Andhra University is the second institute in the country to start pharmacy courses at University level in 1937. The pharmacy courses were initially offered in the B.Sc. Honours degree of chemical technology and as a specialization at M.Sc. Chemical Technology level. The importance of pharmaceutical sciences led to the formation of a separate department in 1951, with the commencement of B.Pharm. course with late Prof. S. Rangaswamy as founder Head of the Department. The M.Pharm. course was started in 1954. A separate Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences was formed in 1975.The department has been elevated as a constituent college of Andhra University in August 2006.
At present, the department offers B.Pharm, Pharm-D, Pharm-D (PB) and M.Pharm and Ph.D. programmes in eight specializations namely Pharmaceutical Technology, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmaceutical and Food Analysis, Pharmacology, Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, Pharmacy Practice and Pharmaceutical Management & Drug Regulatory affairs. The department has the distinction of being the first in the country to start pharmaceutical biotechnology division. Prof. S. Rangaswamy and founder faculty members Prof. V. Subba Rao, Prof. N. Viswanadham, Prof. K. Sambamurty and Prof. E. Venkata Rao laid solid foundations and moulded the department into one of the best in the country.
Eminent teachers and researchers who served as "Heads of the Department" in the past and contributed richly to its development include late Prof. S. Rangaswamy (1951-1963), late Prof. V. Subba Rao (1963-1979), Prof. N. Viswanadham (1979-1982), late Prof. K. Sambamurty (1982-1985), Prof. E. Venkata Rao (1985-1988), Prof. D. Visweswaram (1988-1991), Prof. R.V. Krishna Rao (1991-1992), Prof. M. Vimala Devi (1993-1995), Prof. D. Venkata Rao (1996-1998), and Prof. P. Ellaiah (1999-2001).
The alumni of the department are holding high positions in prestigious national and international bodies, drug industry, drugs control administration and in Universities in India and abroad. A good rapport is being maintained between the department and its alumni. The alumni has formed an association named Andhra University Pharmacy Alumni Charitable Trust (AUPACT) and has established an industrial pharmacy unit in the department in 1998. The faculty of the department has shown their commitment and dynamism by conducting a number of workshops, national and international seminars and conferences and also the prestigious Indian Pharmaceutical Congress twice, in 1977 and in 1995.
On Research Front
The department has always realized that serious research is the backbone of quality education and the growth of research and teaching always went hand in hand. The department has contributed significantly in all major fields of research in pharmacy. Even the earliest research by the founder faculty member of the department Prof. E. Venkata Rao resulted in the discovery of a new cardiac drug Peruvoside which is being manufactured by an Italian firm Indena even today. The research in the department has been consistently sustained during the last 6 decades. The 393 Ph.D. degrees awarded, more than 2000 research papers published by the faculty in national and international journals of repute. University level, state level and national awards won by the faculty bear testimony to the quality of research carried out in the department. The research of the faculty members has been consistently supported by funding agencies such as UGC, DST, NAIP, CSIR, ICMR and AICTE. Thirty-one major research projects have been completed and 11 major research projects worth of Rs. 1.88 crores are ongoing.
Good features of the College:
College having MOU with King George Hospital and working for the patients on every working day
Pharm D students being trained in King George Hospital
Research oriented towards use for society
Research oriented towards Intellectual Property Rights
College instrumental in starting and organizing the Andhra University Ethics Committee for Research on Human Volunteers
College is organising Ethics Committee for Research on Animals
Faculty participating in King George Hospital Ethics Committee for Research on Human Volunteers , in Pollution Control Board
Faculty involved with society- interacting with NGOs, pharmaceutical industries, hospitals, consumer council, colleges, professional organisations
Best Practices of the College:
Counseling students on a regular basis on academic issues
Patient Counseling in AU Dispensary and in King George Hospital
Prizes for students are sponsored by faculty – to merit students as well as to students excelling in sports and extra curricular activities
Students are given orientation to Good Manufacturing Practices and Good Laboratory Practices
Medals are instituted in the names of many retired distinguished teachers to be given in convocation
College participates in many community development programmes under the leadership of Indian Pharmaceutical Organisation, Visakhapatnam Branch
Future Plans:
To transform all class rooms into e -class rooms
To enhance student learning by more visits to industries and hospitals
To hold the 68th Indian Pharmaceutical Congress in AUCOPS in a wonderful manner
To enhance the scope of research, making it more collaborative and patentable
To enhance the scope of activities being carried out in our Pharmacy Practices Room in KGH, by introducing activities like Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring and providing Drug Information to Doctors.
To enhance the scope of our community reach activities by organizing lectures on radio stations, medical camps in villages, patient counseling in selected areas in Visakhapatnam, blood donation camps and rallies with focus on health care in the city.
Organizing a better industry academia interaction, by requesting industries to give short term training/workshops to our teachers and by taking our students on visits to industries.
Strengthening our role in professional associations.
College of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Andhra University
Visakhapatnam - 530 003.
Andhra Pradesh, INDIA.