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Medicinal Chemistry News

Keynote speaker Anna Prilutsky addresses the audience in the Library of Virginia auditorium at the 3rd Annual School of Pharmacy Convocation.

Haleon R&D leader at Convocation: Innovation is ‘figuring out how to open doors for those who will make a difference’

Aug. 22, 2025

Keynote speaker Anna Prilutsky addressed faculty, staff and new students to share how she got her start in her career as an innovator before the community celebrated seven faculty and staff honorees and five faculty promotions.

Jannatun Namme stands next to a research poster she shared during VCU Research Day

Small molecule could alleviate acetaminophen-induced liver injury, Medicinal Chemistry student's research reveals

Aug. 21, 2025

Jannatun Nayem Namme, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at VCU School of Pharmacy, is presenting her team's results at the fall meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) this week.

logan neel

Postdoc Logan Neel hired as assistant professor for undergraduate program

Aug. 18, 2025

Dr. Logan Neel, a graduate of VCU, is the first faculty member hired for the B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences at VCU School of Pharmacy.

Jannatun Namme stands next to a research poster she shared at Research Day 2024

Ph.D. student Jannatun Namme earns ACS National Meeting Travel Award

July 23, 2025

A student in Dr. Shijun Zhang's lab, Jannatun Namme will present her work at the Washington, D.C., meeting next month.

Under the leadership of new director Yan Zhang, Ph.D., the Center for Drug Discovery has realigned its structure to mirror the industry-standard drug development pipeline and expanded to become a true universitywide hub for translational research. (Photo by Christopher Kendall)

VCU Center for Drug Discovery realigns to advance innovative therapies

May 30, 2025

Led by new director Yan Zhang and working with TechTransfer and Ventures, the center aims to commercialize treatments for sickle cell disease, opioid addiction, dementia and other conditions.

Six VCU School of Pharmacy faculty and staff members join the dean and Rodney the Ram (VCU's mascot) to celebrate their years of service to the university

For their service to VCU, these big numbers reflect their even bigger impact

May 23, 2025

Nearly 3,000 faculty and staff are cited for milestone years at the annual service celebration – and two School of Pharmacy faculty have dedicated at least 35 years of service to the university.

A professor in a dress shirt and blazer sits smiling in his lab in front of a projector with a 2-D representation of the interconnection of molecules while holding two vials of different liquids as additional vials of liquid sit on his desk in front of him

Dr. Youzhong Guo pioneers a new biopharma blueprint

May 23, 2025

A commitment to membrane proteins has rendered technology that has placed Youzhong Guo, Ph.D., an associate professor in our Department of Medicinal Chemistry, on the radar of some of the largest players in the biopharmaceutical industry.

Recent pharmaceutical engineering graduate Asma Al-Terawi, Ph.D., in her doctoral tam, hood and gown poses for a family photo with her husband and their three sons after the VCU School of Pharmacy Hooding and Diploma Ceremony on May 9, 2025.

At graduation, Class of 2025 reflects on perseverance and the support that got them through

May 16, 2025

Keynote speaker Tiffani Bailey Lash, Ph.D., encourages Ph.D. and Pharm.D. graduates to "embrace the tools of tomorrow without forgetting the humanity that brought you here."

A research team led by Virginia Commonwealth University and Columbia University has gained novel insights into a protein suspected to be involved in benzodiazepine-related inflammation. (Getty Images)

Researchers may have solved decades-old mystery behind benzodiazepine side effects

April 14, 2025

Identifying a key protein’s role could improve the common mental health medications and point to new treatments for inflammation-related diseases, VCU medicinal chemist Youzhong Guo says.

Keith Ellis

Ellis appointed Director of B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences program

March 18, 2025

After serving as interim director since August, Keith C. Ellis, Ph.D., began his role as the Director of the B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences program, effective March 17.