Our Divisions
The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Vienna is one of the largest units within the Faculty of Life Sciences. It comprises four divisions: Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Technology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, and Pharmacognosy.
These divisions collaborate closely, leveraging their strengths in chemistry, biochemistry, cell biology, and bio- and nanotechnology. Our research ecosystem is defined by a "bench-to-bedside" approach, supported by advanced modeling, molecular design, and high-end analytical platforms. From resolving atomic-scale structures of drug targets to evaluating systemic effects in specialized in vivo facilities, the department integrates computational precision with robust experimental validation. This multidisciplinary synergy allows us to address the entire lifecycle of a drug, from initial fragment-based discovery to final formulation.
The department's research community comprises approx. 260 scientific employees, including 25 professors and over 40 early-career researchers. 46 scientific staff members are funded through third-party grants, reflecting the department's success in securing competitive funding. Supported by 58 technical and administrative employees, the department trains around 550 master's students and approximately 100 PhD students
The Divisions of the Department
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Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Our division represents a wide range of research fields in drug discovery, drug development, drug production, and (to some extent) drug utilisation. Based on this broad research expertise, there is a continuing, strong commitment to top-quality academic teaching, ensuring that our graduates will always be recognised as the experts for drugs and their discovery, development, production and utilisation.
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Division of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics
Our division specializes in formulating both new and established drug molecules into effective drug products or medicines. We conduct teaching and research within the field of drug targeting and delivery. Our aim is to design drug products / medicines that deliver a drug to the right location at the right dose at the right time.
Christoph Hohmann (NIM) -
Division of Pharmacognosy
We carry out research in pharmaceutical sciences focused on natural products from medicinal plants and microorganisms. Major tasks are the discovery of new biologically active compounds from natural sources and the characterization of their molecular mode of action contributing to a better understanding of the interaction of natural products and complex cellular systems. Our aim is pharmaceutical lead and target identification, the quality improvement of herbal medicinal products as well as the sustainable production of natural products by biotechnological approaches.
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Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology
We employ systems biology, molecular and modelling approaches to explore mechanisms implicated in human diseases as well as aging. Our goal is to identify novel therapeutic targets that have the potential to improve current treatments of studied diseases.
Daniel Cuervo-Zanatta. Created with AI