Medicinal Chemistry is the study of chemical and biochemical rationales for the design and development of drugs. It draws from a spectrum of sciences, including analytical chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, organic chemistry, and pharmacology. The 1980s fostered a new type of medicinal chemistry through the application of modern techniques from structural chemistry, biotechnology, and molecular biology. Approaches to drug design and development have changed dramatically; the empirical approach has been replaced by a more rational target-oriented approach that utilizes physical techniques such as molecular modeling, high field NMR, and the use of molecular targets (such as enzymes and receptors) available through recombinant DNA techniques.

At The University of Texas at Austin, we have elected to concentrate in two main areas that interface medicinal chemistry: (1) molecular biology/biotechnology; and (2) structural chemistry. Present faculty associated with our graduate program are actively involved in research programs that include the following: drug-nucleic acid interactions, biotechnology, microbial transformations, microbial enzymology, neurotransmitter enzymology and metabolism, and synthetic medicinal chemistry. The broad background of our graduate students helps them meet the challenges of research careers in academia, industry, and government.

For more information contact: