service and patient care. The School of Pharmacy’s areas of excellence include a drug design and discovery core; pediatric practice; chronic pain research and practice; diabetes research and practice; and Alzheimer's disease research. Established in 2005, the SIUE School of Pharmacy is providing highly trained graduates prepared for the rapidly changing healthcare environment.

Photo: Joseph Schober, PhD, SOP director of graduate programs and professor of pharmaceutical sciences.

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