research proposal for phd in pharmaceutics

How to prepare a proposal for pharmacy research

A research proposal is often necessary to secure the required funding or resources. Cathy Geeson explains what to consider when putting a proposal together.

Source: Corbis Super RF / Alamy

When writing a research proposal you are aiming to produce a concise, clear summary of a proposed research project. This may form part of your academic studies, but often it is written to obtain the funding or resources needed to undertake the research. The proposal will need to be tailored to your audience, who may be academic supervisors, an organisation or an external funding body, but many of the principles of writing a research proposal remain consistent.

Putting together a proposal can take a considerable amount of time (an average of 9–12 months), so you need to be able to justify investing your time and that of your research team. You should approach writing a research proposal in the same way you would tackle any important project — do your background preparation, get the right team around you, make a plan and, finally, maintain your enthusiasm and determination to succeed.

The research topic

The most important thing to consider when choosing a topic is whether it poses a worthwhile question that needs to be answered and will result in tangible benefits within a reasonable and defined period. You should be able to demonstrate that the project will fill a gap in current literature.

Ask your peers and employers whether they believe the topic is important. Additionally, you could speak to the research team at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and members of the public to get their opinions.

Early considerations

Think carefully about what you want to achieve, whether funding is required and, if so, what type of funding may be suitable. Initially, you will need to consider how much money you are looking for and whether you are seeking a personal award, leading to a Masters or doctoral qualification, or funding for a larger research team. If the latter, you will need to demonstrate that you have enough experience to apply as the lead applicant.

You need to ensure that your proposal is practical and deliverable. Most awards are time-limited, typically between one and five years with most limited to three years, which means you will need to be realistic about how long you believe your research will take. Additionally, most awards are for a set amount of money, so you need to ensure that this is likely to cover all necessary resources and costs.

Different funding bodies will back different types of research so you will need to apply to the most appropriate organisation. For example, in the UK, the Medical Research Council funds basic or invention research whereas the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) focuses on applied, evaluative and clinical research.

Ensure that the right infrastructure is in place within your organisation – this includes having appropriate management and support arrangements. Additionally, depending on the type of research, you may need to have access to sufficient patients and quality data. This may mean collecting your own data rather than trying to retrospectively assemble data that was not originally intended for research purposes.

Finally, you must be able to justify that your proposal is ethically acceptable. Although this does not mean preparing for ethics approval in detail at this stage, you should think about whether the benefits of undertaking the research outweigh the risks and burdens to potential participants.

Getting the right support

Your most important resource will be your research team. The members of your team will depend on your experience — for example, you may need an academic supervisor if the award is to support Masters or doctoral studies — and your research question and design; for example, you may require a statistician or a health economist. Decide who you require and try to obtain their support at an early stage. Be mindful of practical issues, such as the feasibility of arranging meetings. Support from your employer (and potential research site) is also crucial, particularly if you propose undertaking a secondment from your current role. At this stage you may also need to consider involvement from patients or the public or both (see ‘Patient and public involvement’).

It is also advisable to contact the research manager within your organisation and, depending on the research funder, you may also have access to design support. For example, the NIHR has a dedicated ‘research design service’ (RDS) to provide further guidance on the application process itself. The RDS also provides a number of training courses, together with ‘bid development’ advice, which can be valuable in helping hone your research proposal.

Try not to overlook other potential sources of help and advice. Researchers who have published work in the field may be willing to provide further advice on their methodology. My tip would be to seek as much advice and guidance as possible from a wide range of sources.

Once you have finalised your research methodology you can consider in depth what physical resources you will need, including access to patients, healthcare professionals and laboratory testing. The methodology will also inform the potential size and overall costs of your study. Talk to your finance department as early as you can — this can help ensure that your costs are thorough and realistic.

Writing your proposal

Research funding applications are generally highly structured and are split into sections that will vary by funder and funding stream. Each section will include clear instructions, usually including strict word limits. The funder is also likely to provide comprehensive guidance notes, plus an advice service should you need further clarification.

Remember that your proposal may be reviewed by panel members who do not work in your field, so avoid jargon and explain all abbreviations in full, ideally in each section (in case reviewers do not read your application in the order it was written). In terms of your writing style, aim for professional, clear and concise. Pay attention to detail, ask your research team to review your proposal and accept all offers to proofread your work.

Example of sections within the application form

Patient and public involvement (ppi).

Many funders are committed to the involvement of patients and the public so you may need to consider relevant activities as part of your application. These activities can involve patients and the public helping choose the research topic, assisting in the design, advising on the research project or actually helping carry out the research.

Plain English summary

You may be required to provide a brief summary of your research, written in language that members of the public should understand, so it is worth getting this reviewed as part of your PPI.

Scientific abstract

The scientific abstract is a more detailed summary that outlines the background to the research, the aims of the work, the plan of investigation and a synopsis of the potential benefits.

Background and rationale

You will then need to state your main hypothesis and research questions, and justify why the research is important and relevant to the funder. Think carefully about the benefits of your work — you will need to show the funder that your proposal is worth their investment. This section may also include your literature review, with details of gaps in current understanding of your topic, and how existing literature has informed your methodology. The funder will need evidence that you have carried out a thorough review, including any databases or citation indexes you have searched.

Research plan

In the research plan you should provide a structured protocol. It needs to be detailed enough to explain clearly how you intend to conduct the research but also succinct, because the word count is likely to be limited. You may also need to submit a ‘research timetable’ to highlight expected important milestones.

Expected outputs and dissemination

Additionally, you will need to assure the funder that the results of your research will deliver tangible benefits and that you will share these results widely.

Management and governance

You should be able to demonstrate that you will manage the award well, emphasising the results that you will deliver and how you will control the finances. This section may also include a review of ethical issues. Ensure that you are familiar with the ‘Research governance framework for health and social care’ from the Department of Health (England) and its implications for your work. Depending on the research methodology you may need to consider whether you will need informed consent from patients and other participants, and you will almost certainly have to address any confidentiality issues.

Intellectual property

Intellectual property (IP) provides the basis for protecting information, ideas and developments that your research may generate. The IP you generate will be retained by you and your organisation, but the funder will want to know that the IP will be protected (for example, with copyright or a patent) and used appropriately to ensure that the proposed research benefits can be delivered. Financial returns are an uncommon benefit of applied or clinical research but, where income generation is anticipated, you may need to enter into a commercialisation agreement with the funder to clarify how the revenue will be shared. This is an area where you may need to seek expert advice (for example, from ‘ NHS Innovation Hubs ’ ).

