What Starts Here Changes the World
The Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery faculty and labs are on the forefront of research in the field. Our breakthroughs are regularly featured in the media and in academic publications.
The Drug Dynamics Institute is now the Innovating for Health (i4Health) Institute
The Innovating for Health (i4Health) Institute has launched at the University of Texas at Austin, shifting the focus of the former Drug Dynamics Institute within the College of Pharmacy. The institute exists to foster collaborative innovation both on campus, with individuals, and with organizations across the globe. Learn more at i4health.info.
Announcements and Accomplishments
Kimmunity Lab Wins Its First Research Award
Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery assistant professor B.J. Kim, Ph.D., has been selected as a 2025 Peg’s Fight for Life Early Career Research Award recipient from A Breath of Hope Lung Cancer Foundation. This award marks the first official research funding for the Kimmunity Lab. The prestigious award supports early-career investigators pursuing innovative research in lung cancer. Learn more in Dr. Kim's blog post.
Dr. Maria Croyle is Featured in Texas Monthly
Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery Professor Maria A. Croyle, Ph.D. received extensive coverage in the March 2021 edition of Texas Monthly regarding her innovative peelable film drug delivery research. Among its many potential applications, Dr. Croyle’s technology could deliver COVID-19 vaccines through a small oral strip, without need for refrigeration or extensive storage and transportation infrastructure.
Dr. Maria Croyle Earns Funding for SARS-CoV-2 Research
Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery professor Maria A. Croyle, Ph.D. earned 2021’s David Lehr Research Award from the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). Dr. Croyle will receive research funding to investigate novel regulatory mechanisms of drug metabolism in the context of active infection with SARS-CoV-2 and after recovery.
Division News
New Faculty Spotlight
Dr. Qian Zhong Joins College of Pharmacy as Assistant Professor
Dr. B.J. Kim Joins College of Pharmacy as Assistant Professor
Dr. Kim brings a wealth of expertise in RNA-based therapeutics, immunoengineering, and drug delivery, with a focus on developing innovative strategies for cancer treatment and vaccine design.
Dr. Kim earned her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of California San Diego, where she specialized in RNA delivery under the mentorship of Professor Michael J. Sailor. She then pursued postdoctoral training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with Professor Darrell J. Irvine, where she tackled immunological barriers to RNA vaccines and developed next-generation RNA delivery systems for infectious diseases and cancer immunotherapy.
At UT Austin, Dr. Kim is launching the Kimmunity Lab, which will integrate materials science, bioengineering, and immunology to advance RNA-based therapeutics and precision drug delivery technologies. Her research aims to optimize RNA formulations for cancer immunotherapy and vaccine development, leveraging high-throughput screening, immunoengineering, and machine learning to accelerate clinical translation.
Dr. Kim is excited to collaborate with researchers across disciplines and contribute to the college’s mission of advancing pharmaceutical innovation. To learn more about her work, visit the Kimmunity Lab website at kimmunotherapy.com.