International Guest Lecture: Prof. Natsuhisa Oka Discusses Antimalarial and Antiviral Drug Design at FF UNAIR
The Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), once again presented an international academic atmosphere through a guest lecture featuring Prof. Natsuhisa Oka from Gifu University, Japan. The event was held on Wednesday, October 23, 2025, in Lecture Room 5.1, Faculty of Pharmacy, UNAIR.
The guest lecture was attended by hundreds of students and several lecturers who enthusiastically listened to Prof. Oka's scientific presentation. On this occasion, he shared his research entitled "Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Sugar- and Nucleotide-Conjugated Hydroxychloroquine Derivatives as Potential Antimalarial and Antiviral Agents."
Through his presentation, Prof. Oka explained the design and synthesis approach for hydroxychloroquine derivatives conjugated with sugars and nucleotides to enhance their biological effectiveness as antimalarial and antiviral agents. He also emphasized the importance of cross-border research collaboration in developing new, more effective and safe drugs.
Prof. Oka provides a valuable opportunity for the academic community of the UNAIR Faculty of Pharmacy to broaden their horizons and deepen their understanding of chemical synthesis-based drug development. In addition to enriching students' knowledge, this activity also strengthens the academic relationship between Universitas Airlangga and Gifu University, Japan.