Making your proposal stand out

• Read the funder’s guidance notes carefully, and address each point thoroughly;
• Explain why yours is an important research question, with clear benefits;
• Be precise and succinct — could you describe clearly the main objective of your research in one or two sentences?
• Demonstrate that your proposal is well planned, feasible, cost-effective, and will yield high quality results with a positive impact;
• Justify everything fully, including your method, required resources and team members;
• Be consistent. For example, if you have said you need a PPI steering group, ensure this is included as a research cost and that meetings are built into your research timetable.

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Drug Delivery: PhD Program

Cutting-edge research in drug development and delivery for students with backgrounds in engineering, chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacy and biology..

Our program focuses on many routes of administration, including oral, pulmonary, parenteral, percutaneous, and transmucosal. Additionally, we study platforms that include cell-based therapies, lipid and polymeric nanotechnology, exosomes, antibodies, and viral and non-viral vectors for gene therapy. We conduct multidisciplinary research using knowledge in:

• chemistry: physical-chemical aspects of drug molecules, polymer sciences, analytical chemistry,
• engineering: nanotechnology, biophysics, mass transport and thermodynamics of drug molecules
• biopharmaceutics: pharmacokinetics, drug metabolism.
• biochemistry: immunology, genetics, drug mechanism of action
• biology: cell and virus-based platforms, infectious diseases, neurology

From this program, students will understand drug delivery systems for new therapies and vaccines to improve human health. The majority of our Ph.D. students often find jobs in industry before graduation. Those who pursue an academic career usually spend a few more years as postdoctoral fellows at other institutions.

Learn more about our faculty

Read our Strategic Plan  

Fall 2023 Division Newsletter

Watch a webinar on our PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences program

Review Q&A section of webinar on our PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences program 

Apply to our PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences program

Our stiped starting August 2023 will be $35,000/yr with annual increases. For the incoming Fall 2023 class there will be two rotations, both within the Fall 2023 semester (7.5 wks in length).

Questions about the graduate program? Ask Garrett or Virginia.

Garrett Bethmann

Executive Assistant

• [email protected]
• Ph: 919-966-8805
• 4202 Marsico Hall

Virginia Beall

Administrative Assistant

• [email protected]
• Ph: 919-962-0146
• 4201 Marsico Hall

PhD Requirements

• Minimum of 24 credits of coursework including elective courses, but excluding 1 credit for seminar.
• Participate in weekly seminar each semester. Students in their 3 rd  year have the opportunity to give a seminar each year. The final defense fulfills this requirement in the last year of study
• Research credit (i.e. lab rotation) or dissertation credit of at least 3 hours per semester
• Doctoral written and oral exam. The Qualifying Exam process (i.e, written and oral exam) is designed to assess the extent of the student’s knowledge acquired from course work in pharmaceutical science and test his or her ability to integrate and apply knowledge  to practical problems.
• Dissertation and final defense

Curriculum: PhD with Emphasis in Molecular Pharmaceutics

This Molecular Pharmaceutics Pharmaceutical Sciences Ph.D. track focuses on delivering and maintaining the desired amount of a therapeutic agent at the target site for a desired period of time through cutting-edge platforms. The development of therapeutic or vaccine delivery systems that accomplishes this is based on an understanding of their transport properties across biological barriers and subsequent biodistribution as well as the mechanism by which they are metabolized and eliminated. This discipline is crucial for turning a new molecular entity into a safe and effective medication.

* Students must register for seminar every semester in which they are in residence. ** Students must register for 3 hours of research each semester prior to candidacy.   ^ At least one credit in Data science must be included in electives. # Students must be registered for at least 3 credit hours in each semester in candidacy including the semester in which the final defense is conducted.

Suggested Statistics Courses

• BIOS 600 Principles of Statistical Inference
• BBSP 710 Biostatistics for Laboratory Scientists Preview Changes (opens in a new tab)

Suggested Electives

• BIOC 643 Cell Structure, Function, and Growth Control I (2).  Fall.
• CHEM 430 Introduction to Biological Chemistry (3). Fall and Spring.
• CHEM 431 Macromolecular Structure and Metabolism (3). Spring.
• CHEM 432 Metabolic Chemistry and Cellular Regulatory Networks  (3). . Fall.
• CHEM 466 Advanced Organic Chemistry I (3).  Fall.
• CHEM 467 Advanced Organic Chemistry II (2).  Spring.
• CHEM 480 Introduction to Biophysical Chemistry (3). Fall.
• CHEM 481 Physical Chemistry I (3).  Fall and Spring.
• PHCO701 Introduction to Molecular Pharmacology (2).  Fall.
• PHCO702  Principles  of  Pharmacology  and  Physiology  (3). Spring.
• MCRO614 Immunobiology (3) Fall.
• NC State BEC 475 Global Regulatory Affairs for Medical Products (online)
• NC State BEC 462/BEC 562/CHE 462 Fundamentals of Bio-Nanotechnology

Suggested Data Science Course

• BCB 712 Databases, Metadata, Ontologies, and Digital Libraries for Biological Sciences
• BCB 715 Mathematical   and   Computational   Approaches   to   Modeling   Signaling   and   Regulatory Pathways
• BCB 718 Computational Modeling Laboratory
• BCB 717 Structural Bioinformatics
• BCB 716 Sequence Analysis
• BCB 730 Fundamentals of Quantitative Imaging Analysis for Light Microscopy
• INLS 465 Understanding Information Technology for Managing Digital Collections
• INLS 523 Introduction to Database Concepts and Applications
• INLS 541 Information Visualization
• INLS 560 Programming for Information Science
• INLS 581 Research Methods Overview
• INLS 712 Introduction to Text Mining

Other courses can fulfill these electives and statistics requirement upon petition by the student and approval by the director of graduate studies or the student’s Ph.D. advisory committee.

Excluding research and seminar credits but including credits from elective courses, students must take a minimum of 24 credits of course work prior to sitting for the Qualifying Exam. Students who have taken relevant coursework prior to enrollment in the Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics Graduate Program may use that coursework to satisfy graduate course requirements provided that the courses were taken within 8 years of entry into the graduate program and that passing scores (H, P, or A, B) were received. Courses taken more than 8 years previously may be waived on a case-by-case basis (particularly if the individual has been using the relevant skills frequently) at the discretion of the research advisor and with the approval of the division faculty. All requests for waivers of required courses should be submitted in writing to the division director of graduate studies for review by the division faculty. Note that while a student may waive a particular required course, he or she must still complete a minimum of 24 credits of course work.

Example schedule:

^ At least one credit in Data science must be included in electives.

