David Chu Lecture Series

David Chu is a distinguished research professor emeritus of pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences at the College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia. He earned a PhD in medicinal chemistry from the University at Buffalo in 1975 under the mentorship of Professor Thomas Bardos. Dr. Chu was one of the co-founders of Pharmasset and ATEA Pharmaceuticals.  During his 40-year career, Dr. Chu trained more than 130 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows and has maintained an active research program in drug design and synthesis since his retirement in 2008.  He has published over 300 peer-reviewed articles in organic, biochemical and medicinal chemistry and has been awarded more than 60 US patents. Several of his invented compounds are undergoing clinical trials in the therapeutic areas of cancer, hepatitis B virus, HIV and shingles.

An elected member of the American Association of Advancement of Science and the National Academy of Inventors, Dr. Chu received the Antonin Holy Memorial Lecture Award from the International Society Antiviral Research and the Willis G. Gregory Award from the UB School of Pharmacy in 2017.  He also received the Alma Mater of the Year Award from Seoul National University in 2015, the John A. Montgomery Award from the International Round Table Society in 2014, a MERIT Award from the National Institute of Health in 2001, and the UGA Inventor of the Year Award in 2002.