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We have 109 Pharmaceutical Chemistry PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships
Pharmaceutical Chemistry PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships
We have 109 Pharmaceutical Chemistry PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships
PhD students in Pharmaceutical Chemistry research a range of chemical compounds and their impact on human health. You could be examining the design, synthesis, and evaluation of therapeutics or working on leading-edge research into infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance.
What's it like to study a PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry?
With a PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, you'll have the opportunity to build your own unique research portfolio. You could be focusing on the development of therapeutics, drug delivery systems and vaccines, or using cutting-edge techniques such as mass spectrometry to study disease.
Possible research areas include:
- Pharmaceutical analysis
- Pharmacology
- Pharmaceutical research and development
- Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
- Biopharmacy and biotherapeutics
You'll take part in research rotations to gain expertise in certain areas of Pharmaceutical Chemistry. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with local hospitals and connect with the wider scientific community through attending conferences and publishing papers.
Most PhD programmes in Pharmaceutical Chemistry last 3-4 years. Your project may have a research training component, which connects you with the wider aim of your department and university. You will submit an approximately 80,000-word thesis to be defended at the end of your study.
PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry entry requirements
The minimum entry requirement for a PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry is usually a 2:1 undergraduate degree in a relevant subject, although a Masters may occasionally be required.
Some PhDs in Pharmaceutical Chemistry may ask you to express an interest in certain research areas.
PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry funding options
In the UK, PhDs in Pharmaceutical Chemistry can be funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), which provides a tuition fee waiver and a living cost stipend.
You may have to self-fund in which case you can look at government loans, university scholarships and charities and trusts for funding.
PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry careers
There are many career options for graduates with a PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry. You could take up a postdoctoral position at a university or pharmaceutical company, or you might decide to apply your scientific knowledge through roles in regulatory affairs.
Metal-free catalysis to make and break C-F bonds
Fluorine-containing molecules are essential in a wide range of applications, including in many pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. Read more
Stable Organometallic Gels for sp3-sp2 and sp2-sp2 Negishi Cross-Coupling
Air- and moisture-sensitive organometallic reagents are a key tool in modern synthetic chemistry and enable a wide range of powerful synthetic transformations. Read more
sp3–sp2 Suzuki-Miyaura Cross Coupling of Heterocyclic Organoborons: Exploring 3D Pharmaceutical Space
There is significant interest in sp3-rich heterocyclic scaffolds for medicinal chemistry and there is thus a need for methods to construct sp3-sp2 bonds on such scaffolds in a simple, controllable, programmable and sustainable way. Read more
Systematic Exploration of 3D Pharmaceutical Space using 3D Bifunctional Building Blocks
There is much interest in 3D heterocyclic scaffolds for medicinal chemistry. Within fragment-based drug discovery, we are developing a synthetic platform to enable the elaboration of 2D fragments into 3D lead compounds, addressing limitations highlighted by industry. Read more
Formulation and biopharmaceutical characterisation of novel pro-antibiotics for improved oral permeability
Research Group:
Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
This project is focused on the formulation, synthesis, and biopharmaceutical characterisation of novel pro-antibiotics for improved oral bioavailability. . Read more
The Shape of Things to Come: Personalized 3D Printed Medicines
The current landscape for medical treatment centers on the “one size fits all” approach where almost all patients are given the same drugs at the same frequencies. Read more
An exploration of “greener” alternatives for oligonucleotide synthesis
The solid phase synthesis of oligonucleotides, historically conducted on controlled pore glass, but more recently on polystyrene, typically proceeds in a 3′ to 5′ direction by a four-step synthesis cycle with each step followed by a solvent wash. Read more
The discovery of robust septin binders to validate their potential as a future drug target
Commercial partner: Jazz Pharmaceuticals . Septins are filamentous GTPases that associate with cell membranes and the cytoskeleton (actin, microtubules), and play essential roles in cell division and cellular morphogenesis. Read more
Dexamethasone-releasing cochlear implants to reduce foreign body response
Cochlear implants are surgically implanted neuroprostheses designed to produce useful hearing sensations to persons with severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss by electrically stimulating the auditory nerve in the inner ear (or cochlea). Read more
Ultra High-Field NMR Spectroscopy for Advanced Understanding of Materials
UK graduates are invited to apply for a fully funded 42-month PhD studentship starting in October 2025 in the area of magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of solids. Read more
Polymer Materials to Store Biologics at Room Temperature
Biologics are cell and protein-based therapies which are transforming medical outcomes. This spans insulin for diabetes, glucagon-like peptides for obesity, CAR-T cells for cancer and more. Read more
New Polymer Biomaterials to Expand and Deliver Cells with Animal-Free Technologies
This PhD will seek to discover new polymeric biomaterials which can modulate stem-cell function, and aid in their delivery to either patients, or as cell factories. Read more
PhD in Chemistry - Developing pharmacological chaperones for the treatment of congenital disorder of glycosylation.
Dr Fabrizio Pertusati is looking for a PhD student to design synthesise and evaluate pharmacological chaperones for the treatment of congenital disorder of glycosylation. Read more
Development of nano-formulation strategies to enhance the therapeutic potential of host defence peptides for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (Project ID SAS0208)
A 3-year PhD studentship is available for drug discovery research on Host Defence Peptides (HDPs) at Edinburgh Napier University (ENU). Read more
Understanding and preventing the denaturation of proteins on surfaces in manufacture, storage and delivery of biotherapeutics
Protein and peptide therapeutics are pharmaceutical drug treatments derived from natural sources. They are applied to a range of diseases from diabetes to novel cancer therapies. Read more