Curriculum: PhD with Emphasis in Pharmacoengineering

This DPMP Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences track has an emphasis in pharmacoengineering, an emerging discipline that integrates engineering methods with pharmaceutical sciences. Pharmacoengineers apply the latest experimental approaches from life sciences, chemistry, and physics in conjunction with theoretical and quantitative methods from engineering, mathematics, and computer science to solve problems in medicine and drug therapies.

Students work at the interface of engineering and pharmaceutical sciences to develop safer and more effective medicine and medical technologies. It provides students not only with a strong knowledge base in both pharmaceutical sciences and engineering, but also a highly interdisciplinary research experience. Students have the flexibility to work with any of more than two dozen outstanding faculty members with expertise in a variety of fields within pharmacy and engineering.

** Students must register for seminar every semester in which they are in residence. *** Students must register for 3 hours of research each semester prior to candidacy.   ^ At least one credit in Data science must be included in electives.

• BBSP 710 Biostatistics for Laboratory Scientists

Math Electives

• BMME 775 Image Processing and Analysis
• MATH 528 Mathematical Methods for the Physical Sciences
• MATH 535 Introduction to Probability
• MATH 547 Linear Algebra for Applications
• MATH 564 Mathematical Modeling in the Life Sciences  
• MATH 566 Introduction to Numerical Analysis
• MATH 577 Linear Algebra
• MATH 661 Scientific Computation
• MATH 768 Mathematical Modeling I

Engineering Electives

• COMP 665 Images, Graphics and Vision
• BMME 550 Medical Imaging I: Ultrasound, MRI and Optical Magnetic
• BMME 551 Medical Device Design
• BMME 515 Introduction to Systems Biology
• BMME 510 Biomaterials
• BMME 505 Skeletal Biomechanics

Ready to take the next step?

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Thesis proposal

In Pharmacy, the MSc thesis proposal and the PhD thesis proposal are required courses (PHARM 601 and PHARM 616A/B, respectively). The objective is for students to learn how to use the literature to stimulate in-depth thinking about the basis of their thesis research project and to encourage the development of their scientific oral presentation skills, to best prepare and present their research objectives in written and oral form.

In addition to preparing a written and oral presentation of their proposed research, students must complete the following course requirements:

• Involves completing online modules as well as participation in an in-person session co-hosted by the Pharmacy Liaison Librarian and an Advisor from the Writing and Communication Center.
• Provides background on literature searching, citation and proper management of references as part of the preparation of the thesis proposal.  
• The workshop is offered once per term, as needed. 
• Students should attend in their first term, before they register in the thesis proposal course
• Workshop dates are communicated via email and/or Outlook calendar invitation.
• Attend a one-on-one appointment with the Pharmacy Liaison Librarian to discuss. research strategies and reinforce academic integrity.
• Attend two thesis proposals (or one thesis proposal and one thesis defence) by other students in Pharmacy, before their own thesis proposal examination.
• MSc students must hold the thesis proposal examination before the end of their second term.
• PhD students must hold their thesis proposal examination within their first year of the PhD program, before the end of term three.
• Any student requiring more time must request an extension, subject to the approval of the Graduate Officer.

The advisory committee appointment must be approved and the first meeting of the committee held before the proposal examination can take place.

Thesis proposal guidelines

The thesis proposal should outline the reasons for undertaking the project, concisely survey the relevant literature, present a detailed description of the methodology to be used, and outline any preliminary results.

Generally, a report of 30-40 pages is required, not including figures, legends, or references. Excess pages may be removed or disregarded.

Additional material including raw data may be included in appendices if there is a need for it to be included.

The completed thesis proposal should be double-spaced with 1-inch margins and size 12 font.  

The style of the report should follow conventions familiar to the area of research of the student.  At minimum, the written thesis proposal report should include the components indicated in the following table.

Students may wish to follow the  preparation of the thesis organization and formatting requirements, set by the Graduate Studies Office, to help prepare them for the final thesis submission.

Scheduling the thesis proposal examination

Follow the steps below when you are ready for your proposal examination:  

• Select two possible dates and times and ask your committee to save those dates until the exam is confirmed.
• Refer to "what to expect at the thesis proposal" to determine how much time you should book for your proposal (two hours is generally enough time for an examining committee with three examiners; additional time may be required for deliberation).
• If you did not sign up for the appropriate course (Pharm 601 or Pharm 616A/B) during the course enrolment period, complete and submit the Graduate Studies course drop/add form at the same time as submitting the meeting request form. 
• The grad coordinator will arrange the examination chair, prepare the proposal examination report, and set up IT support for the day of your exam (for in person and hybrid exams only).
• This is to ensure IT has the equipment/adapters necessary for the exam and not scrambling on the day of your exam.
• It will take approximately 15-30 minutes to go over everything.
• Your email request should be sent no sooner than one week prior to the test/training date.
• Submit an electronic copy of the (written) thesis proposal to each member of the examination committee and cc the grad coordinator at least 10 business days ahead of the proposal examination date.

What to expect at the thesis proposal examination

The oral examination will take approximately 2 hours and should consist of a 25-30 minute PowerPoint presentation, followed by questions from the examination committee.  Due to time limitations for the oral examination, it may not be possible to cover all aspects of the proposal in the presentation.

The question period will involve a first round of questions from the committee lasting 10-15 minutes per committee member, followed by a second round of questions in the same format but usually only 5-10 minutes each. Questions may be taken from the audience and the student's response to questions from the audience may be considered in the evaluation of the student. 

Thesis proposal examinations are not ‘public’ in the same sense that thesis defences are and are not announced throughout the Faculty of Science.  The administrative coordinator will inform pharmacy graduate students of upcoming proposal presentations so they may attend toward fulfillment of the thesis proposal course requirements.  External friends and relatives are not permitted to attend. 

Following the oral examination, the audience and students are excused so the committee can deliberate. All examiners should be present for deliberation.  After deliberation, the student is invited back into the room to hear the results of their exam. Students will receive a summary of their final grading assessment once the report has received approval. 

Assessment of the thesis proposal

Assessment of the thesis proposal is twofold:  The written proposal report and the oral presentation and discussion are each marked separately and independently by three or more committee members (the examining committee) using the thesis proposal grading sheet, following the grading scheme below. The final course grade is calculated by averaging the total scores of all examining committee members; t he assessment of whether or not the student has met the standards for the proposal and for progress in their graduate program overall, is recorded on the thesis proposal examination report . All members of the thesis proposal examination committee participate in grading and in the assessment of the student's overall progress.

Thesis proposal grading scheme

Students must complete all graduate courses with a final mark of 70% or greater, as noted in the Academic Calendar.

