History

    The West China School of Pharmacy, formerly known as the Department of Pharmacy, the School of Science of West China Union University, was founded in 1932，as one of the earliest schools of  Pharmacy for full-time undergraduate education in China. It was renamed the Department of Pharmacy of Sichuan Medical College in 1950, and two disciplines, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, were set up in the same year. Then it was renamed the Department of Pharmacy of West China University of Medical Sciences in 1985. On the basis of the original Department of Pharmacy and the Institute of Materia Medica, the School of Pharmacy of West China University of Medical Sciences was founded on March 1987. In 1989, the school initiated the first undergraduate program of Clinic Pharmacy in China. After the merger with Sichuan University in October 2000, it was renamed the West China  School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University.

Overview

    With teaching and laboratory building space of more than 27,000 m2, the West China School of Pharmacy is located at the side of scenic Lotus Lake and Clock Tower on campus. It consists of 6 departments, 1 institute and 3 centers, namely Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutics, Department of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Department of Pharmacology & Biopharmaceutics, Department of Clinical Pharmacy & Pharmacy  Administration, Institute of Materia Medica, Analytical Center, Central laboratory of Modern Pharmacy Education and Pharmacy Administration Training Center. In addition, there are one specimen exhibition room of pharmacognosy, and one botanical garden.

    There are 3 branch disciplines (medicinal chemistry, pharmacy and clinical pharmacy) under the undergraduate program. The School is authorized to confer Ph.D. in the first-class discipline of pharmacy. There are 1 PostDoctoral scientific research station, 3 Doctor’s degree conferring subunits of second-class disciplines (Medicinal chemistry, Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical analysis), and 6 Master’s degree conferring subunits of second-class disciplines (Medicinal Chemistry,  Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical analysis, Pharmacognosy, Microbial and Biochemical Pharmacy, and Pharma- cology). It also has two provincial key disciplines (Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutics). In 2007, pharmaceutics was awarded National Key discipline.

    The School has a total number of 118 staff，including 23 professors, 33 associate professors, associate research fellows and senior technicians, 26 lecturers. Among them, 19 are Ph.D advisors, and 20 are master’s advisors. Also, the West China School of Pharmacy has 2 recipients of the National Scientific Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, 4 members funded by the Trans-Century Training Programs Foundation for the Talents by the Ministry of Education, 4 discipline leaders of Sichuan Province, 5 recipients of the Scientific Fund of Sichuan province for Distinguished Young Scholars.

    With an enrollment of more than 1000 students, the school recruits about 200 undergraduate students and more than 100 graduate students for doctoral degree and master’s degree annually.

Leadership

               Dean Prof. Dr. Zhi-rong Zhang

                 Vice Dean Prof. Dr. Yong Wu

                 Vice Dean Prof. Dr. Yong Qin

                 General Party branch secretary Prof. Su-xia Wang

                 Vice general Party branch secretary Prof. Xiao-juan Hu

Discipline construction

National Key Disciplines

    Pharmaceutics is a multidisciplinary applied technical science, in which design, manufacture and quality control of pharmaceutical preparations and drug delivery systems are embodied. The major focuses of pharmaceutics are to make the raw drug into suitable dosage form which is applicable in the prevention, diagnosis and therapy of diseases while the safety and effectiveness of the drug, controllability of the manufacture process and the patient compliance are enhanced and improved.

    The discipline of Pharmaceutics was first introduced in the school in 1952 and was approved to be able to confer Master’s authorization in 1981 and Doctoral degrees in 1986. In 1991, the  Postdoctoral Fluxion Station was initiated. It is the key construction discipline of “211 project” and was permitted to establish the key discipline of Sichuan province in 2004. Relying on the discipline of pharmaceutics, the key laboratory of drug targeting and drug delivery system, approved in 2005 by Ministry of Education, is the only key laboratory of Ministry of Education in the field of pharmaceutics in China. In 2007, the discipline of Pharmaceutics was awarded National Key discipline.

    The discipline of pharmaceutics is composed of pharmaceutics, clinical pharmacy, preparation of traditional Chinese medicine and the Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivering System of Ministry of Education. The laboratory covers an area of 3,000 m2. The equipments of the discipline includes high pressure homogenizer and laser particle sizer for the studies of micro/nanoparticle drug delivery system; inverted fluorescence microscope, in-vivo fluorescence imaging system, gel electrophoresis and imaging system, cell culture room, DNA amplification and purification system for the studies of gene delivery system, fluidized-bed granulator, freeze drier and capsule filling machine for the preparations of ordinary dosage forms. Analysis apparatus such as superconducting NMR (200MHz and 400MHz), LC-MS, FT-IR, high performance capillary electrophoresis and HPLC are also available for in vitro and in vivo studies.

