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Ally Thompson smiles for a photo after her dissertation defense.

Dr. Thompson successfully defends dissertation

April 10, 2026

Ally Thompson, Ph.D., defended her dissertation this month and has earned her Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences with a concentration in medicinal chemistry.

bharath villuri

Bharath Villuri, Ph.D., accepted into NSF's I-Corps Customer Discovery Workshop

March 31, 2026

I-Corps and its workshops focus on translating academic research into commercialization opportunities.

the biotech one building at v.c.u.

Ph.D. students Ally Thompson and Albert Opare win 2026 J.D. Smith Award

March 31, 2026

The J.D. Smith Award is given annually to graduate students in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry with the most significant distinction in scholarship, research, teaching and service

the biotech one building at v.c.u.

Ph.D. student Grace Rilee earns F31 grant from NIDCR

March 31, 2026

Rilee is the second student in the history of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry to earn this prestigious award.

youzhong guo

Youzhong Guo, Ph.D., receives grant renewal from Bayer R&D

March 31, 2026

This project is just one of several examples of the collaboration that exists between our faculty and pharmaceutical industry partners.

Michael Hindle, Ph.D., (left) and Worth Longest, Ph.D., in the aerosol research lab on VCU’s MCV Campus. (Photo by Karl E. Steinbrenner)

VCU Innovators of the Year advance lifesaving aerosol therapy for newborns

Nov. 19, 2025

The collaborative work of Michael Hindle in the School of Pharmacy and P. Worth Longest in the College of Engineering has global implications.

Dickson Donu has published 27 research papers on a range of topics, including studies assessing the prevalence of malaria and the development of new medications to treat or prevent malaria. (Dean Hoffmeyer, Enterprise Marketing and Communications)

How I found my research: Dickson Donu joins the battle against malaria

Nov. 19, 2025

Donu, who will earn his Ph.D. from the School of Pharmacy next month, says the most fulfilling aspect of his work is the potential to make a real-world impact.

Rasajna Madhusudhana accepts an award from Dean K.C. Ogbonna during the school's Graduate Awards Ceremony

Ph.D. candidate Rasajna Madhusudhana wins VCU Three-Minute Thesis competition

Oct. 15, 2025

The Medicinal Chemistry student, advised by Yana Cen, Ph.D., will represent VCU in the regional round at the Council of Southern Graduate Schools Conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in February.

ka un lao in front of a microphone on a podium delivering a speech

Ka Un Lao earns VCU Outstanding Early Career Faculty Award

Sept. 23, 2025

Lao has drawn national attention as an early-career scientist whose work is both novel and significant: He is developing advanced computational tools for studying complex chemical systems.

Portraits of Dr. Yana Cen and Dr. Hylton Gravatt on a gold background

Drs. Cen and Hylton Gravatt named VCU faculty awardees for research and teaching excellence

Sept. 11, 2025

These awardees, who raise the number of such honorees at VCU SoP to five in the last three years, will be recognized at the university's Faculty Recognition Gala in October.