Division of Medicinal Chemistry

Mission

Division Head: Kazumasa Aoki (DAIICHI SANKYO COMPANY, LIMITED)

Division of Medicinal Chemistry at The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan runs several activities to encourage new pharmaceuticals. Our efforts include promoting scientific exchanges between our members and academics around the world that advance both basic and applied research. These efforts strengthen networks in medicinal chemistry to advance research in drug development and the industry as a whole.

History

1880 Pharmaceutical Society of Japan founded
1982 First Medicinal Chemistry Symposium
1984 First Frontier Seminar for Novel Medicinal Science (So-Yaku Seminar)
1990 Division of Medicinal Chemistry founded
1992 First Interactive Seminar on Novel Medicinal Chemistry (So-Yaku Konwa Kai)
2012 Educational Program started

Members (2024)

Total Membership 1,412
Corporate members 26

Board Members 38 Industry 18 Academia 20

Organizing Symposia

Medicinal Chemistry Symposium
The annual meeting of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry.

Three-day seminar, generally in the Tokyo or Osaka area, occasionally in other cities
Around 600 attendees
Invited lectures & plenary lectures
General presentations, including oral and poster presentations
Award lecture: Breakthrough Award of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry, PSJ
Oral presentations by the recipients of the Award for Excellent General Presentation in the Medicinal Chemistry Symposium

Interactive Seminar on Novel Medicinal Chemistry for Young Researchers (So-Yaku Konwa Kai)

Two-day seminar outside Tokyo or Osaka for graduate students in each local area and young researchers from academia and industry.

Around 100 attendees, all staying at the same hotel
Invited lectures & plenary lectures
Poster presentations

Supporting Symposia

Interactive Seminar on Novel Medicinal Sciences (So-Yaku Seminar)
Three-day symposium sponsored by the PSJ, managed primarily by the members of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry.

Contents:

Venue: a resort area
Attendees: around 200, all staying at the same hotel
Invited lectures & plenary lectures
Special Lecture by the CEO of a pharmaceutical company
Group discussion

International Symposium on Medicinal Sciences
A half-day symposium sponsored by the PSJ as a program of the annual meeting of PSJ, managed primarily by the members of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry.

Contents:

Around 200 attendees
Invited lectures & plenary lectures
Invited poster presentations

Educational Program

A nationwide on-site university lecture program by pharmaceutical industry researchers and managers to educate graduate and undergraduate students about the role of medicinal chemistry in drug development. Managed by professors acting as regional delegates, including a professor from each university.

Contents:

Success stories in drug discovery
Basic medicinal chemistry
New technologies for drug discovery
Intellectual property, etc.

Awards

Breakthrough Award of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry, PSJ
Award for the achievement of innovative and breakthrough researches in medicinal chemistry or drug discovery (1 or 2 per year). Includes the invitation to lecture at the Medicinal Chemistry Symposium.

Award for Excellent General Presentation in the Medicinal Chemistry Symposium (5 – 6 awards per year). Includes the invitation to make an oral presentation at the next Medicinal Chemistry Symposium, as well as publication of an article in the MEDCHEM NEWS.

Publications

MEDCHEM NEWS
Four issues per year, with 50 – 60 pages, written primarily in Japanese

Contents:

Topics in medicinal chemistry and drug discoveries
R&D in the pharmaceutical and bio-venture industries
Essays from prominent scientists
Round table discussion of some topics

International Collaborations

AFMC (Asian Federation of Medicinal Chemistry)
FIP (International Pharmaceutical Federation)
PSWC (Pharmaceutical Sciences World Congress)
AAPS (American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists)
DPhG (Deutsche Pharmazeutische Gesellschaft)
PSK (Pharmaceutical Society of Korea)

Admissions

The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan Division of Medicinal Chemistry serves to cultivate the community of medicinal chemistry scientists and advance the industry through academic research for drug development.

Anyone with experience in medicinal chemistry is encouraged to join!

Benefits of Joining

1) Subscription to the quarterly MEDCHEM NEWS
2) Invitations to present at the Medicinal Chemistry Symposium
3) Access to all abstracts of the Medicinal Chemistry Symposium
4) Eligibility to participate in symposia and seminars organized by subcommittees
5) Eligibility to nominate or be nominated for awards by the Division

Annual membership fee	Regular Member	Student Member
Members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan (tax-exempt)	2,000 yen	1,000 yen
Non-members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan (tax-exempt)	4,000 yen	2,000 yen

[Overseas residents]
Regarding current members living overseas, the fees are as follows.

Annual membership fee	Regular Member	Student Member
Members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan (tax-exempt)	1,000 yen	500 yen
Non-members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan (tax-exempt)	2,000 yen	1,000 yen

Overseas non-members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan who wish to receive MEDCHEM NEWS by mail will be charged the following fees.

Regular mail (1-3 months depending on the region): 1,500 yen
Airmail: 2,500 yen

How to Apply

※For corporate memberships, see “Contact Us” below.

New members

Applicants are asked to pay the membership fee for the first year and mail the application form. The society will confirm your membership by sending by post your membership number.

If you are a member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan, you can apply online at https://www.pharm.or.jp/kaiin/henko.

1) Payment for first year
Inside Japan: The fee is paid by postal transfer. Regardless of when the application is made, the full fee (February 2-January 31) must be paid and is not pro rata.

Postal transfer number: 00160-0-8404　
Please mark the subject as “new member”

Outside Japan: Please contact Administrative Affairs (kaiin@pharm.or.jp).

2) Membership application
Download and complete the membership application at http://www.pharm.or.jp/kaiin/nyukai.xls. The completed application should be mailed, e-mailed or faxed.

Address: Membership Desk, General Affairs Office, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
2-12-15 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0002, Japan
E-mail: kaiin@pharm.or.jp
Fax: +81-(0)3-3498-1835

Notes

All annual memberships are from February 2 – January 31 regardless of the application date. Please be sure to note the year of the application.
If you apply in the middle of the year, you will be mailed back issues of MEDCHEM NEWS related to that year.
Membership will automatically continue unless members submit documentation to cancel their membership.

Contact Us

2-12-15 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0002
The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan General Affairs Office, Membership Desk
Tel; 03-3406-3322 Fax; 03-3498-1835 E-mail; kaiin@pharm.or.jp