2026 Chemistry Commencement

12:30 PM on Sunday, June 14, 2026 | Sapp Center

Commencement Speaker

Sushant Malhotra, Ph.D.
SVP, Head of Drug Discovery
Shenandoah Therapeutics Inc. 

Dr. Sushant Malhotra is a distinguished medicinal chemist and drug discovery expert with over 22 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. He specializes in developing breakthrough therapies for patients, with extensive expertise in both non-covalent and covalent drug discovery, as well as induced proximity mechanisms (including molecular glues, PROTACs, and TCIPs) and CNS drug discovery. Additionally, he brings valuable CMC experience from his tenure as a process chemist at Genentech.

Over the course of his career, Dr. Malhotra has been instrumental in the invention and development of multiple clinical candidates, successfully advancing several from Phase 1 to Phase 3 trials. He holds 19 patents and has authored 29 publications. Dr. Malhotra earned his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Stanford University under Professor Barry M. Trost and his B.A. in Chemistry from Grinnell College. His academic foundation paved the way for leadership roles at renowned organizations such as Genentech, Eli Lilly, Frontier Medicines, and Lyterian Therapeutics.

He currently serves as Senior Vice President of Drug Discovery at Shenandoah Therapeutics. Dr. Malhotra's career is marked by significant achievements in oncology, neuroscience, and immunology drug discovery, where he has advanced eight molecules to clinical trials. As a sought-after speaker and mentor, he actively engages with the scientific community through seminars, collaborations, and advisory roles. Driven by a passion for innovation, Dr. Malhotra is committed to advancing the field of drug discovery chemistry and improving patient outcomes.

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For more information about the University-wide commencement ceremony, please visit the university commencement site