Graduate Programs

Overview

If you want a career at the forefront of new drug development, there's nowhere better to study in Ohio than The University of Toledo.  

UToledo’s College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has been ranked first in Ohio and eighth in the U.S. for teaching and value. UToledo also is ranked among the nation's best pharmacy schools by U.S. News & World Report. 

Our master’s and doctoral programs in Medicinal Chemistry focus on the theory and practice of drug design. Our strength — and what sets us apart from other programs — is our focus on chemistry and advanced biology. Not many universities emphasize both.

Graduate students learn biological techniques to identify targets. They use chemistry to design drugs to affect those targets. This holistic, interdisciplinary approach makes our graduates more marketable.  

Employers also love that our Medicinal Chemistry students are prepared for hands-on research. UToledo graduates of the Medicinal Chemistry Ph.D. program go on to prestigious post-doctoral appointments and high-level jobs in the pharmaceutical industry or academia. M.S. graduates go on to Ph.D. programs at UToledo or other universities or directly into industry.

Pharm.D./Ph.D. Dual Degree Program

In addition to our Ph.D. and M.S. programs in Medicinal Chemistry, we also offer a dual degree program for those who want to earn both their Ph.D. and Pharm.D. degrees.

Top Reasons to Study medicinal chemistry at UToledo

1. Small classes.

   Our classes are offered in a small-group tutorial format. You have extensive, direct access to faculty mentors. 
2. Intensive research.

   Begin your doctoral program rotating through at least two faculty laboratories, where you will conduct small research projects. These rotations will inform and inspire your future dissertation work. M.S. students enter a lab during their second semesters. 
3. Internships.

   Participate in an optional internship with a Toledo, Ohio-based company or one of our international partners. These experiences have turned into career-track jobs for many Medicinal Chemistry graduates.  
4. Health Science Campus.

   Our college's location on UToledo's Health Science Campus allows graduate students to collaborate with students in other healthcare professions and access research labs, pharmacies and more. All students also have access to the chemical instrumentation on Main Campus. 
5. Cutting-edge facilities.

   • The Shimadzu Laboratory for Pharmaceutical Research Excellence has the latest advanced instruments, including a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer. The instruments allow M.S. and Ph.D. students to research metabolism, disease biomarkers, DNA damage and other areas. 
   • The Center for Drug Design and Development is a university-based hub for collaborative research with the pharmaceutical industry. The UToledo Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry works closely with the center. 
6. Financial support.

   Students in the Ph.D. program are often supported throughout the program as teaching assistants or research assistants with funding from research grants. Assistantships generally require teaching and research. 

Graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, research assistants and visiting scholars contribute to a vital research environment at UToledo.  

UToledo faculty in the Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry are skilled researchers and teachers. They are recognized authorities in their areas of specialization and conduct research that contributes to the development of new treatments, practices and innovations.  

Master’s and doctoral students are trained in applied research in rational drug design. They work closely on research with faculty members for their theses. 

UToledo Medicinal Chemists collaborate with chemistry, biology and medical faculty on research. They are involved in research in: 

• Neuroscience 
• Cancer therapy and vaccines 
• Kidney and cardiovascular diseases 
• Organic synthesis 
• Autoimmunology and basic immunology 
• Inflammation and obesity 
• Targeted drug design and development 

 

What jobs can I get with a medicinal chemistry degree?

Graduates of UToledo's Medicinal Chemistry master's and Ph.D. programs have had a 100% job placement rate during the past few years. The interdisciplinary training our graduates receive is in demand in industry and academia. 

Employers include: 

• Pharmaceutical companies 
• Biotechnology companies 
• Hospital and government laboratories 
• Universities 

Non-laboratory opportunities include: 

• Clinical trial administration 
• Scientific writing 
• Intellectual property 
• Sales 
• University faculty and other positions in academia 

Our graduates have been accepted into doctoral programs and offered postdoctoral fellowships at: 

• Walter Reed Army Institute of Research  
• UCLA 
• Harvard University 
• Columbia University  
• Ohio State University 
• University of Michigan 
• University of Georgia 
• Johns Hopkins University 
• University of Chicago 
• Northwestern University 
• Scripps Research Institute, Florida 

Our graduates in Medicinal Chemistry have been employed in the following positions: 

• Chemist, Anatrace, Maumee, Ohio 
• Chemist, Stepan Company, Chicago 
• Quality control technician, Mondelez International, Deerfield, Ill. 
• Portfolio manager, medical imaging, U.S. Department of Defense 
• Medical director/compliance officer, Informed Medical Communications, Rockville, Md. 
• Research analyst, Compass Labs, Memphis, Tenn. 
• Medical writer, Integra Lifesciences, Plainsboro, N.J. 
• Associate professor, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy & Health Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutics & Medicinal Chemistry, Stockton, Calif. 
• Director general, Arab Company for Drug Industries and Medical Appliances, and assistant professor, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan 
• Program manager for peer-reviewed Alzheimer’s/epilepsy research programs, U.S. Department of Defense