Mission Statement
The mission of the UT Health Science Center College of Pharmacy Drug Discovery Center
(DDC) is to:
- Support drug discovery research by securing major external funding, especially from
NIH, although other external funding sources are welcomed
- Support innovative drug discovery research at UT Health Science Center and, ultimately,
clinical translation of new drugs for the diagnosis and therapy of human diseases
with spin-off companies or commercial partners
- Attract leading faculty in drug discovery to UT Health Science Center College of Pharmacy
and train students and postdoctoral fellows in the science of drug discovery.
Short Term Goals
To use our existing strength and expertise, focusing on an advanced project with the
goal to develop and compete for an NIH Program Project Grant in small molecule drug
discovery. At the same time, develop and secure other types of external grants from
NIH, DOD, Foundations, and other sources of funding agencies.
Drug Discovery Center News
Organizing structure
Center Director
Wei Li – Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Current Members
Kirk E. Hevener – Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Jianxiong Jiang – Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Neuroscience Institute
Santosh Kumar – Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Marie Dennis M. Leo – Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Wei Li – Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Bernd Meibohm – Professor and Associate Dean, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Duane D. Miller – Professor Emeritus, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Glen E. Palmer – Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science
Sudeshna Roy - Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Udai Singh – Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Chalet Tan – Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Chao-Yie Yang – Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
DDC Advisory Board
Gunda I. Georg – Professor and Department Head; Director of Institute for Therapeutics Discovery
and Development, the University of Minnesota
Todd A. Ponzio – Vice President, the University of Tennessee Research Foundation
Annual Reports
Drug Discovery Center Membership
Eligibility for Membership
This is a UT Health Science Center College of Pharmacy-supported drug discovery center.
Only full-time faculty with primary appointments from UT Health Science Center College
of Pharmacy can apply and become full members. UT Health Science Center researchers
outside of COP can apply to become Associate Members. The Membership Committee will
evaluate membership applications in its meeting, and recommendations will be submitted
to the Dean for final approval as the final official decision.
Apply for MembershipsBenefits and Obligations of DDC Memberships
Benefits: All full or associate members of DDC will benefit from working together toward major
grant applications and obtaining advice from other members and the advisory committee.
Full members may request major equipment (>=$10,000) from the Director to support
research goals. The Director will determine if this equipment is necessary for the
DDC to purchase and own. If the Director determines that the equipment is necessary,
the director will present a proposal to the Dean for consideration. At the current
stage, associate members outside of the DDC are not eligible for any direct financial
support from the DDC and are subject to fees for equipment use.
Obligations: Members should make their best efforts to attend meetings to discuss the DDC's progress
and work together to achieve the goals of the DDC.
Accessible UT Health Science Center College of Pharmacy Major Shared Equipment
Department Chairs must Approve Use of DDC Equipment.
- A Bruker 400MHz, an Agilent 500MHz NMR instrument, and four LC/MS instruments
- Modern molecular modeling software running on high-end workstations enabling computer-aided
drug design. Additional collaboration with Oak Ridge National Lab will enable access
to supercomputers.
- HPLC, large-scale compound purification system, IR, UV/Vis, Polarimeter, and other
small equipment that are essential for drug discovery research
- Other major shared equipment available in the college
- User Policy of the UT Health Science Center College of Pharmacy Drug Discovery Center
Keyence Microscope
Duane D. Miller Endowment Fund
Supported by the Duane D. Miller Endowment Fund, the UT Health Science Center College
of Pharmacy Drug Discovery Center (UTCoP DDC) established the “The Duane D. Miller
Lectureship” and its related graduate student award “The Duane D. Miller Award in
Drug Discovery” in 2023. This lectureship and student award honor Dr. Duane Miller,
Professor Emeritus at UT Health Science Center College of Pharmacy, for his exceptional
and long-lasting impacts on the establishment of the Medicinal Chemistry programs
in UTCoP in 1992 after more than 20 years successful career at the Ohio State University,
and his accomplishments in inventing several small molecule investigational new drugs
(e.g., Enobosarm, Sabizabulin) that have moved to advanced clinical trials.
More About the Duane D. Miller Endowment
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