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Magid Abou-Gharbia, Ph.D., FRSC
Associate Dean for Research
Professor of Medicinal Chemistry
Director of the Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research
3307 N. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19140
office Room 515
phone (215) 707-4949
Biosketch | Selected Publications | Posters
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Magid Abou-Gharbia, Ph.D., FRSC is currently the Associate Dean for Research, Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Director of the Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research (MCDDR) at the School of Pharmacy, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. Prior to joining Temple University in 2008, Magid spent 26 years at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals where he was senior Vice President and Head of Chemical and Screening Sciences. As Senior Vice President & Head of Chemical & Screening Sciences at Wyeth, he was responsible for overseeing and directing Wyeth chemistry and screening research efforts of 500 scientists at four US research facilities and 150 chemists in Hyderabad, India in support of drug discovery in Neuroscience, Inflammation, Women's Health/Bone, Oncology and Cardio-vascular/Metabolic Diseases therapeutic areas.
Education: BS in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (1971), MS in Medicinal Chemistry (1974) from the School of Pharmacy, Cairo University, and Ph.D. (1979) from the University of Pennsylvania working with Professor Madeleine Joullie, followed by a two-year NIH Postdoctoral fellowship at Temple University Medical School and the department of chemistry.
Pharma R&D Achievements: Over the years Dr. Abou-Gharbia's group research efforts led to the discovery of five marketed drugs and many compounds currently under clinical evaluation including: the first-in-class antidepressant Effexor®; the anticancer agent Mylotarg®; an anticancer rapamycin derivative, Torisel™ (temsirolimus); an SNRI anti-depressant, Pristiq® (DVS-233); a broad spectrum antibiotic Tygacil®, and a non-steroidal, HRT Viviant™, (Bazedoxifene®).
Research Interests: Manipulation of synthetic approaches in the design and synthesis of biologically active agents. Methodologies included: 1, 3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions, Claisen's rearrangement, Diels-Alder reactions, chemistry of ketenes, sulfilimines, synthesis of substituted steroids. Use of receptor homology, bioisoteric replacement strategies, rational and structure-based drug design approaches Utilizing natural products as a unique resource for discovering innovation therapeutics. Applying enabling technology platforms to evaluate drug-like properties of all discovered molecules to ensure clinical effectiveness of drug candidates. Design of chemical probes in support of translation medicine.
Scientific Contributions include over 235 invited lectures, presentations and publications; inventor on 99 US patents and over 350 patents worldwide. Awards and Honors include: ACS Henry Whalen Jr. Award in Business Development (2011); Induction to ACS Medicinal Chemistry Hall of Fame (2008); ACS Heroes of Chemistry (2008); Alfred Burger Award in Medicinal Chemistry (2008); Science and Technology Medal from the R&D Council of New Jersey (2008); selected among the Top 10 Scientists in New Jersey by New Jersey Business Magazine (2008); American Institute of Chemists (AIC) Chemistry Pioneer Award (2007); Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC 2006); Researcher of the Year (2006) from Health Care Institute of NJ (HINJ); Trailblazer Award (2006) from Science Spectrum; Induction into the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame (2004); The Procter Medal (2003); ACS Earle B. Barnes Award (2001); Philadelphia Organic Chemists Club (POCC) Award (2001); Egyptian Pharmaceutical Society Drug Discovery Award (2000); Named as one of the most Prolific Inventors of the Decade by US Patent & Trade Mark (1998); ACS-Philadelphia Section Award (1997); Wyeth-Ayerst Exceptional Achievement Award (1992); and others.
Scientific and Professional Activities includ membership of the SAB of Chemistry Department, SAB of Galenea, University of Pennsylvania, SAB of Abbott pharmaceutical, the 2009 EPSRC International Review Panel responsible for evaluating the impact of chemical research in the UK; Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC); member of Advisory Board of Galenea Pharmaceutical, Laxai, Dow's Women Scientists; Board of Visitors of College of Science and Technology (CST) , Temple University; C&E News Advisory Board; and on the editorial and scientific advisory boards of many journals.
Academic Appointments: Professor of Chemistry, College of Science and Technology (CST) at Temple University, Visiting Professor, Wolfson Centre for Age Related Diseases, School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, King's College London, Adjunct Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, Northeastern University, Center of Drug Discovery (CDD), Cairo University and the University of Ferrara, IT.
Moulder Center Objectives: Discovery of biologically active drug candidates, synthesis of chemical probes to test biological hypotheses, facilitating collaborative research among Temple University researchers and with external collaborators in the US and abroad, and training undergraduate and graduate students, junior faculty, postdoctoral fellows and visiting scientists on state-of-the art collaborations.
