Alumnus Dr. Stanton McHardy named NAI Fellow
The Department of Chemistry is proud to share and celebrate the outstanding achievements of alumnus Dr. Stanton McHardy, who has recently been named a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. He completed his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at the University of Utah in 1996 and is now the director of the Center for Innovative Drug Discovery (CIDD), as well as an associate professor of medicinal chemistry at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
The National Academy of Inventors recognizes individuals who have made significant societal and economic contributions through their research and innovations. Dr. McHardy joins a prestigious group of fellows whose work spans various scientific disciplines and whose collective innovations include over 5,000 issued U.S. patents. Dr. McHardy will be inducted into the class of 2024 along with other NAI fellows, and they will be presented with medals by a senior official of the United States Patent and Trademark Office at the NAI 14th Annual Meeting on June 26, 2025.
According to the University of Texas at San Antonio, Dr. McHardy has led groundbreaking research in drug design, focusing on developing novel therapeutic approaches for neurological and infectious diseases and more throughout his career. Notably, his work on proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) has shown great promise for treating cancer by harnessing the body’s natural machinery to eliminate harmful, drug-resistant proteins. His lab and the CIDD are dedicated to advancing medicinal chemistry through the design, synthesis, and development of small molecule compounds targeting a wide range of therapeutic areas. Current research initiatives are focused on creating novel small molecules to address breast, ovarian, and brain cancers, metabolic diseases, Schistosomiasis, biofilm inhibition, and dengue virus. Additionally, the lab is working on developing new synthetic methodologies to improve the production of drug-like compounds and natural products. Dr. McHardy previously worked as the Associate Director of Neuroscience at Pfizer, where he led efforts to discover clinical drug candidates for addiction, schizophrenia, ADHD, and Alzheimer’s disease. His prolific career includes a total of 42 patents.
Dr. McHardy’s commitment to both scientific progress and education extends to his role as an instructor, where he fosters the next generation of scientists. As part of his vision for the future, Dr. McHardy plans to expand his research into protein degradation and neurodegenerative diseases, with a focus on non-addictive pain therapies and brain health. His work at CIDD continues to make a lasting impact on the global scientific community and the development of next-generation therapeutic solutions.
The University of Utah Chemistry Department proudly congratulates Dr. McHardy on this well-deserved recognition from the NAI and looks forward to his continued success in advancing drug discovery and innovation.
Image courtesy of the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Stanton McHardy’s NAI fellowship announcement was published by the University of Texas at San Antonio on December 10, 2024.
The full list of NAI 2024 fellows can be read here.