Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics PhD

Pharmacology is the study of drugs, the mechanisms through which they affect living systems, and the ways in which drugs are acted upon by living systems. A drug is defined as any foreign entity that exerts an effect on a biological system, whereas a therapeutic is a drug that is intentionally administered in order to elicit a favorable outcome. Investigators in the program in Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics (MPaT) focus on developing greater insight into the molecular mechanisms that determine biological responses to therapeutic agents, and how underlying biological variation impacts these responses. In addition, MPaT program faculty strive to develop a greater understanding of basic mechanisms of molecular biology, and in particular how these processes are altered in disease states. The ultimate objective of these latter studies is to gain insight that can lead to the development of future novel therapeutic agents. The MPaT graduate program is designed to prepare students academically and professionally in the field of pharmacological research to make them competent as scientists and competitive as job candidates. Students who have earned their PhD from this program occupy a diverse array of high-level positions in the fields of scientific research, drug development and discovery, and medical outreach. The MPaT graduate program consists of 74 faculty trainers, each of whom is equipped to offer students training in highly diverse research areas. PhD students can expect individualized mentorship and training from their advisors. For their part, students are expected to perform at a high level in the lab and classroom, produce publishable scientific data, and to adhere to the standards established by their advisor, the MPaT graduate program, the Department of Pharmacology, and the University.