Biological and Medicinal
Chemistry at the heart of biology and medicine
Chemistry governs all life processes at the molecular level. Biological chemists study the chemistry of living cells, tissues, organs and organisms while medicinal chemists apply this research to the process of synthesizing new pharmaceuticals.
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Research in biological and medicinal chemistry asks questions such as:
- How do molecules recognize and interact with one another in biological systems?
- How do enzymes catalyze reactions essential for life?
- How can chemical principles be used to design effective and targeted drugs?
- How do metabolic pathways reflect health and disease states?
- How can chemistry improve medical imaging, diagnostics and therapeutic tools?
These questions link fundamental chemistry to biological function and medical application.
Biological and medicinal chemistry research applies core chemical disciplines to the study of biological systems and medical challenges. Researchers use tools from organic, inorganic, analytical and physical chemistry to investigate molecular recognition, enzyme mechanisms and biomolecular interactions.
This work often combines synthesis, spectroscopy, separations and computational approaches with biological and medical techniques. Faculty are actively engaged in collaborations with various centers of expertise locally, including the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, as well as nationally and internationally.
Biological and medicinal chemistry research at UB commonly explores:
- Molecular recognition
- Enzyme mechanisms and catalysis
- Metabolomics and biomolecular separations
- Drug design and drug discovery
- Medical applications such as MRI, biosensors and biomedical materials
- Photodynamic therapy and other chemistry based treatments
Together, these research areas advance understanding of biological systems while supporting innovation in medicine and health care.
Students can gain hands-on research experience and build skills that translate to careers in research, health professions, biomedical science and graduate study.