Marya Lieberman
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Professor of Chemistry
- Low-quality medicines
- Fake pharmaceuticals
- Counterfeit drug detection
- Fentanyl (opioid) detection
Lieberman’s Latest News
Lieberman in the News
Nature
Fake or faulty chemo threatens cancer care in Africa
December 02, 2025
Marya Lieberman, the study’s co-author and a professor of cancer research from University of Notre Dame, US joined colleagues from Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, and Cameroon to conduct covert and overt sampling of seven frontline chemotherapies in their countries.
The National Desk, ABC7, +8 others
Bad drugs or no drugs: Cancer patients face scary reality tied to foreign supply chain
Video
November 19, 2025
Marya Lieberman's team at the University of Notre Dame tested more than 180 samples of chemotherapy drugs, mostly from India, but shipped to more than 100 countries, including the U.S.
The Conversation
Cancer drug quality in Africa is a worry: what we found in a 4-country study
October 23, 2025
By Marya Lieberman, the Nancy Dee Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame.
Business Insider (Africa)
Nearly 1 in 6 cancer drugs found in Africa are defective, study finds
June 30, 2025
“If you can’t test it, you can’t regulate it,” said Marya Lieberman of the University of Notre Dame, who led the investigation. “The cancer medications are difficult to handle and analyze because they're very toxic, and so many labs don't want to do that.”
Nigerian Tribune
Study finds one in six cancer medicines in sub-Saharan Africa unsafe
June 29, 2025
Professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Notre Dame and lead author of the study, Marya Lieberman, said that it is important that cancer medications contain the right amount of the active ingredients so the patient gets the correct dose.
Deutsche Welle (Germany), Yahoo! News (UK), The Times of India, +3 Others
Nearly 20% of cancer drugs defective in 4 African nations
June 29, 2025
"There are many possible causes for bad-quality products," Marya Lieberman of the University of Notre Dame in the US, the investigation's senior researcher, told DW.
Technology Networks, News-medical, +3 Others
One in six cancer medications fails safety standards in sub-Saharan Africa
June 26, 2025
“It is important that cancer medications contain the right amount of the active ingredients so the patient gets the correct dose,” said Marya Lieberman, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Notre Dame and lead author of the study. “If the patient’s dose is too small, the cancer can survive and spread to other locations. If the patient’s dose is too high, they can be harmed by toxic side effects from the medicine.”
Stat News
Generic cancer drugs used around the world fail quality tests, investigation shows
June 26, 2025
“We were all taken aback when we saw the results,” said Marya Lieberman, the professor who led the research. More than 30 manufacturers made products that met standards. But for patients receiving poor-quality drugs, the effects could be devastating. “Once a person has been diagnosed with cancer, there’s a limited window of opportunity for treatment to work,” said Lieberman.
Bioengineer, Science Magazine, +1 Other
In Sub-Saharan Africa, One in Six Cancer Medications Identified as Defective
June 26, 2025
Marya Lieberman, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Notre Dame and the study’s lead author, emphasized the grave implications of these findings. She highlighted that oncology patients require precise dosing regimens to optimize treatment success and mitigate adverse effects.
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, The Hindu, Talk Radio South Africa, +5 Others
‘It’s heartbreaking’: Bad cancer drugs shipped to more than 100 countries
June 26, 2025
Working with collaborators in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Kenya and Malawi, researchers at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, analysed drug samples from the four countries. “We were all taken aback when we saw the results,” said Marya Lieberman, the professor who led the research.
Newsweek
Revealed: Fake Online Pharmacies Thriving Despite DEA Crackdown
February 15, 2025
Marya Lieberman, an analytical chemist at the University of Notre Dame who specializes in the detection of substandard and falsified pharmaceuticals, said regulators face a daunting task to remove these illicit sites. "To protect patients, DEA and FDA try to identify fake pharmacy sites and shut them down, but it's like playing Whac-A-Mole—as soon as they take one site down, another one pops up," she told Newsweek.
South Bend Tribune
Tribune invites public to community discussion on lead in South Bend soil
August 09, 2024
The forum will feature the following panelists: Marya Lieberman is an analytical chemist and professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame. She is a member of Notre Dame Lead Innovation Team.
South Bend Tribune
Residents shocked and concerned by elevated lead hazards in South Bend neighborhoods
June 27, 2024
Ornella Joseph and Vikrant Jandev, graduate students with the Notre Dame Lead Innovation Team, provided lead testing at the summer kickoff at Randolph Park on June 1.
WTHR (Indianapolis)
Local governments hand out fentanyl test strips, but they could be illegal in Indiana
Video
June 06, 2024
Researchers at University of Notre Dame test fentanyl and other test strips for their effectiveness. Dr. Marya Lieberman’s team tested five different test strip brands on more than 200 compounds. Lieberman found that while there are sometimes false positives, overwhelmingly, the strips on the market are accurate and effective when used properly.
Bloomberg
How Tainted Chemo Wound Up in Pediatric Cancer Wards
Video
December 14, 2023
Marya Lieberman is a chemistry professor at the University of Notre Dame. She has blue hair, a refrigerator full of chemo drugs and obvious enthusiasm for the intricacies of lab testing. Over the years she’d heard about issues with the quality of chemo drugs in low-income countries.
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism
New test in the works to catch defective cancer drugs
October 06, 2023
Now, researchers led by Professor Marya Lieberman of the University of Notre Dame have made the drug a focus of their work developing devices that flag poor-quality medicines.
Bloomberg
Politics Could Imperil Probe of Narco Access to U.S. Chemicals
January 27, 2021
Marya Lieberman, a professor in the department of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, agreed that safety concerns would likely be a deal killer.
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