Thesis proposal examination report

The decision as to whether standards for the proposal and progress to date are met is made by the committee, recorded by the chair, and reported to the Faculty of Science usingthesis proposal examination report. Committee members assesses the student's position by indicating 'excellent', 'satisfactory', or 'unsatisfactory', in the following areas:

• Understanding of the material: Candidate shows adequate depth and scope of knowledge for the current stage of the project;
• Ability to handle discussion: Candidate is able to understand the pitfalls and interpretation of the project;
• Research progress: Student demonstrates a general level of progress considering the complexity of the work and practical difficulties.

Performance and standards of research concerning expectations for the degree level as well as they pertain to timely completion of the degree are indicated with a yes/no response.  Any questions, concerns, difficulties or corrective measures required by the student must be recorded in the comments sections of the report; the committee must specify an action plan outlining what the student is expected to do by a specified date. 

Pharmacy blackout dates

Pharmacy has blackout dates during which thesis proposals and PhD comprehensive exams are not be held unless special arrangements have been made and confirmed in advance by the pharmacy graduate office. Blackout dates exist to allow maximum participation in the Pharmacy program and to minimize scheduling conflicts for examination chairs and committee members. 

Blackout dates are also noted on the Pharmacy Graduate Studies Outlook calendar. 

Related links

• Thesis formatting
• Thesis information
• Academic Calendar - School of Pharmacy

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PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

At CU Pharmacy, we’re training scientists who make an impact. Our doctoral program in pharmaceutical sciences is focused on solving problems. In particular, the program covers the formulation, synthesis, manufacturing, development, stability, biophysical analysis, characterization, delivery, and biodistribution of small molecules and biopharmaceutical agents.

Our goals are to provide the best training for students interested in pursuing careers in biopharmaceutical drug development; conduct high-quality research relevant to pharmaceutical biotechnology; offer innovative educational programs; and to support the biopharmaceutical industry, especially in Colorado.

Here, you’ll have access to a wide range of researchers and research equipment; cross-training with chemical engineers; essential non-scientific training in regulatory affairs, business topics and pharmacoeconomics; experience with real world compounds and research and development problems; and interaction with industry scientists.

We have a strong track record of setting our students up for success. Graduates of our program have advanced into successful careers as senior scientists in the pharmaceutical industry and academia. We’re here to make sure you have the training you need to pursue a career in drug and biopharmaceutical discovery, development or clinical optimization.

As part of the CU Anschutz Graduate School, all PhD students in good academic standing are guaranteed financial support.

All regular full-time departmental faculty in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences are formal members of the pharmaceutical sciences graduate program and can take students into their laboratories if appropriate.

On average, students in this program earn their PhDs in 5.5 years.

Applications for all doctoral programs are submitted electronically through the Graduate School of the University of Colorado Denver. After signing up for an account, select 'PhD' under the 'Academic Interests' menu and scroll down to 'Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences' and select "PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences."

Application requirements are:

• A completed Graduate School application and $50.00 application fee (Domestic) $75.00 application fee (International)
• A baccalaureate degree of arts or science from an accredited college or university with a minimum GPA of 3.0.** One (1) official transcript of all academic work completed to date with awarded baccalaureate degree. University transcripts from other countries must include a transcript evaluation from World Education Services ( WES ). Applicants who complete a transcript evaluation with WES will have their application fee waived automatically.
• All applicants for the program should complete a year of study in the following subjects: general chemistry, organic chemistry, calculus, biology, English and physics. In addition, courses in the following subjects are highly recommended to supplement the student's background: physiology, biochemistry, statistics, cell biology, physical chemistry, and computer science.
• Three (3) letters of recommendation from professors or research supervisors familiar with your aptitude for graduate study

Additionally:

• The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is not required but is optional.
• The TOEFL is required of applicants for whom English is not their first language, Duolingo and IELTS also accepted (more information on this here )
• Please use 4875 as the Institution Code so that the test results will be sent directly to our institution
• Under special circumstances, deficiencies in important areas may be made up within the first year after entrance into the program. Normally, admission to the program will be based on an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better. However, applicants' recommendations, research experience and additional individual accomplishments will also be considered in the admissions process.

Application opens September 1, 2023. Applications will not be reviewed until all required materials have been received. The application deadline for Fall 2024 admission is December 1, 2023 for all students.

Admission to the program includes financial support via a stipend awarded on a 12-month basis. Based on the rules of the CU Anschutz Graduate School, all PhD students in good academic standing are guaranteed financial support.

Although a priority of the School of Pharmacy is to provide financial support to our graduate students, payment of stipend, tuition and any fees by the School of Pharmacy or by grants, contracts or gifts to the School of Pharmacy faculty is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress (as defined by the graduate school’s Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Student Handbook ) and completion of required teaching duties, core courses, research rotations, seminars, and examinations (as listed on the progress report form). We also reserve the right to review and adjust our funding policies at any time. All students are expected to work full-time toward program requirements for 12 months of the year.

Is the GRE required to apply?

What kind of students should pursue a phd degree in pharmaceutical sciences.

We are looking for bright, self-motivated people with degrees in chemistry, physics, biology, engineering, biochemistry, pharmacy and other related areas in biomedical science, who want a satisfying career connected with the pharmaceutical industry. This may involve working for a company, a federal laboratory, or an academic institution.

Just what does 'pharmaceutical sciences' mean?

Pharmaceutical sciences is a multi-disciplinary approach to solving problems associated with improving drug therapy for patients. It includes designing and synthesizing new drugs, developing new analytical methods to determine the purity and quality of therapeutic agents, finding better ways to deliver the drug to a patient, minimizing side effects, and assessing the activity and stability of drug compounds. Classically, pharmaceutical sciences was defined by the sub-disciplines of pharmaceutics, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology, but most modern research problems cross these traditional boundaries. In short, a graduate degree in pharmaceutical sciences is an ideal choice for anyone who wishes to work on developing new drug products and devices.

What makes the Pharmaceutical Sciences PhD program at the University of Colorado different than other PhD programs?

Emphasis on biotechnology.

Different graduate programs have different strengths. While one might come to the University of Colorado to pursue studies in any aspect of the pharmaceutical sciences, the real strength of our Pharmaceutical Sciences program lies in its emphasis on the use of quantitative, biophysical methods to address issues in pharmaceutical biotechnology. Pharmaceutical biotechnology describes a course of study that uses molecular biology, biophysical chemistry, and bioengineering methods to prepare and develop sophisticated therapeutic and diagnostic agents. These materials include recombinant proteins, vaccines, oligonucleotides, and gene therapy approaches. Students who pursue studies in pharmaceutical biotechnology might examine the stabilization of proteins and/or nucleic acids during storage, improved methods of drug delivery, analytical assay development, mutational effects on protein structure and function, molecular biology approaches to drug therapy, novel vaccines, bioprocessing, or formulation development. Students are required to take a core curriculum that reflects these areas of research. This effort has been strengthened by the formation of the Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, which is centered on a partnership between chemical engineering at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the School of Pharmacy.