    With a total number of 29 faculty staff, the discipline of pharmaceutics has 1 recipient of the National Scientific Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, 10 professors, 12 associate professors and associate research fellows approximately 80 percent of whom hold doctoral degree.

    In the period between 2001 and 2006, the discipline of Pharmaceutics has taken charge of 3  projects of National High-Tech R&D program (863 program), 1 project supported by National Funds for Distinguished Young Scientists, 1 Mega-project of Science Research for the 10th five-year plan, 20-plus projects supported by the National Natural Science Foundation (one is key project)，4 projects supported by the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China, 2 projects of the Trans-Century Training Program Foundation for Talents from the Ministry of  Education, more than 30 projects from the National Ministry or Sichuan province and more than 300 projects in cooperation with pharmaceutical companies. The total scientific research funds amounted to about 50,000,000 RMB between 2002 and 2007. More than 500 academic papers were published, with over 150 citations by SCI and EI. 15 academic monographs and textbooks, which are chiefly edited by our faculty and another 18 in cooperation with others, were published. More than 10 patents were applied and approved. 1 first award of technical innovation of Ministry of Education and other 8 scientific and technical awards of National Ministry and Sichuan province were obtained. One doctoral dissertation gained the honor of National Outstanding Doctoral Dissertations (the first one in pharmaceutics in our country) with another one nominated. At present, the discipline of Pharmaceutics has attracted 165 graduate students, 39 for doctoral degrees and 126 for master's degrees. 209 graduate students' academic degrees have been granted, including 58 are doctoral degrees and 151 are master's degrees.

Construction of “211 project”

    The research on the development of innovative medicine and the modernization of traditional  Chinese medicine are the primary goal of the School of Pharmacy. Owing to the construction of subordinate programs of “211 project” -- “project of innovative medicine and modernization of traditional Chinese medicine” during the period of the 10th five-year, with the combination of relative subjects of the School of Chemistry and the School of Chemical Engineering of SCU, the School of Pharmacy has built distinctive multidisciplinary research strengths ranging from natural science, engineering to medicinal science on innovative drug research.

    During the period of subordinate project construction, more than 30,000,000 RMB was invested for the construction of Pharmacy research and teaching building. More than 4,000,000 RMB for special construction funded by “211 project” was used for important instruments such as LC-MS to further improve research facilities and services. Significant progress has been made in the areas of  computer assisted design, synthesis and characterization of osteal-targeted and liver-targeted prodrug, targeted drug delivery system, traditional Chinese medicine and natural medicine, pharmaceutical engineering technology and green chemistry.

    In the past five years, this subordinate program of “211 Project” has supported by 1 National High-Tech R&D program (863 program), 1 key project of National Natural Science Foundation，3 key projects of the Ministry of Science and Technology, 2 projects of the Trans-Century Training Program Foundation for Talents from the Ministry of Education, 29 projects of National Natural Science  Foundation, 2 projects of the Foundation for Distinguished Young Scientists of Sichuan Province, 6 projects of the doctoral Sustentation Fund. 45 projects supported by other funds and more than 300 projects cooperated with pharmaceutical companies. The amount of scientific research funds was above 30 million RMB. One innovative drug was produced with independent intellectual property rights. 2 doctoral dissertations were awarded as National Outstanding Doctoral Dissertations with another one nominated. More than 700 academic papers were published, among which 110 papers were cited by SCI. Two academic monographs, Molecular Elements of Targeting Therapy and Design of Targeting Medicine and Compilation of Pictures of Tibetan Herbal Medicine, were published and the national uniform textbook Medicinal Chemistry was granted the first award of Excellent Teaching References recommended by the Ministry of Education. The School has obtained 50 scientific and technical awards by National Ministry and Sichuan province such as “outstanding technical innovation”, “the first awards of National Natural Science” nominated by MOE and “outstanding technical innovation of Higher Education of China”, etc. 14 patents were applied and 7 were sanctified, 2 of which gained the American approval.

Key discipline of Sichuan province

Pharmaceutics （see National Key Disciplines）

Medicinal Chemistry    

    Medicinal Chemistry is the pioneering discipline of pharmacy. It majorly focuses on the  invention of novel drugs, of which the research covers a broad range of spectrum of sciences,varying from the design and synthesis of new drugs to the interpretation of chemical properties of drugs and rules of interaction between drug molecules and the cell or biomolecule.

    The discipline of Medicinal Chemistry is composed of the teaching and research sections of  Medicinal Chemistry, Natural Medicinal Chemistry and the Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry of Sichuan Province. With a total of 22 faculty staff, the discipline of Medicinal Chemistry consists of a team of 11 professors, 5 associate professors and associate research fellows. Among them, 6 are Doctoral advisors, and 5 are Master’s advisors. With a laboratory building area of 2,000 m2, the discipline of Medicinal Chemistry has an enrollment of 76 graduate students, 26 for doctoral degree and 50 for master’s degree. Now, 227 graduate students’ academic degrees have been granted including 47 doctoral degrees and 180 master’s degrees.

