Dr. R. Thirumurugan is a professor and currently working as a Head of the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry with a specialization in Medicinal Chemistry. He has a Master of Pharmacy degree from IT, Banaras Hindu University, Ph. D. from BITS (Birla Institute of Technology and Science), Pilani, Rajasthan. He has 25 years of work experience in teaching, research, and the Pharma industry including 5 years as a Research Chemist and Scientist (Sami Labs Limited, Bangalore; Jubilant Chemsys Limited, Noida; and Altana Pharma Limited, Mumbai), 11 years as a Postdoctoral Research Associate and Senior Researcher at Rutgers University, New Jersey and North Carolina State University, Kannapolis, United States, respectively and 5 years as Assistant Professor at International Medical University (IMU), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He has published 36 research papers in various International and National Journals and contributed 7 book chapters in various publications including Elsevier publisher. He has presented his research findings in various seminars and conferences, and he has guided more than 10 UG students and one PG student’s projects in the area of MetS syndrome. He is an active member of professional bodies such as ACS, RSC, and IPA and has served as a publication reviewer for Elsevier, Bentham, and ACS publications.

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Sree Abirami College of Pharmacy

What made you decide to become a teacher?

Teaching begins with learning. I am passionate towards a life-long learner which motivates me to become a teacher.

Teaching is a profession to inspires budding igniting minds by sharing knowledge and their appreciation makes me proud and inner satisfaction. During my college days, I was inspired by the unique personalities of my teachers. A teacher is the only professional who may be seen as a leader, a mentor, and or even a surrogate parenteral figure. 

When you came to this college, what was your vision and how are you trying to achieve the same?

I joined and took responsibility as a HoD in this college six months before. My vision was to become a renowned research faculty and make our college become one of the best research and educational institutes in our region. To achieve my vision, teamwork is the best option, and made a team with our most experienced colleagues to write the collaborative research proposals and bring the funds from various National and International funding agencies, organize seminars and conferences to share the knowledge with the community beneficiaries, publish our research findings in the high impact journals and collaborative work with Pharma Industry to meet the public need.

What valuable advice would you like to give the students so they to have a prosperous career ahead?

My words to the young buds are discipline, punctuality, and hard work will be the stepping stone for your career growth. To be successful in your career, students must identify your strengths, and a job in which you enjoy and challenge your comfort zone. Nobody is tailor-made for a particular profession, so you (students) must be an everyday learner, update your knowledge about your profession, and excel in your performance. My special advice to budding pharmacists is to develop specific competencies for the cognitive, conscious, and effective use of digital tools for their professional development. Success will follow you.! 

What are the benefits and career options after pursuing this course?

Pharmacy is a multidisciplinary curriculum in which students excel in various fields of the pharmacy profession like designing medicine to patient care requirements. After successful completion of the course, students choose their career as their interest as Community Pharmacist, Hospital and clinical Pharmacist, Drug Inspector, Quality Assurance Manager, Regulatory Officer in the Government sector, Production Chemist, Analytical Chemist, R&D chemist, Marketing Manager in the Pharma Industry and Pursuing the higher studies for the abroad opportunities as a Researcher in various reputed Universities and even become a Proprietor for their Pharmacy.

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What are the types of projects that the students are working on through this program?

Our college, Sree Abirami College of Pharmacy, has sophisticated laboratory facilities in the Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacology, Pharmacognosy, and Pharmaceutical Analysis departments. The departmental projects are all designed and executed by our expert faculty and the students have a choice to choose their projects to their interest. In the Pharmaceutics department, new drug formulation studies, Novel drug delivery systems, Preformulation and Bioequivalence studies, and Pharmacodynamic and Pharmacokinetics studies are the few projects that are supervised by our faculty. Projects of Drug design and synthesis of small molecules for the treatment of MetS syndrome and cancer treatment are designed and supervised by our Pharmaceutical Chemistry faculty. In the Pharmacognosy department, the major projects are the extraction and isolation of phytochemicals from plant sources based on traditional uses and confirming their activities through suitable in vitro and in vivo model studies. Drug informatics, Case studies, improving the safety, efficacy, and effectiveness of medication, and improving morbidity and mortality benefits within the patients of chronic diseases are the few projects conducted in the Pharmacy Practice department. These projects all provide basic knowledge and hands-on training for their career growth. 

What will you say are the “best practices” in the course you’re offering?

Sree Abirami College of Pharmacy offers student-centered learning opportunities like problem-based learning, project-based learning, flipped classrooms, e-learning, collaborative learning, blended learning, and gamifying learning. To monitor the students’ learning progress, we implemented a continuous assessment system and provided constructive feedback for their improvement. The Management of Sree Abirami College of Pharmacy implemented the MentorMentee system to keen interest in each student’s academic and professional development. The students are encouraged to participate in seminars, conferences, and workshops to develop their knowledge and hands-on training skills.

How did you train yourself/faculty to deliver this program to the students?

Teaching is an art form that requires a unique blend of creativity, flexibility, dedication, and enthusiasm. We can not apply a “one size fits all” approach because students come from diversified communities with different personalities. As a professor, I have vast experience in the field of research as well as teaching expertise implemented in the curriculum teaching helps the students acquire practical knowledge and hands-on training skills. We provide an amalgamated learning environment to students through classroom learning, Problem-based, and Project-based learning to understand the fundamental knowledge of the subject. I have attended workshops, seminars, conferences, and certificate courses periodically, and participated in the Faculty Development Program (FDP) conducted by Government agencies like UGC and AICTE to update my knowledge on the current technology advancement.

How do you tend to build an industry connection with this program?

Our College, Sree Abirami College of Pharmacy signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a few Pharmaceutical Industries and Research Institutes in which our students got the opportunity to participate in hands-on training workshops to develop their skills, and part of their project was completed using their facilities. We organize guest lectures periodically from various sectors of the Pharmaceutical Industry to share their knowledge, current research trends, and skills needed for industrial recruitment. These activities help our students in the preparation of their future career growth.