College of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences

BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Medicinal & Biological Chemistry Major

Medicinal and Biological Chemistry is the scientific discipline involved with designing, synthesizing and developing pharmaceutical drugs. It involves the invention, discovery, design, identification and preparation of biologically active compounds, the study of their metabolism, the interpretation of their mode of action at the molecular level and the construction of structure-activity relationships. Medicinal and Biological Chemistry (MBC) is an interdisciplinary science with areas of focus in synthetic organic chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, biotechnology, pharmacology, and pharmaceutical chemistry underlying the design, synthesis and development of drugs. The MBC major offers an entry to applied research in rational drug design and provides training in science research for the development of new drugs and therapeutics.

What can I do with a major in Medicinal and Biological Chemistry?

This major prepares students for medical school (Pre-Med). Professional chemists are in demand in industry, education, business, research organizations and the public sector. Students graduating from this major will be ideal for a variety of careers, such as drug analysts, research chemists, technical writers, sales representatives, biochemistry technical officers, and forensic scientists. Employers include large and small pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, hospital laboratories, government laboratories, and the chemical industry. This major allows students to compete for positions requiring a knowledge of chemistry, such as in the petrochemical industry, wine industry, polymer industry, and paint industry, etc. Graduates are also able to move on to graduate programs in the field, medical school, or other professional schools.