Determining drug interactions is one role played by pharmacologists.
A PhD in the field of pharmacology can lead to a very lucrative career. The rate of job growth in the pharmaceutical sector is expected to remain above average through 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those holding a PhD in pharmacology play an important role in the growth of this field. These researchers are responsible for determining various applications for new drugs, their toxicology and how they interact with other drugs.
Mayo Graduate School
The Mayo Graduate School in Rochester, Minnesota, offers a PhD program in pharmacology. Students at the Mayo Graduate School benefit from the name recognition that comes from graduating from an institution associated with the Mayo College of Medicine and the world-renowned Mayo Clinic.
The PhD program at Mayo emphasizes seven areas of specialization: virology and gene therapy; molecular biology and biochemistry; the neurobiology of disease; biomedical engineering; immunology; molecular pharmacology and experimental therapeutics; and translational and clinical science. Students have an opportunity to pursue a joint MD/PhD option as part of the program, and may benefit from generous financial aid packages that include stipends for living expenses.
The core curriculum of the PhD program covers areas such as genome biology, chemical principles of biological systems, biostatistics, molecular biophysics and molecular genetics.
Ph.D. Training
Mayo Graduate School
200 First Street SW
Rochester, MN 55905
507-538-1160
www.mayo.edu
Emory University
Another option for a PhD in pharmacology is Emory University's molecular and systems pharmacology program. Emory University's medical school is considered to have one of the top medical programs in the nation. In 2010, the medical school as a whole was ranked No. 20 by U.S. News & World Report for medical research in the United States. Its pharmacology program is generally recognized as one of the best in the nation.
Emory offers a joint PhD/MD program. The graduate degree program emphasizes several areas of research: microbiology and molecular genetics; ecology, population biology and evolution; biochemistry, cell and developmental biology; neuroscience; nutrition and health science; molecular pathogenesis and immunology; genetics and molecular biology; and molecular and systems pharmacology. Students accepted to the program at Emory can benefit from generous financial aid packages that include tuition waivers and stipends for living expenses.
Molecular & Systems Pharmacology Program
Department of Medicine
Emory University/Atlanta VA Medical Center
1670 Clairmont Rd.
Mailstop 151-P
Decatur, GA 30033
404-321-6111, ext. 7053
pharm.emory.edu
Georgetown University
Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., offers a PhD program in pharmacology through its Department of Pharmacology. Graduate courses are offered in areas such as biochemistry, physiology and advanced pharmacology as part of the required curriculum. Students take their comprehensive qualifying exams as early as the third semester of the program.
Emphasis is primarily placed on the doctoral dissertation. Faculty mentors work closely with students in the construction of the PhD dissertation. Faculty specializations vary widely, and include areas such as the molecular mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease, temporal dynamics of neural networks and transcriptional regulation.
Department of Pharmacology
Georgetown University Medical Center
3900 Reservoir Road NW
Washington, DC 20057
202-687-7007
pharmacology.georgetown.edu
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