    The main research advances include anti-osteoporosis drugs, drugs for senile diseases,  initiative targeting drugs, chiral drugs, peptide drugs, chemistry of medicinal alkaloids and active ingredients of natural products, etc. Over the past five years, the discipline of Medicinal  Chemistry has taken charge of 10 projects supported by the National Natural Science Foundation, 15 projects from National Ministry or Sichuan province and over 80 collaborative projects with pharmaceutical companies. The total scientific research funds amounts to more than 14 million RMB. Meanwhile, more than 160 academic papers were published, 9 patents were applied with 6 sanctioned and 5 scientific and technical awards were obtained from National Ministry and Sichuan province.

Key Laboratory

    The school has 1 key laboratory of Ministry of Education, 2 key laboratories of Sichuan province (Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Novel Drug Delivery System and Key Laboratory of Natural  Medicinal Chemistry).

Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery System of Ministry of Education

   The key laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery System is promoted from the key laboratory of Drug Targeting, which was originally founded and entitled the Key Laboratory of Ordinary  University in Sichuan Province in 1999. It was permitted to construct as the Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education in 2005, and was approved in 2007. It is a unique ministerial key laboratory in the country conducting research on drug targeting and drug delivery system. At present, it houses 60 researchers including 23 professors, 19 associate professors and 14 lecturers. Among them, 23 are doctoral advisors, 30 have overseas study background and approximately 80 percent hold doctoral degrees. The research team was built under the leadership of recipients of the National Scientific Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars. Among the faculty, there are 2 recipients of the National Scientific Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, 4 discipline leaders of Sichuan Province and 5 recipients of the Scientific Fund of Sichuan province for Distinguished Young Scholars. In addition, 4 staff gained research foundation supported by the Trans-Century Training Programs Foundation for the Talents by the Ministry of Education. In the past five years, the key laboratory has attracted more than 70 graduate students for doctoral degrees and 220 for master’s degrees, with more than 60 granted for doctoral degree and 210 for master’s degree. 10 postdoctors were taken in with another 6 finished their postdoctoral research. The laboratory takes up space of about 4,500 m2. Prof. Zhi-rong Zhang, the recipient of the National Scientific Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, is appointed the director of the laboratory and the Academician Chang-xiao Liu takes the position of the Chairman of Academic Committee.

    The main research activities of the Laboratory can be divided into several broad streams  incorporating their research strengths: design, synthesis and characterization of targeting prodrugs, development of novel drug delivery system, development of novel delivery system of therapeutic genes, exploration of materials for drug delivery, in vitro and in vivo evaluation of targeted drug delivery system. The key laboratory has been in charge of a range of research projects, including 2 national “973” projects, 2 national “863” projects, 2 projects supported by the National Distinguished Youth Science Fund, more than 40 projects (two of them are key projects) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation, 50 projects supported by provincial government and national ministry, and more than 200 collaborative projects cooperated with pharmaceutical companies. The research of the key laboratory primarily focuses on “studies of targeting nanoparticle of drug and therapeutic gene”supported by “863 Project”,“Studies on therapeutic targeting drugs for osteoporosis”and “studies of macromolecular material PELGE for i.v injection and liver-targeted nanoparticles of PELGE” supported by key projects of National Natural Scientific Foundation and “targeted drug delivery system” supported by the National Scientific Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars.

Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry of Sichuan Province

    The key laboratory of ordinary university of Sichuan province was approved to be established in 2001. With total space of 1,800 m3, the laboratory comprises 6 professors, 2 associate professors and 4 lecturers. 2 superconducting NMRs (200MHz and 400MHz), 1 GC-MS, 1 FT-IR, 1 UV  spectrophotometers, 1 mini-scanner, 1 Micro-polariscope, 8 HPLCs, 1 medium pressure Electrophoresis system and other devices are available in the laboratory, which worth more than 10 million RMB. The laboratory recruits 12-15 graduate students for doctoral degree and 15-20 for master’s degree each year. The lab has engaged in a range of research activities, starting from Chemistry of medicinal alkaloids, the total synthesis of natural products, studies on the active ingredients of natural products,investigations on the resources and qualities of traditional Chinese medicine, research on unique herbal medicine from Tibet, the standardization of cultivation of herbal medicine to the preparation of traditional Chinese medicine. In the recent five years, the laboratory has taken charge of more than 30 projects of Sichuan province and National Ministry with more than 1.5 million scientific research funds, and over 20 commercialization projects with an investment of more than 6 million RMB from pharmaceutical companies. The laboratory has also won 16 scientific and technical awards at national ministerial and provincial level. More than 10 new medicine certificates were acquired and 6 patents were applied. Prof. Feng-peng Wang acts as the director of the Key Laboratory.

