Department of Medicinal Chemistry
Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery are crucial to the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of various diseases. The Department of Medicinal Chemistry aims to achieve these goals through a robust research- and academic-based program leveraging synthetic chemistry, biochemistry, computational chemistry, molecular biology, and pharmacology. Currently consisting of three faculty, the Department focuses on the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of novel small molecules with applications in cancer, virology, and cystinuria. The Department of Medicinal Chemistry is located within the School of Pharmacy at Rutgers University and operates as a member of Rutgers Health. Within the Department is housed the Graduate Program in Medicinal Chemistry. The graduate program is an interdisciplinary program which draws upon faculty from multiple departments including Medicinal Chemistry, Chemistry, Plant Biology, Pharmacology, and Food Sciences and provides training for future scientists in drug discovery.
A Word from the Chair, Professor Longqin Hu:
“Our Department is committed to providing a thorough understanding of those factors that influence drug design to both pharmacy and non-pharmacy majors at Rutgers. The Graduate Program in Medicinal Chemistry is dedicated to developing skilled professionals capable of capitalizing on scientific advances as they emerge. The twenty-first century has begun with the mapping of the human genome. This opens unparalleled opportunities for the development of novel drugs with ever increasing selectivity and efficacy. Medicinal Chemistry stands out as a discipline exquisitely poised to take advantage of this major scientific advance.”
Department News
04/03/2026: Dr. Jun Wang Receives Rutgers Health Pilot Award
We are pleased to share that Dr. Jun Wang has received a $50,000 research fund through the Rutgers Health Pilot Award and Research Focus Group Support Program for his project “Rational design of nsp2 protease inhibitors as Chikungunya antivirals”. This one-year award, running from April 3, 2026 – April 2, 2027, will support his work on developing new antiviral treatment approaches. Congratulations to Dr. Wang and his research team!
02/02/2026: Dr. Jun Wang Receives NJHF Research Grant
We are excited to announce that Dr. Jun Wang has been awarded a $50,000 research grant from the New Jersey Health Foundation for the project “Development of USP11 Inhibitors as Potential Treatments of Prostate Cancer.” This one-year award, effective March 2, 2026 – February 26, 2027, will support Dr. Wang’s innovative work in developing potential new therapies for prostate cancer. Congratulations to Dr. Wang on this well-deserved recognition!
12/04/2025: Graduate Student Kan Li Wins the 2026 PhRMA Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship
We are delighted to announce that Kan Li, a graduate student in Rutgers Medicinal Chemistry program and a member of Dr. Jun Wang’s lab, has been awarded the 2026 PhRMA Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship in Drug Discovery. This highly competitive national fellowship recognizes exceptional young scientists poised to make impactful contributions to therapeutic innovation. Kan’s research in Dr. Wang’s laboratory exemplifies the strengths of our program in antiviral and mechanistic drug discovery. His selection reflects not only his scientific excellence and productivity, but also the high caliber of research training within the Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy. The fellowship will provide two years of stipend support to advance his doctoral studies. We congratulate Kan on this outstanding achievement and look forward to the continued impact of his work in the field of drug discovery.
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