Department of Pharmacology

The Department of Pharmacology at the School of Medicine, Southeast University, boasts a profound historical heritage, tracing its origins back to the pharmacology discipline established at the National Central University School of Medicine in 1935. Through ninety years of accumulation and inheritance, and by adhering to the strategy of both introducing and cultivating talent, the department has formed a faculty team with a rational knowledge structure and excellent professional competence. Currently, the department employs 16 full-time faculty members, including 3 professors, 11 associate professors, 1 lecturer, and 1 engineer.

Academic Leadership

The department is led by Prof. Yao Honghong, a Chief Professor and Level-II Professor at Southeast University, and a recipient of the Special Government Allowance from the State Council. Prof. Yao serves as the Secretary of the Party Committee and Dean of the School of Medicine. She is a recipient of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars and the National Science Fund for Excellent Young Scholars, and has been recognized as a Leading Talent in Scientific and Technological Innovation for Middle-aged and Young People under the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Innovation Talent Promotion Plan, as well as a “Young Thousand Talents” scholar selected by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee.

Prof. Yao holds several key positions, including Deputy Director of the Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Critical Care Medicine, Vice Chairperson of the Neuropsychopharmacology Committee of the Chinese Pharmacological Society, Council Member of the Chinese Pharmacological Society, Vice Chairperson of the Jiangsu Pharmacological Society, and Chairperson of the Neuroimmunology Committee of the Jiangsu Immunological Society. Her long-term research focuses on the epigenetics of major brain diseases. Her work has been published in high-impact international journals such as Circulation, Science Translational Medicine, Advanced Science, Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, and Nature Communications. She has been listed in Elsevier’s “China’s Highly Cited Researchers” (2022–2025) and the “World’s Top 2% Scientists” (2023–2025). Her accolades include the Second Prize of the Ministry of Education’s Excellent Scientific Research Achievement Award (Natural Sciences), the Second Prize of the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association’s Science and Technology Progress Award, the 16th Jiangsu Youth Science and Technology Award, and the Jiangsu Provincial Industry Sector Excellent Scientific and Technological Progress Award.

Research and Innovation

The department insists on a development path that integrates scientific research with practice. It has established mature disciplinary directions in Neuropsychopharmacology, Cardiovascular Pharmacology, and Antimicrobial Pharmacology. The faculty has secured over 20 national-level projects, including the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars and the National Science and Technology Major Project. They have published more than 100 academic papers in high-level journals and obtained multiple patents. Actively collaborating with domestic and international pharmaceutical enterprises, the department promotes the transformation of faculty research achievements, thereby contributing to the development of China’s pharmaceutical industry.

Education and Talent Cultivation

Taking the cultivation of outstanding medical and pharmaceutical talents for the nation as its fundamental mission, the department undertakes teaching tasks for undergraduates and graduates in Clinical Medicine, Preventive Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, and other majors. Continuously advancing teaching reform and innovation, the department focuses on enhancing teaching quality. In 2025, the course “Pharmacology” was selected as a National First-Class Undergraduate Course. Faculty members have guided students to win numerous honors, including the Special Prize in the “Challenge Cup” National College Student Extracurricular Academic Science and Technology Works Competition, the Gold Award in the Finals of the National College Student Basic Medical Science Innovation Research and Experimental Design Forum, and the First Prize in the Jiangsu College Student Basic Medical Science Experimental Skills Competition. Graduate students trained by the department have successively received Provincial and University Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Awards, earning high praise from domestic peers and employers.

Future Outlook

All faculty members of the Department of Pharmacology are seizing new development opportunities. With determination and a pioneering spirit, they are making unremitting efforts to build a research team with international leading capabilities.

Updated on March, 2026