The Opportunity to Work on 'Real World' Problems

Today's biotechnology products are quite complex. Therefore, it is advantageous for students to have the opportunity to work with therapeutic agents that are in development or on the market. Due to the generosity of industrial collaborators, students in our program have access to recently-discovered drug candidates before these compounds are marketed as commercial pharmaceuticals. Each year, industrial sponsors provide millions of dollars worth of compounds for research purposes.

Partnering with Industry

In order to facilitate interactions, we have established the Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, which promotes graduate education and research opportunities by partnering with the pharmaceutical biotechnology industry. These interactions often result in the student participating in an industrial internship with a scientific mentor from the company.

Training in Financial and Legal Aspects of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Since most of our students ultimately are employed in a highly regulated industry affected by market pressures, all of our graduate students take courses covering regulatory affairs (i.e., the drug approval process), patent law, intellectual property issues, pharmaceutical marketing, and financial analysis. These skills are essential, but rarely found in other PhD programs. For students who wish to focus on these issues, we have established a separate PhD track in pharmaceutical Outcomes within the Pharmaceutical Sciences PhD program. Students interested in pursuing Outcomes research should view the Outcomes Research webpage.

What are the job prospects for a graduate with a PhD degree in the pharmaceutical sciences?

Considering the unique strengths of our program, someone who is successful and productive in our program will find a high demand for their talents. Most of our students find jobs with large pharmaceutical companies or smaller biotechnology enterprises. Typically, our students have multiple job offers awaiting them upon graduation.

Required Pharmaceutical Sciences Program Courses

Representative elective courses.

Through the pharmaceutical sciences graduate program, our goal is to educate pre-doctoral students to develop independent research careers in pharmaceutical sciences with a basic, clinical or pharmaceutical outcomes emphasis. Upon completion of the graduate program, our students use their training to make a difference in academia, industry or government. The learning objectives for the graduate program are:

• Demonstrate a basic knowledge of central concepts in the biomedical sciences.
• Understand the current concepts in basic and clinical pharmaceutical sciences.
• Read and critically evaluate the scientific literature.
• Formulate hypotheses based on current concepts in the field and design, conduct, and interpret their own research projects.
• Present research results in peer-reviewed publications and in a dissertation.
• Communicate research results effectively through oral presentations at scientific seminars, conferences, and other venues.

School of Pharmacy Graduate Degree Requirements

The following are specific rules approved by the graduate faculty of the School of Pharmacy for graduate studies leading to doctor of philosophy degree in toxicology. All other requirements for these degrees will follow the guidelines of the Graduate School, which can be found in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Student Handbook . The student carries the major responsibility of meeting the rules of the School of Pharmacy and the Graduate School. Failure to meet the following rules and guidelines may result in delay of graduation. ​

Student Progress Reviews

Each student will meet at least every six months with their temporary/thesis committee (starting the week before classes begin in the first year) in order to keep the committee apprised of all aspects of the student’s progress. A progress report form listing the requirements will be maintained in the School of Pharmacy graduate program file for each student.

It is the responsibility of the student to arrange meetings with his/her committee, and ensure that the deadlines listed on the progress report form are fulfilled. After fulfilling each requirement, it is required that the student make certain that the progress report form is updated by the committee chair.

Student Committees

Temporary Committees

The graduate program committee will appoint temporary committees for new students to serve for the first year. Each committee will consist of at least two full-time faculty from the School of Pharmacy. Each student will meet with their temporary committee the week before classes begin, and in March and September of the first year of the graduate program.

Thesis Committees

Students will choose the chair of their thesis committee subsequent to the successful completion of the preliminary examination and selection of a major advisor (at the end of the first year). The student’s major advisor cannot serve as chair of the thesis committee. The student together with the chair and major advisor will choose other members from the faculty of the school and at least one from outside the school who will serve on the thesis committee.

Thesis committees must consist of at least five faculty members, and will meet with the student every six months, starting in September at the beginning of the student’s second year. The graduate program director must approve the make-up of the thesis committee. The graduate program director will fill vacancies as they arise or make replacements when necessary, with consideration given to student/advisor recommendations.

Thesis committees shall evaluate the student’s progress to ensure that she or he has made satisfactory progress since the previous meeting. Upon calling the meeting to order, the Committee Chair will ask the student to leave the room to obtain feedback from the advisor regarding student progress. Upon completion, the student will be asked to return to the room and the thesis advisor will leave the room to obtain private feedback from the student regarding issues that might exist in terms of interactions with the advisor. It is also the responsibility of the committee chair to complete an on-line evaluation form summarizing the student’s progress. In case of a non-satisfactory performance, steps required to rectify the situation should be suggested in the report.

Doctor of Philosophy

In order to graduate, a student must satisfactorily complete the requirements described in A through H below as well as adhering to all requirements of the CU Anschutz Graduate School as defined in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Student Handbook .

A. Coursework and General Requirements

A program of study with required core courses will be designed by the chair of the temporary/thesis committee to accommodate the student’s long-range goals, possible undergraduate deficiencies, immediate research interests and the requirements of the Graduate School. A minimum of 30 semester hours of courses numbered 5000 or above is required for the degree. In addition to the coursework and requirements described below, students are expected to attend all seminars associated with the graduate program in pharmaceutical sciences. Also, each year the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences hosts a research retreat. Attendance at the retreat is mandatory, unless the program director permits the absence for overriding personal reasons. A presentation (oral or poster) by each student at the retreat is required.

B. Research Rotations

All PhD students must satisfactorily complete one research rotation in each of the fall and spring semesters of their first year. It is expected that the student will meet with his/her temporary committee the week before classes start in the fall semester to determine an appropriate research rotation for the ensuing fall semester. A research rotation is one semester in length, and the student must be housed in the lab in which the rotation is conducted. The student will present his/her research findings from each rotation in seminars (20 mins) to the graduate faculty (date arranged in advance by the director of the pharmaceutical sciences graduate program). In cases where a student opts for a third research rotation in the summer, a third rotation seminar is not required.

C. Seminars

In addition to rotation seminars and semiannual presentations to the thesis committee, all students enrolled in the program must present a thesis seminar to the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences that describes the findings from his/her thesis research. The thesis seminar is normally performed at the end of their PhD program.

