Career achievement: Jonathan Vennerstrom, PhD

This profile is part of a series to highlight the researchers and leaders who will be honored at a ceremony on Nov. 6 for UNMC’s annual research awards – the prestigious Scientist Laureate Award and the Research Leadership, Distinguished Scientist, New Investigator, Career Achievement and Community Service to Research Awards.

Jonathan Vennerstrom, PhD, professor of pharmaceutical sciences in the UNMC College of Pharmacy, is one of the most impactful researchers in UNMC’s history.

His use of medicinal chemistry in the realm of antiparasitic drug discovery, particularly antimalarial drug design and synthesis, has been recognized throughout the international research community.

More importantly, his contribution to new treatments likely will touch millions of lives as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated more than 249 million cases of malaria worldwide in 2022, with more than 600,000 deaths.

Most of these deaths were children, and Dr. Vennerstrom has worked relentlessly to help save these young lives.

On Thursday, Nov. 6, The UNMC Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research will recognize Dr. Vennerstrom with its Research Career Achievement Award as part of its annual honors awarded to UNMC’s leading and upcoming researchers.

Dr. Vennerstrom completed a postdoc at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (malaria was devastating to U.S. soldiers during the Vietnam War) and, in 1987, established a research lab at UNMC as one of the few chemists in the country working on drug discovery for “neglected” tropical diseases.

His success begat success. Eventually, the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute and Medicines for Malaria Venture took notice, resulting in collaborators, funding and momentum.

A child of missionary parents, Dr. Vennerstrom saw the effects of malaria and schistosomiasis firsthand as a boy growing up in Ethiopia, and he built a renowned career on a love of – and talent for – chemistry, a fierce work ethic and quiet humility.

While accolades have been heaped upon him (he recently was named to the American Chemical Society Division of Medicinal Chemistry Hall of Fame), Dr. Vennerstrom compares groundbreaking science to running a relay race. Each new discovery is “passed on,” he once said, “like a baton.”