Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry is a 3-year research level programme that deals into Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. The minimum eligibility to seek admissions is a master’s degree in M.S Pharm. in Medicinal Chemistry/ Natural Products or M.Pharm in Pharmaceutical Chemistry or M.Tech in Pharm or and M.Sc in Organic Chemistry.
Being a specialized research subject, students will get a handful of institutions offering the programme. A list of top institutions has been provided below:
- Institute of Advanced Research, Gandhinagar
- NIPER Hyderabad
- NIPER Kolkata
- NIPER Ahmedabad
- NIPER S.A.S. Nagar, Mohali
The admission process to Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry course involves a written entrance test followed by final selection through personal interview. A few institutes shall offer admissions on merit and first come first serve basis. Interested candidates must prepare for NIPER Joint Entrance Examination conducted by National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research for all of its institutes across India.
Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry programme encompasses a wide spectrum of activities such as studies pursuant to research based on the interaction between drugs and toxic substances along with biological systems and relationship of chemical composition and dynamics to biological function.
The total fee charged by institutions across India is between INR 15,000 and INR 84,000. Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry scholars from this discipline are highly marketable and receive job offers for the most competitive positions in pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies. The pay package in this discipline is highly dependent on one’s research aptitude and expertise. However, a Ph.D scholar is likely to get good opportunities in pharmaceutical companies with average salary between INR 2.6 Lacs – 5.9 Lacs.
Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry: Course Highlights
| Course Level | Doctorate |
| Duration of Course | 3 years |
| Examination Type | Thesis Submission |
| Eligibility | M.S Pharm. in Medicinal Chemistry/ Natural Products or M.Pharm in Pharmaceutical Chemistry or M.Tech in Pharm or and M.Sc in Organic Chemistry with minimum of 60% marks. |
| Admission Process | Written Entrance Test and Personal Interview |
| Average Course Fee | INR 15,000 – INR 84,000 |
| Average Salary | INR 1.4 Lakhs – INR 5.9 Lakhs |
| Recruiting Areas | Chemical/pharmaceutical/ medicine/ biotechnology industry, laboratories government research organizations and academia |
| Job Profiles | Postdoctoral Scientist Assistant Professor Research Scientist Medicinal/Analytical Chemist |
Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry: What is it About?
Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry at research level involves the development of new drugs to treat diseases begins with advanced knowledge of the behaviour of chemical substances at the molecular level. Students may elect to complete research in interdisciplinary areas like bio-organic and medicinal chemistry, supramolecular & nano-chemistry, biophysical, oligonucleotides chemistry, neurodegenerative disorders, drug designing, development of synthetic methodology, synthesis of bioactive small molecules and therapeutic development for cancer.
During Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry course work, scholars work with field experts in modern laboratories to develop, synthesize and examine drug compounds. Participants learn about the nature of chemical substances and how chemical properties affect the absorption, drug kinetics, distribution, excretion and metabolism. The research is directed towards the understanding of pharmacological actions leading toward improved drug design.
A Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry earns you a degree, job opportunities and imparts enormous knowledge on modifying designs of drugs available in the market to more safer and effective drugs for treating a condition or disease.
Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry: Admission Process
Admission to Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry is done on merit obtained in written test and interview conducted by the institutions. Interview of candidates will be conducted based on the merit of written test. One of the important entrances to this regard is NIPER Joint Entrance Examination conducted for admissions into all affiliated campuses.
The syllabus for entrance exam comprises of one objective type question paper containing 170 questions of 85 marks on subjects like Chemical Sciences, Biological Sciences and Pharmaceutical sciences. The question paper will be of master’s level degree in the concerned subject. The paper shall also have questions from General Pharmaceutical Sciences and General Aptitude.
The selection of eligible candidates in some institutions is done through interview and admission counseling or first come first serve basis.
Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry: Eligibility
To pursue research level studies in Medicinal Chemistry a candidate should have a degree in M.S. Pharm. in Medicinal Chemistry or Natural Products, M.Pharm. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, M.Tech in Pharm. or M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry with minimum 60% marks or CGPA 6.5 on 10 point scale. Reserved category candidates shall be given relaxation in CGPA to 6.25 on a 10-point scale or minimum 55% in the eligibility criteria for admission to Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry course.
Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry: Syllabus and Course Description
| Semester I | Semester II |
|---|---|
| Basics of Drug Action | Drug Design |
| Spectral Analysis | Logic in Organic Synthesis-II |
| Logic in Organic Synthesis-I | Structure and Function of Biomolecules |
| Separation Techniques | Stereochemistry and Drug Action |
| Chemotherapy of Parasitic and Microbial Infections | Drug Metabolism |
| Industrial Process and Scale up Techniques | Pharmacological Screening and Assays |
| Biostatistics | General Laboratory Experience |
| General Laboratory Experience | - |
Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry: Top Institutes
| Institute Name | Location | Fees (in INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Institute of Advanced Research | Gandhinagar | INR 15,250 (per semester) |
| National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Hyderabad | Hyderabad, Telangana | INR 84,000 (per year) |
| National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Kolkata | Jadavpur, Kolkata | INR 84,000 (per year) |
| National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Ahmedabad | Ahmedabad | INR 84,000 (per year) |
| National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Mohali | S.A.S. Nagar, Mohali | INR 84,000 (per year) |
Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry: Career Prospects
Research in Medicinal Chemistry has made significant contribution to further knowledge in the discipline in the past decade. The funding of research work has increased significantly specially with Government agencies, international firms and pharmaceutical companies investing resources in clinical research and drug invention. Also, since 2005 after the proliferation of patent regulations, medicinal chemistry research has been on rise in India. A number of research groups have been established both in academic and industrial laboratories.
The Government agencies like Department of Science & Technology (DST), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Department of Biotechnology (DBT) show positive signs of scope in the field with substantial investing resources.
Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry scholars can go on to make careers in:
- Industry (chemical, pharmaceutical, laboratory medicine and biotechnology)
- Government Recognized Laboratories
- R&D, Chemical Biology divisions of Government
- Research Institutions
- Educational Institutions
The top recruiters for Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry scholars are Kinapse, India Scientific Services, Coromandel International, Ranbaxy Laboratories, Syngenta Biosciences, Biocon Ltd., Piramal, Lupin Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Torrent Pharmaceuticals, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Cadila Pharmaceuticals, Alembic Pharmaceuticals and Zydus Cadila Ltd.
| Job Title | Job Description | Salary in INR |
|---|---|---|
| Postdoctoral Scientist | Directly interact with academic partners; plan and conduct work at internal and external forums. Publishing resulting findings in renowned scientific journal to create awareness. | INR 4.3 Lakhs |
| Assistant Professor | Develop and implement instructional methods in teaching and mentor students in research projects. | INR 1.8 Lakhs – 4.6 Lakhs |
| Research Scientist | Perform multistep synthesis on mg to gram scales, purifications and spectroscopic characterizations | INR 2.6 Lakhs – 5.9 Lakhs |
| Medicinal/Analytical Chemist | Works as a specialized scientist to determine the chemical composition of both organic and inorganic substances. | INR 1.4 Lakhs – 2.9 Lakhs |
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