D. Preliminary Examination

Each student will be required to undergo a preliminary examination during the summer of their first year in the program. This examination will consist of two half-day written examinations during the summer session. Selected faculty will contribute questions to the exam primarily focusing on the first year’s coursework. Students will be given the general topic areas for the exam questions at least one month prior to the examination date.

The director of the graduate program will be responsible for coordinating and administrating the examination. The preliminary examination is intended to test the student’s assimilation and understanding of material presented in coursework, and assess his/her ability to complete a doctoral–level course of study. It is expected that students will satisfactorily answer each question, but students are permitted to remediate one question if his/her answer is judged to be inadequate by the faculty member providing the question. In these instances, the individual faculty member will decide what constitutes appropriate remediation, and completion of remediation will be reported to the graduate program chair. Students that unsatisfactorily answer two or more preliminary examination questions will be dismissed from the graduate program.

E. Comprehensive Examination

The comprehensive examination will be administered by the chair of the student’s thesis committee. This committee must include the major advisor and at least four other members of the graduate faculty. At least one of the five members must be from outside the School. The comprehensive examination will serve as the formal test for admission to candidacy for the PhD degree and can only be taken after completion of 30 semester hours of graduate credit. The comprehensive examination will be completed by September 31 of the third year, after formal coursework is completed.

The examination shall consist of a written examination as well as an oral examination. The suggested format of the examination is for each faculty member to administer a separate written examination that can be completed within one day. The student should meet with members of the thesis committee individually to discuss the topic areas for the comprehensive examination. After the written portion of the comprehensive exam, students should meet with each member of the thesis committee to discuss the student’s performance on the written questions. It is expected that any weaknesses will be addressed in the oral portion of the exam that is to be taken within two weeks after completion of the written portion. Possible outcomes of the comprehensive examination are in accord with the CU Anschutz Graduate School rules and are Pass, Pass with Conditions, and Fail. A failed student may not continue in the program.

F. Thesis Proposal

In order to facilitate the partnership between the student and his/her Thesis Committee, students are required to submit a written thesis proposal that will subsequently be presented orally to the thesis committee. The written proposal is typically approximately 10 pages in length (single-spaced, not including references), and submitted to the thesis committee at least two weeks prior to the oral presentation. The precise format of the written proposal is left to the committee, but it should be a brief, well written document describing the overall research plan for the student’s thesis and include relevant preliminary data. It is expected that the student’s major advisor will have previewed and edited the written proposal prior to its distribution to the rest of the thesis committee. The oral presentation of the thesis proposal to the thesis committee must be completed by March 31 of the student’s third year in the program.

After presentation and approval of the thesis proposal, the student will update the members of his/her thesis committee on the progress toward completion of the thesis research at the semiannual meetings in March and September of each year. It is expected that members of the thesis committee will provide feedback and discuss potential problems at these semiannual meetings.

G. Thesis Research

All PhD candidates will be required to satisfactorily complete a research thesis. This work should be of sufficient scope and quality to result in a significant contribution to the literature. Students must successfully complete a minimum of 30 semester hours of thesis work. See the rules of the Graduate School describing time restrictions for submitting the finished thesis. A copy of the thesis must be submitted to the student’s thesis committee at least two weeks prior to the thesis defense. It is expected that the student’s major advisor will preview and edit the thesis prior to distribution to the rest of the thesis committee.

H. Thesis Defense

After submission of the thesis to the thesis committee, a seminar describing the thesis research will be presented by the student to the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Immediately following the oral presentation and questions from the attendees, the student will be examined separately by his/her thesis committee. Any changes to the thesis must be approved by the Thesis Committee prior to submission of the final thesis to the Graduate School. Although it is fully expected that problems with the thesis research will be addressed prior to the thesis defense, the thesis committee can require further research to be conducted before final approval of the thesis.

Summary schedule of degree requirements:

• First Year: Research rotations (2), rotation seminars (2), coursework, preliminary exam, selection of major advisor.
• Second Year: Commence thesis research, selection of thesis committee, coursework.
• Third Year: Comprehensive examination, thesis proposal.
• Prior to Completion: Submit written thesis to thesis committee, thesis defense.

Stipend, Insurance, Tuition and Fees

Although a priority of the School of Pharmacy is to provide financial support to its graduate students, stipend, tuition and fees for graduate studies in the School of Pharmacy are the sole responsibility of the student. Payment of stipend, tuition and any fees by the School of Pharmacy or by grants, contracts or gifts to the School of Pharmacy Faculty is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress (as defined by the Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Student Handbook ) and completion of required core courses, seminars, research rotations and examinations.

The School of Pharmacy also reserves the right to review and adjust its funding policies at any time. Stipends are awarded on a 12-month basis. All students are expected to work toward program requirements for 12 months of the year.

Probationary Status and Suspension

Continuation in the pharmaceutical sciences graduate program is dependent upon satisfactory academic progress as defined by:

• Timely and satisfactory completion of pharmaceutical sciences graduate program requirements (A-H above).
• Adherence to all policies, rules and regulation of the School of Pharmacy.

Students who do not remain in good graduate standing (3.0 GPA or above) or maintain satisfactory academic progress are placed on academic probation. Probation and suspension policies are described in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Student Handbook .

Payment of stipend, tuition, insurance and fees for a student while on academic probation is at the discretion of the graduate program committee.

Rajesh Agarwal PhD

Tom Anchordoquy BS, MA, PhD

Peter Anderson PharmD

Christina Aquilante PharmD

David Bain PhD

John Carpenter PhD

Carlos Catalano PharmD, PhD

Shaodong Dai PhD

Melanie Joy PharmD, PhD

Uday Kompella PhD, FARVO, FAAPS

Daniel LaBarbera PhD

Krishna Mallela PhD

Vanessa Phelan PhD

Philip Reigan PhD

Nichole Reisdorph PhD

Laura Saba PhD

Robert Scheinman PhD

Dmitri Simberg PhD

For questions regarding graduate school programs contact:.

Isabella Jaramillo Email:  [email protected]     Phone:  303.724.7263 ​​​​​

CU Anschutz

Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Building

12850 East Montview Boulevard

Aurora, CO 80045

303-724-2882

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Pharmaceutics PhD research supervision areas

If you want a career in pharmaceutics research, joining a PhD project at the Reading School of Pharmacy will put you on the right path.  

This is a taster of some of the PhD projects you can be involved in at the University of Reading. To discuss the different projects available, please contact Dr Graeme Cottrell by emailing [email protected] .

EXPLORATION OF NOVEL DRUG-EXCIPIENT COMPLEXES FOR ENHANCED PULMONARY DRUG DELIVERY

With dr hisham al-obaidi.

