Journeying through the Field of Medicinal Chemistry: Perspectives from Graduate Researchers

Abstract

The training of new medicinal chemists is vital to the future of the field, and as graduate students at this critical stage, we are uniquely positioned to comment on our training. Herein, we discuss the perspectives from graduate researchers before, during, and after graduate school by utilizing survey data obtained from five medicinal chemistry programs in the Midwest and recent alumni of the University of Minnesota. We also reflect on the female perspective within the field of medicinal chemistry. Finally, we offer recommendations to both students and faculty in the hopes of helping future generations succeed in the field.

Empowering Women in Chemical Sciences and Engineering through Outreach: A Platform to Explore Careers in the Pharmaceutical Industry

“…While valuable, the aforementioned approaches do not provide students with sufficient insight into career paths beyond academia. An industrially based outreach program can address questions common to organic chemistry and chemical engineering students as they navigate their career and can provide an effective way to support women students along their academic path and as they look at careers outside of academia …”

“…An industrially based outreach program can address questions common to organic chemistry and chemical engineering students as they navigate their career and can provide an effective way to support women students along their academic path and as they look at careers outside of academia. 9 The pharmaceutical industry in the United States (US) has a history of incredible innovation and productivity, inventing medicines and vaccines which have improved outcomes for many diseases and medical conditions. The work in this industry, driven by discoveries in the fields of science and engineering, has resulted in 686 novel drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration from 2000 to 2020.…”

How Diverse Is Medicinal Chemistry? Insights into Race, Ethnicity, Origin, Gender, and Geography

“…In contrast, previous studies have focused on gender balance in science, patents, and chemistry as a whole; the granularity for medicinal chemistry is not reported. The experiences of female chemists and gender balances in some of the subdisciplines in chemistry have been described including computational chemistry, medicinal chemistry, − organic chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, and process research . Excellent recommendations and calls to action have been made. , Additionally, preliminary bibliometric studies of chemistry articles focusing on gender by the Royal Society of Chemistry in the United Kingdom (UK) and by Cotton and Seiple have been reported, but we are unaware of detailed data for medicinal chemistry articles as presented here.…”

Women in Medicinal Chemistry: Ad Maiora!

“…A special mention goes to the Miniperspective published by five graduate students from the Department of Medicinal Chemistry of the University of Minnesota. 3 The lucid and profound analysis they have made from the peculiar point of view of graduate researchers is a true inspiration to the whole community.We also thank all male medicinal chemists who contributed to this issue either with their scientific works or with assisting us in the review process as editors and referees.Helping male mentors to understand the experience women scientists face so that they can more effectively guide them in their careers was one of the main triggers of our initiative. 4 As highlighted by Carole Greider in her Nobel prize interview, supportive male mentors can impact not only individual woman's careers but also an entire field.…”

“…Perspectives and a Drug Annotation are also important contributions in this issue. A special mention goes to the Miniperspective published by five graduate students from the Department of Medicinal Chemistry of the University of Minnesota . The lucid and profound analysis they have made from the peculiar point of view of graduate researchers is a true inspiration to the whole community.…”