Corey Hopkins

Corey Hopkins, PhD, is a Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and serves as Director of the Center for Drug Design and Innovation. His research focuses on designing biologically active small molecules for CNS disorders, ion channels in kidney failure, and novel insecticides targeting mosquito vectors of tropical diseases.

• Academic Leadership: Interim Chair, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Research Pillars: TRPC5 Antagonists, GIRK Activators, Claudin-1 Inhibitors, AeKir1 Mosquitocides

Hopkins' work has led to multiple R01 grants from NIH NINDS, NCI, and NIDA for projects including GIRK1/2 activators for pain research and Claudin-1 inhibitors in colorectal cancer. His lab's discoveries have advanced into clinical trials and been featured in Science and ACS Chem. Neuroscience.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2023)
• UNMC Distinguished Scientist (2017)
• UNeMed Most Promising Invention Award (2019)
• Research Leadership Award (2024)

As an educator, he lectures on Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery. His lab has mentored multiple PhD graduates including Drs. Mashinson (2024), Tolentino (2023), and Sharma (2021). Collaborations span Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and Vanderbilt University.