Delivery to lungs has always been a challenging task where the drug particles need to be delivered deep in the alveoli. Using molecular mixtures of drug-carrier can achieve unique control over drug release and can be used to release the drug at site of action.

Advantage of this approach is precision of drug release and potential to deliver large doses of the drug. Using spray drying to form these complexes means these can be easily scaled up to prepare larger quantities. The drug-excipients solutions will then be spray dried using different pressures and temperatures based on evaporation temperature and solvents vapour pressure.

This will be followed by characterization of the formed particles using XRPD, DSC, FTIR, solid state NMR, Raman and FTIR. In-vitro dissolution experiments will also be carried out to study dissolution rates and to measure drug solubility at different pH values.

THE USE OF HYBRID CO-AMORPHOUS POLYMERIC DISPERSIONS TO IMPROVE AQUEOUS DRUG SOLUBILITY

Amorphous solid dispersions (can also be combined with co-amorphous dispersions) can be used to enhance the solubility of hydrophobic drugs. When a polymeric molecule is mixed with a poorly soluble drug, the hydrophobic region of the polymer it thought to associate with the comparable region of the poorly soluble drug, resulting in a dramatic enhancement of the drugs solubility in water.

A combination of advanced physico-chemical techniques will be used to gain the required understanding of the preparation of the novel co-amorphous dispersions. The mechanism for enhanced solubility of drug will be determined using a combination of advanced physico-chemical techniques, in particular light and small angle neutron scattering (SANS). The resulting nanoparticle formulations will be characterized in detail in respect to their physico-chemical properties.

For example their moisture content will be determined using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), x-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and FTIR will be used to characterize the physical state of the components of the nanoparticles, while scanning and transmission electron microscopy will be used to assess the shape and surface texture of the particles and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) will allow the study of the molecular interactions between components.

MICROBIAL DETECTION USING AFFORDABLE MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES MADE FROM MICRO CAPILLARY FILM

With dr alexander edwards, nanotechnologies as tools for selective modulation of the dopaminergic system, with dr francesca greco.

Dopamine is a key neurotransmitter, involved in many physiological process including voluntary movement and reward.

The project will look at using nanotechnologies applied to agonists and antagonists of the dopamine receptors, to produce localized and selective activation (or inhibition) of the dopaminergic systems. This approach can potentially have therapeutic applications for diseases associated with an impairment of the dopaminergic tone.

PRODRUGS FOR TARGETING CANCER 

This project will focus on the development of new therapeutics for cancer which are proposed to have fewer side effects than current clinical therapies.

In recent years, low molecular weight prodrugs and macromolecular prodrugs (nanotechnologies) have been suggested as tools to increase the selectivity of cancer treatment and these molecules will therefore be the focus of this programme. The aim of this project is therefore to prepare, purify and analyse new prodrugs, designed for specific activation at the tumour.

The prodrug system will be inactive when administered but it will become active after exposure to specific triggers present at the tumour site (e.g. enzymes). This is a highly interdisciplinary project which will involve the design and chemical synthesis of these target compounds as well as their biological evaluation.

ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES AS EFFECTIVE THERAPEUTIC AGENTS

With professor rebecca green.

Antimicrobial peptides have potential roles in fighting infection and disease due to their ability to target specific lipid properties of cell membranes. AMPs have potential as future therapeutic agents helping to overcome current problems such as antimicrobial resistance or poor side effect profiles of conventional therapies.  

However, the fact that the mechanism of action of AMPs remain poorly understood, and that there are difficulties in terms of stability and controlling cell selectivity and potency, currently limit their use. Professor Green has a number of PhD and MSc research projects available in the area of antimicrobial protein and peptides and their potential use as antimicrobials and anticancer agents. Her research uses a number of analytical methodologies (spectroscopic and calorimetric), and large-scale central neutron reflectometry facilities.  

Other areas where Professor Green has projects available include:  

• Investigations linked to understanding how lipid composition in biological membranes plays a role in cellular activity
• Investigations looking at polyphenols/tannins binding to proteins and lipids, and how these interactions impact on nutritional properties.

DEVELOPING NOVEL POLYMERS AND NANOMATERIALS FOR TRANSMUCOSAL DRUG DELIVERY

With professor vitaliy khutoryanskiy.

Mucoadhesion is the ability of pharmaceutical materials to adhere to mucosal tissues in the human body and provide temporary retention. This property has been widely used to develop polymeric dosage forms for buccal, oral, nasal, ocular, intravesical and vaginal drug delivery.

This research project will be aimed at the development of novel mucoadhesive polymers and nanomaterials, studies of their interactions with the components of the mucus gel in solutions by various physicochemical techniques, characterisation of their adhesive properties with respect to biological and model substrates, formulation of mucoadhesive dosage forms and their in vitro evaluation.

MICROENCAPSULATED PROBIOTICS FOR ORAL DELIVERY

With professor vitaliy khutoryanskiy and professor dimitris charalampopoulos.

Probiotics are live bacteria that reside in human intestinal tract and provide numerous beneficial effects. Oral delivery of probiotics is viewed as an efficient therapeutic strategy to improve gut health.

This project will be focused on the development of microencapsulated forms of live probiotic bacteria that will facilitate their survival during transit through the low pH of the stomach, when administered via oral route. This highly interdisciplinary project will provide an excellent training opportunity in microencapsulation technologies, microbiological methods and formulation science.

ACTIVE USE OF H-BOND PROPENSITY DATA IN CRYSTAL STRUCTURE DETERMINATION

With professor kenneth shankland, quantitative phase analysis and amorphous material characterisation, using dft-d calculations to verify complex molecular crystal structures, topical and transdermal drug delivery, with professor adrian williams     .

Drug delivery to and through the skin is attractive to treat local skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema and to deliver drug to the systemic circulation whilst avoiding first pass metabolism. However, human skin is a remarkable barrier designed to "keep the outsides out and insides in" and this severely limits the range and dose of therapeutic agents that can be delivered via topical administration.  

Research projects aim to develop novel delivery systems and formulations to overcome the barriers to drug delivery into and through skin. Approaches vary and include:  

• Manipulating the thermodynamic activity of a drug when a formulation is applied to the skin, for example generating supersaturated systems.
• Exploiting the pathophysiology of skin diseases to trigger drug release from a formulation to target the affected site, for example applying a drug in a pH responsive carrier particle to sites of active atopic dermatitis
• Targeting drug delivery to hair follicles using novel nanoparticles
• Using microneedle arrays which penetrate the outer skin barrier but do not reach down to the pain receptors to broach the skin barrier, allowing delivery of macromolecular drugs.

