School of Pharmacy

NewsEventsApply NowMake a Gift

Medicinal Chemistry News

Undergraduate student Autumn Ly wearing a Haleon lab coat laughs alongside a Haleon scientist as they prepare to run a test to see how a set of medication tablets handle certain conditions.

Learning experience: A pioneering partnership offers a new model of success for students and employers

Sept. 4, 2026

This summer marked the first for a unique partnership between the Commonwealth of Virginia, VCU and international consumer healthcare company Haleon that's preparing the workforce of tomorrow by bringing in interns from our B.S. in pharmaceutical sciences program.

A smiling Provost Saavedra, in a suit with a black and gold bow tie, gestures toward the audience to emphasize a point while onstage at the School of Pharmacy's 4th Annual Convocation.

Provost at Convocation: As problem-solvers, 'in 20 years, think, what will no longer be a problem?'

Aug. 25, 2026

Keynote speaker Arturo Saavedra, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., addressed faculty, staff and new students to share what motivates him and what’s next for VCU’s academic enterprise before the community celebrated seven faculty and staff honorees and three faculty promotions.

malgorzata dukat

Dukat’s research featured in Royal Society of Chemistry publication

Aug. 4, 2026

Professor Malgorzata Dukat contributed to research exploring a redesigned psychedelic compound with therapeutic potential and fewer unwanted side effects.

(File photo)

VCU fuels new and emerging research endeavors and cross-campus collaboration with 2026 Quest Fund awards

July 28, 2026

These competitive internal grants empower faculty to launch pilot studies, restart research programs and drive transdisciplinary discoveries.

A Class of 2026 graduating student in regalia looks off into the distance with pride and hope ahead of the Hooding and Diploma Ceremony in a large theater-style space.

Hooding and Diploma Ceremony speaker to VCU Pharmacy Class of 2026: 'Readiness is not a feeling. It's a decision.'

May 22, 2026

At Hooding & Diploma Ceremony, graduating Class of 2026 reflects on persistence, resilience and how vital it is to keep swimming.

Ally Thompson joins Dean K.C. Ogbonna to receive the Dean's Awards at the 2026 Graduate Awards Ceremony.

Students recognized for excellence at 2026 Graduate Student Awards Ceremony

May 8, 2026

"How do we sustain this journey to excellence through our careers?" asked keynote speaker Dr. Patricia Slattum. "Well, it requires keeping our attention on why we're doing it."

bharath villuri

Postdoctoral fellow Dr. Villuri featured in The Scientist

April 22, 2026

Bharath Villuri, Ph.D., shared insights about the translational potential of his work in the magazine's Postdoctoral Portrait series.

Ally Thompson smiles for a photo after her dissertation defense.

Dr. Thompson successfully defends dissertation

April 10, 2026

Ally Thompson, Ph.D., defended her dissertation this month and has earned her Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences with a concentration in medicinal chemistry.

bharath villuri

Bharath Villuri, Ph.D., accepted into NSF's I-Corps Customer Discovery Workshop

March 31, 2026

I-Corps and its workshops focus on translating academic research into commercialization opportunities.

the biotech one building at v.c.u.

Ph.D. students Ally Thompson and Albert Opare win 2026 J.D. Smith Award

March 31, 2026

The J.D. Smith Award is given annually to graduate students in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry with the most significant distinction in scholarship, research, teaching and service