Department of Drug Discovery and Development

Research in the Department of Drug Discovery and Development is focused on several therapeutic areas, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, and oncology. Investigators are generating lead molecules with therapeutic potential, elucidating mechanisms of disease, optimizing drug delivery strategies, and studying drug disposition.

Medicinal chemists identify or generate novel chemical entities that may serve as potential lead molecules for the drug discovery process. These chemists also work to develop strategies and tools for assessing drug consumption and metabolism.

Scientists who focus on pharmaceutics study the relationship between the properties of drugs and development of strategies to improve drug administration and drug delivery.

Pharmacologists work to identify and validate novel targets for pharmacotherapeutic intervention. They also study the effects of agents on cell, tissue, organ, and organismal function, particularly toxic effects.

The Department of Drug Discovery and Development has identified the following missions:

1. Education of pharmacy practitioners to meet the public health care needs of the State of Alabama. The Department shall provide contemporary instruction in the basic pharmaceutical sciences of medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and pharmaceutics prerequisite to the study of the clinical application of therapeutic agents and to the practice of pharmacy.
2. Education of pharmaceutical scientists at the graduate level to meet the needs of academic institutions, public and private research organizations, the pharmaceutical industry involved in professional education and basic and applied research.
3. Discovery and transfer of knowledge in the disciplines of medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and pharmaceutics.
4. Provide service to the University, pharmacy practitioners and the public with regard to the profession of pharmacy and the basic pharmaceutical sciences.