Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University (DPSRU): A Way to Lead

Changes on the global level in every sector and the climate, along with the increased pace of life, have led to some major issues regarding human health. However, it is also due to these very changes that the medical sector has developed to a large extent.

Today, health and medicine are part of sustaining human life, and with new emerging health concerns, they are extremely important to proceed with reliable and responsive research in the field. Though it is quite tough and requires an abundance of knowledge, reliable institutions fulfil the task of presenting the world with life-changing inventions.

Pharmacy institutions are constantly creating new leaders to complement the medical field along with research to provide the world with better medicines and facilities. Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University (DPSRU) investigates this matter with extreme scrutiny.

Under the guidance of Prof. (Dr.) Ramesh K. Goyal, the Vice Chancellor of DPSRU, has seen growth, development, and remarkable progress in the field of medicine.

Beginning: Sowing the Seed

The institution was founded in 1964 as the Department of Pharmacy with a Diploma in Pharmacy at Kashmiri gate Polytechnic. It was converted into the college of pharmacy and transferred to the PUSA Polytechnic building under Delhi University with induction of B. Pharm course in 1972, moving to PushpVihar in 1979.

Upgrading to Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research (DIPSAR) in 2004, the institution was enacted as Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University (DPSRU) on 11th September 2008, while being functional by notification on 24th July 2015.

Currently, the University has over 2600 students guided by 90 faculty members and 136 supporting staff members. Moreover, the University offer four certification courses, three diplomas, seven undergraduates, twenty-four postgraduates, and eight doctoral programs. Apart from this, the University is planning to start two new courses, i.e., B.Sc. (Nursing) and B.Sc. in Biomedical Sciences.

True to Roots

DPSRU aims to cultivate the spirit of embracing internationalism, diversity, and competitiveness amongst students, leading to unique discoveries and inventions for the advantage of society at large.

With the comprehensive, multidisciplinary pedagogy of learning and research having a holistic approach in pharmaceutical and allied health sciences, students benefit in terms of campus placements and excel in the competitive world.

In addition to the strong academic programs, as in the name of the University, it has a strong research and innovation footing.

DPSRU thrives on creating state-of-the-art infrastructure research facilities. University is how to establish linkages with industries for the promotion of science, and currently, the University has more than 35 MoUs signed with National Government institutions and Pharma Industry.

Looking Towards Tomorrow

Talking about the objectives of DPSRU, Prof. Dr Ramesh K. Goyal explains that the objectives of various programs are to have the manpower to cater to the needs of the pharmaceutical industry as well as hospitals. Providing infrastructure and research facilities to disseminate advanced knowledge and provide service to the industry matters to DPSRU.

It intends to have innovative teaching-learning processes with an inter-disciplinary approach such that they propagate their wisdom to acquire all kinds of knowledge and generate new ideas. The University cultivates the spirit of embracing internationalism/diversity and competitiveness/ competition amongst students such that novel and creative ideas are harnessed, leading to unique discoveries and inventions for the advantage of society at large.

The Growth: Extracurricular Activities

The University, along with academics, also excels in sports, providing its students with a badminton court and a stadium for volleyball, cricket, athletics, etc. The University regularly organizes sports week event and has produced national shooting champions, and has achieved glory in martial arts, Other than sports, the Rotaract club of DPSRU and the NSS organize community services that contribute to the development of society. The NSS recently organized the ‘Pey Jal Sewa’ to quench the thirst of the passers-by.

DPSRU has ‘6’ societies run by the students for extracurricular activities in dramatics, dance, literature, music, photography, and arts. It celebrates various occasions for humanitarian development, and health and wellness, involving continuous engagement of all the stakeholders such as students, staff, parents, and society.

DPSRU has also started a program called ‘Dilli ki Yogshala’ in June 2021, thus providing yoga lessons to the people of New Delhi for those who would want to practice yoga and imbibe them in their daily life.

Changing Dynamics of Pharmacy Education

As DPSRU believes pharmacy is more than just drugs and medicines, it is more inclined towards discovery, manufacturing, and distribution. It encompasses all gazettes required for healthcare like medical devices, diagnostics, biological products, nutraceuticals, genomics, and community health.

The University has started several new innovative programs like ‘MATERIOVIGILANCE’. The precision medicine centre is not only for biotechnological products and biosimilars but also for diagnostics and precision medicine. It has also started PG Diploma in Clinical Research and Quality Assurance in Biosimilars in collaboration with Apollo Health Research Foundation and the National Institute of Biologicals. In addition to other programs, the University has started plans to start many more programs to meet the changing dynamics of pharmacy education from a global perspective in addition to BMLT, DMLT, BBA of an MBA in Public Health, B.Sc. in SportsSciences, B. Sc in Biomedical Sciences, B.SC. (Nursing) and M.Sc. (Artificial Intelligence).

The Seeds of Success

From the academic front, starting of several new courses and thereby making it a truly multidisciplinary University in health science is one of the significant achievements. Over 50 students of B. Pharm getting qualified consistently in National Examination (GPAT) for the last five years and secured top positions (1st Rank) three times in these years.

Faculty members are involved in research and regularly publish papers in high-impact journals. Six faculty have been listed in the list of top two percent of the scientists in the world as published by various universities, including Stanford University

Accolades students and faculty for their research by awarding their contributions in the Research Promotions Awards
Honourable Vice-Chancellor of DPSRU Conferred with the prestigious Jaswant Singh Rai Memorial Lectureship Award 2022.
The International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences in Canada has announced the ‘Key Bowmann Award’ for research to the Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor.
Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of DPSRU Appointed as the Distinguished Visiting Professor at the UCSI University, Malaysia.
DPSRU is the sole research partner of Coroquil by Remedium, an effective drug to treat COVID-19 complexities.
Launch of 1st Innovative Oral Intradialytic Product in collaboration with Alniche Life Sciences.
DPSRU Faculty Dr Gaurav Jain was awarded the IPA–ACG Sci-tech Innovation Award (2020) in Solid Dosage Development.
First Prize in E-poster competition in International Conference on ‘Optimizing Research Tomorrow’s Therapeutics including COVID-19 pandemic.’
From the outreach point of view, ‘Dilli ki Yogshala’ has been the largest and most prestigious programme launched.

Envision the Future

The profession of pharmacy is multidisciplinary, and to keep pace with the developments and to provide effective means of health care to society, having the University of Pharmacy is highly justifiable and needs to be developed as a multi-faculty, multidisciplinary University. The objective is to develop a road map for actionable plans in line with the vision and mission of the University and to focus on education, research, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the emerging areas of health care with the specific role of pharmaceutical and allied sciences.

In the University plan, known as Vision 2030, DPSRU intends to guide important pillars of the University like faculty, staff, alumni, policymakers, government, and industry. It would help the university leaders make infrastructure, finance, and academic planning strategies. “Every strategy will provide a promise and commitment that will inspire, influence, ignite, and intrigue stakeholders to get expected and specified outcomes,” says DR. Goyal.

Research and Innovation

Research and Innovation Activities at DPSRU are as follows:

DPSRU houses DIIF, DPSRU Innovation, and Incubation Foundation—a BIRAC-BioNEST Incubation Centre, with a vision to establish an ecosystem of startups that is diverse, dense, and has momentum.
DPSRU organized the very first Research Promotions Awards to felicitate the contributions of faculties and students.
The Centre for Advanced Formulation Technology at DPSRU recently celebrated Holi with the in-house herbal gulal.