Scientific Research

    To meet the research needs of the faculties and students, a wild range of modern facilities and devices, including superconducting NMR (200MHz and 400MHz), LC-MS, GC-MS, FT-IR and UV  spectrophotometers, HPLC, GC, drug dissolution tester, laser particle sizer, freeze drier, spray drier and high pressure homogenizer are offered in the West China School of Pharmacy.

    A series of research projects are being carried out in the fields of novel drug discovery, novel dosage form development, pharmaceutical analysis, clinical pharmacy and pharmacology. Significant achievements have been accomplished in the research of exploration of anti-tumor drugs, drugs for cardiovascular diseases and birth control, natural active agents, targeted drug delivery systems, sustained-release and controlled-release formulations, drug stabilization, new dosage forms of  traditional Chinese medicine, chemical sensors, and establishment of quality standard of new drugs. In the past five years, the School has published more than 10 academic monographs, compiled 10 textbooks, and has published about 1000 academic papers, among which 300 were cited by SCI. The School has taken charge of 2 national “973” project, 3 national “863” projects, 2 projects supported by the National Distinguished Youth Science Fund, more than 40 projects (two of them are key projects) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation, 50 projects supported by provincial government and national ministry, and more than 200 collaborative projects supported by pharmaceutical companies. The School has gained 18 scientific and technical awards from the National Ministry and Sichuan province. 10 new drug licenses and certificates for clinic research were issued. Among the applied 20 patents, 10 were approved. The School has been taken an active role in international academic exchange and cooperation in recent 20 years. More than 200 scholars were sent abroad to give lectures, to do research, and to pursue advanced professional studies or higher academic degrees.

    Meanwhile, more than 300 scholars and specialists from USA, Japan, Germany, UK, and Australia have visited the School and given lectures. Moreover, the School has established a friendly  intercollegiate relationship with Keio University, Japan.

Student training

   The School offers 63 undergraduate courses and 64 graduate courses and has established a teaching tradition of preciseness, diligence and responsibility during the long term teaching practice. The students from the School have excellent reputation for their solid foundation of knowledge,  practical capability, creativity, cooperation spirit and academic endeavor, as well as their great potential to explore the scientific research. The profile of graduates is highly appreciated by employers. The employment rate constantly remains higher than 95% for undergraduate student and 100% for master and Ph.D. students.

    In 2001, the school was entitled “the Training Base for Undergraduate Student” for pharmacy program by Education Department of Sichuan Province and in 2008 the pharmacy major was approved as “the third batch of distinctive major construction spot of National Higher Education”. In 2002, the Central Laboratory of Modern Pharmacy Education was supported by “523 Laboratory Engineering of Sichuan University” project. Meanwhile, Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Administration courses were awarded the High-Quality courses of Sichuan University and Sichuan province. 4 reformed programs of education were supported by the National Reformed Project of Higher Education; another 3 have won the honors of Excellent Accomplishment of Teaching of Sichuan province and the other 10 were awarded Excellent Accomplishment of Teaching of Sichuan University. In 2005, The text book Medicinal Chemistry (the 5th edition), which was chiefly edited by Prof. Hu Zheng, and the text book Pharmaceutical Administration which was chiefly edited by Prof. Peng Wu, were granted the first award and third award of Excellent Medicinal Teaching References of National Higher Education, respectively. In 2006, The text book Medicinal Chemistry (the 6th edition), which was chiefly edited by Prof. Hu Zheng, was granted the first award of Excellent Teaching References of Sichuan University and the text book Pharmaceutical Administration, Pharmaceutics and Clinical pharmacokinetics, chiefly edited by Prof. Peng Wu, Prof. Zhi-rong Zhang and Prof. Xue-hua Jiang respectively, were granted the second award of Excellent Teaching References of Sichuan University. Two doctoral dissertations have been awarded as National Outstanding Doctoral Dissertations with another one nominated since 2003.

Central Laboratory for Modern Pharmacy Education

    The Central Laboratory for Modern Pharmacy Education is one of the laboratories supported by the “523 Laboratory Engineering of Sichuan University” project. The course program offered by the lab which is an integration of 8 major fields (Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmaceutics, Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Analysis, Pharmacognosy, Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacy, Microbial and Biochemical Pharmacy) is entirely arranged by the school. The Central Laboratory has an experimental area of 2000 m3. Thirty percent of the teachers (20 persons) are permanent employees, and the rest of them are temporary teachers from different departments within the School.

    The Central Laboratory aims to cultivate student’s ability to analyze and solve problems independently. It provides 3 levels of laboratory tutorials: Professional Fundamental Experiment, Professional Experiment and Innovative Design Experiment. Students are encouraged to design and conduct their own experiments independently at appointed time.