The Medicinal Chemistry Group is a recent addition to the applied research capacity of the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Housed in more than 2,500 square feet of newly renovated laboratory space at IT Enterprises, UMSL’s biotechnology and information technology business incubator, the MCG supplies advanced chemistry services to the St. Louis region’s research institutions and the private sector, along with UMSL faculty and student scientists.

To date, the MCG’s main collaborating partner is the Center for World Health & Medicine at Saint Louis University.

The group is operated by former Pfizer scientists and directed by John Walker. He said current projects include work on “orphaned and neglected diseases like river blindness and childhood diarrhea” in conjunction with the SLU center.

While Walker said SLU is MCG’s largest client, he and his team are eager to support more groups needing chemistry work – especially of the synthetic and pharmaceutical variety.

In addition to UMSL’s support, grants from St. Louis Life Sciences Project, the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment and Missouri Technology Corporation have helped to jump start MCG’s operations, as well as contributions of equipment and supplies provided by Pfizer, Monsanto and Sigma Aldrich.

More information:
umsl.edu/~medicinalchemistry