The Department of Pharmacology was first established in 1959 in the Sepoy Lines campus and Harrower Hall. The Department with an initial staff strength of three - two academic staff and one technician - was organized to provide then State-of-the-Art facilities to conduct essential teaching to our medical, dental and pharmacy students. Dr. Robert C.Y. Lin was our first Head of Department. He was subsequently appointed the first Professor of Pharmacology in 1962. When he retired in 1965, Dr Yeoh Teow Seng became the Acting-Head in the interim period before the arrival of Prof J.E. Gardiner of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, who took over as Head in 1966.
In 1981, Prof Yeoh took over the reins from Prof Gardiner. It was also a time of transition for NUS to consolidate the 4 separate campuses into one main campus at Kent Ridge.
In early 1982, the Department shifted to MD2 building in the new Kent Ridge campus. By then, the Department had grown considerably, with 7 academic staff, 7 technical staff, three attendants, one secretary and one clerical staff.
Prof Yeoh relinquished the Headship in 1987 and Prof Matthew Gwee assumed the position. He was succeeded by Prof Lee How Sung who headed the Department from 1997 to 1999, Prof Edmund Lee from 1999 to 2000, and Prof Peter Wong as Acting-Head from 2000 to 2003 before the arrival of Prof Philip K. Moore from the King’s College, London who took over as Head in 2003 and served till 2007.
In 2007, in support of a major campus re-development plan, MD2 building was returned to the University for redevelopment into the NUS Animal Holding Unit. The Department was temporary moved to MD11 building Level 5. Due to space constraints, some staff were allocated office and laboratory space in CeLS building and MD6 building.
After Prof Moore relinquished the Headship in 2007, Prof Peter Wong became Department Head and served till 2014. Prof Wai Shiu Fred Wong, the next Department Head, served until 2020. The current Head of Department is A/P Gavin Dawe who assumed duty in 2020.
In 2015, the Department finally relocated to our current premises in MD3. All staff from CeLS building returned back to the Department. The official opening was held on 7th March 2016.
The Department has grown in strength and diversity over the preceding 56 years. Currently, the Department has around 18 full-time academic staff, 10 technical staff, 14 research staff, 4 admin staff and 2 attendants. The Department offers teaching and training in Pharmacology at both undergraduate and graduate levels. We have currently more than 30 graduate students pursuing their Doctoral degrees, and more than 40 undergraduate students doing their UROPs and FYP programs.
