Program Overview
The Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences program at the School of Pharmacy provides a comprehensive education in drug discovery, drug action, and drug delivery. Students conduct original research under faculty supervision and complete coursework in their chosen research core, as well as foundational courses in pharmaceutical sciences. Graduates are prepared for careers in industry, academia, and government, where they can contribute to the development of new and improved pharmaceutical therapies.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the School of Pharmacy offers a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in pharmaceutical sciences. The program provides a rigorous background in a range of scientific disciplines that are critical to the success of the next generation of pharmaceutical scientists. The program’s interdisciplinary training combines pharmaceutically relevant aspects of classical disciplines such as chemistry, biology, and engineering. Students earn a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, concentrating in one of three research cores: Drug Discovery, Drug Action, or Drug Delivery. Extensive communication and collaboration occur between these cores, mirroring the importance of interdisciplinary research teams in the pharmaceutical field.
Outline:
Content:
- Drug Discovery: Focuses on areas related to medicinal chemistry, such as small molecule development, natural products isolation and characterization, organic synthesis, chemical biology, and rational drug design.
- Drug Action: Focuses on areas related to pharmacology, toxicology, cellular differentiation, development, and disease. Interests include the impact of drugs and toxins on biological systems, mechanisms of normal biology, and mechanisms of disease. These are studied at the cellular, genetic, molecular, and biochemical levels using diverse model systems.
- Drug Delivery (pharmaceutics): Emphasizes principles in physical chemistry and drug transport, aiming for advances in formulation, drug targeting, and multi-modal therapy. Delivery research includes the solid-state chemistry of drugs, nano-pharmacy, biocompatibility, molecular recognition, computational chemistry, pharmacokinetics, and molecular imaging.
Structure:
- The program typically takes 5-7 years to complete.
- Students complete coursework in their chosen research core, as well as foundational courses in pharmaceutical sciences.
- Students conduct original research under the supervision of a faculty advisor.
- Students present their research findings at scientific conferences and publish their work in peer-reviewed journals.
Course Schedule:
- Foundational Content:
- Principles of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Select 6 credits from two Core Areas:
- Drug Discovery Core: Natural Product Synthesis, Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery
- Drug Action Core: Cellular and Molecular Biology/Pathology
- Molecular and Cellular Principles in Pharmacology
- Cellular Signal Transduction Mechanisms
- Drug Delivery Core: Molecular Recognition
- Molecular Solids
- Polymeric Drug Delivery
- Research Ethics/Responsible Conduct of Research: Research Ethics: Scientific Integrity and the Responsible Conduct of Research
- Seminar & Research:
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Seminar (required every fall term during enrollment as a graduate student in the program)
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Seminar (required every spring during enrollment as a graduate student in the program)
- Research (typically taken every semester in the program, beginning in the second semester)
- Advanced Independent Study
- Electives: Three additional credits from the Drug Action, Drug Delivery, or Drug Discovery electives.
Assessment:
- Students are assessed on their coursework, research, and teaching performance.
- Students must pass a preliminary examination and a final oral defense of their dissertation.
Teaching:
- The program is taught by a team of experienced faculty members who are actively engaged in research.
- Students have the opportunity to work closely with their faculty advisors and to participate in research projects.
- The program offers a variety of teaching assistantships and fellowships to support students financially.
Careers:
- Graduates of the program are employed in a variety of settings, including industry, academia, and government.
- Graduates have the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in a wide range of careers in the pharmaceutical sciences.
