Amy Ripka PhD

Dr. Ripka has worked as a medicinal chemist to develop drugs for various therapeutic areas including the central nervous system, anti-infectives, cancer and cardiovascular disease. Her efforts have contributed to two approved drugs (Daclastasvir, Asunaprevir) and a compound in Phase II for schizophrenia. She has the unusual experience of having worked at big pharma (Bristol Myers-Squibb), biotech (Infinity, HydraBiosciences, EnVivo [now FORUM]), and two contract research organizations serving the pharma community (Sai Life Sciences and WuXiAppTec). This gives her a unique appreciation and perspective on the interplay between these organizations and the drug discovery model.

Ripka received a B.A. in chemistry and music at Northwestern University. She earned her Ph.D. in organic chemistry and medicinal chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She was awarded a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral fellowship and continued her studies at The Scripps Research Institute under the Nobel Laureate, K. Barry Sharpless. Ripka was elected Chair of the prestigious Medicinal Chemistry Gordon Research Conference in 2012 and was a member of the organizing committees for a variety of national and international meetings including the National Medicinal Chemistry Symposium and the Frontiers in Medicinal Chemistry meetings. She also has served as the elected Industrial Councilor for the ACS Medicinal Chemistry Technical