Our research

Find out more from our students and staff about what it's like to study and work in the University of Reading School of Pharmacy.

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Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery (PhD)

YOU ARE BOUVÉ

Explore the field of modern pharmaceutics.

A PhD degree in pharmaceutics is a research degree. While coursework plays an important role, students become active participants in the science of pharmaceutics in the laboratory.

Students studying pharmaceutical sciences will be thoroughly exposed to the fundamentals of physical pharmacy and pharmaceutics and trained in several specialized areas, including:

• Novel drug delivery systems
• Nanomedical technologies
• Biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics

With exposure to these facets of the pharmaceutical sciences, successful graduates are poised to understand and assimilate the field of modern pharmaceutics.

Faculty Research

Faculty research in pharmaceutical sciences covers a broad range of scientific interests, including:

• Pharmacokinetic toxicodynamics of anticancer agents
• Use of novel biomaterials and synthetic polymeric systems in designing small-molecule drug delivery systems for small molecules, proteins, and nucleic acids
• Passive and active targeting of therapeutic agents for cancer and cardiovascular diseases
• Novel delivery systems for immunostimulating purposes; and mathematical modeling of endogenous compounds.

Degree type: – Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery (PhD)

Study options: – On-ground (Boston Campus) – Fall semester admissions only – Full-time

Application deadlines: Dec 6

GRE: Required

F1 Eligible: Yes

Biomedical Science (PhD)

Sample curriculum.

The curriculum is subject to change . Please refer to the university catalog for details .

Complete all courses and requirements listed below unless otherwise indicated.

• Core Courses
• Research and Dissertation

Complete the following repeatable course for six semesters:

PHSC 6300 Pharmaceutical Science Seminar

Required Core

Complete the following:

PHSC 5100 Concepts in Pharmaceutical Science

PHSC 5102 Concepts in Pharmaceutical Science 2

PHSC 5212 Research Skills and Ethics

PHSC 5305 Professional Development for Pharmaceutical Sciences

PHSC 6213 Ethical Problems in Health Sciences Research

PHSC 6214 Experimental Design and Biostatistics

Pharmaceutics

PMST 6250 Advanced Physical Pharmacy

PMST 6252 Pharmacokinetics and Drug Metabolism

PMST 6254 Advanced Drug Delivery Systems

Prequalifying Exam Course

PHSC 7020 Scientific Writing: Thesis Proposal

Qualifying Exam

PHSC 8940 Doctoral Training and Research

Proposal Preparation

PHSC 9681 Doctoral Proposal

Dissertation

PHSC 9990 Dissertation Term 1 PHSC 9991 Dissertation Term 2

PHSC 6810 Pharmaceutical Science Colloquium

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must have at least two semesters of undergraduate courses (or their equivalent) in each of the following:

• Mathematics (including calculus)
• Biochemistry
• Organic chemistry

Please send all required documents directly to the PharmGrad Application portal . Here is additional information on how to submit documents .​

Admissions Checklist

A baccalaureate degree or its equivalent in biology, chemistry, medical technology, pharmacy, chemical engineering or a related field.

A minimum grade point average of 3.0 or higher

Three letters of recommendation  (academic and professional)

Personal statement of goals and expectations. Please see application for details.

TOEFL (International Students)

GRE scores are required

Official transcript from baccalaureate program  and all college coursework. Applicants who have degree coursework from institutions outside of the United States must submit a credential evaluation. We require the iCAP WES package ( World Education Services, Inc. ) that evaluates your transcripts course by course.

Got questions?

If you have any additional questions about the graduate program please contact:

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences

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Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Program Director: Ghee Tan , Ph.D. The Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy (DKICP) 722 S. Aʻohoku St. Hilo, HI 96720 Email: gheetan@hawaii.edu

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo The Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy (DKICP) Office of Student Services (OSS) Ph.D. Program Admissions 200 W. Kāwili Street Hilo, HI 96720 Fax: (808) 932-8117 Email: pharmacy@hawaii.edu

• Julie Adrian , D.V.M., Professor
• Shugeng Cao , Ph.D., Professor
• Leng Chee Chang , Ph.D., Professor
• Susan Jarvi , Ph.D., Professor
• Dianqing Sun , Ph.D., Professor
• Ghee Tan , Ph.D., Professor
• Supakit Wongwiwatthananukit , Pharm.D., Ph.D., Professor

Program Description

Utilizing the extraordinary intellectual, biological, physical and cultural diversity of its geographic region as a focus of investigation and study, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo’s College of Pharmacy is proud to offer a Ph.D. program in the Pharmaceutical Sciences.

This program, which is the only program of its type in the Pacific region, provides graduate training in the Pharmaceutical Sciences including Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutics, and Pharmacognosy. It is aimed at students with B.S., M.S., or Pharm.D. degrees, and those currently working in the field. Studies culminate with the award of a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, with an emphasis on natural products discovery and development and their importance in pharmacy and healthcare.

Students will be prepared for senior leadership positions in the pharmaceutical sciences in academia, research, education, government, industry and related fields and become leaders who can identify, research, and solve problems related to the pharmaceutical sciences. The Ph.D. program is designed to foster student development as critical thinkers, team players, self-directed interdisciplinary scholars and communicators.

The mission of the Ph.D. program in Pharmaceutical Sciences is to train students to be skilled researchers and critical thinkers who will play key leadership roles in furthering the development of the Pharmaceutical Sciences and related fields now and into the future.

Program Goals

• To provide a high-quality graduate program culminating in the award of a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, including the areas of Pharmaceutics, Pharmacognosy, Medicinal Chemistry, and Pharmacology.
• To foster the development of students as critical thinkers, team players, self-directed interdisciplinary scholars, and communicators.
• To prepare students for senior leadership positions in the pharmaceutical sciences in academia, research, education, government, industry, and related fields. These leaders will be able to identify, research, and solve problems related to the pharmaceutical sciences.
• To train students by utilizing the extraordinary intellectual, biological, physical, and cultural assets available on the Island of Hawaii, the State, and the Asia-Pacific region.
• To promote the transfer of cutting-edge technology through developing a community research partnership, process, and protocol for understanding the diversity of natural products originating in Hawaii, the Pacific, and around the world and their applications to healing in a culturally respectful way.

Student Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of the PhD program a graduate should be able to:

• Perform scientific research that will advance knowledge in the interdisciplinary field of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
• Use advanced technological equipment in order to perform quantitative analysis and be able to interpret complex data.
• Analyze, apply, and present research findings.
• Prepare, interpret, and critique scientific publications and proposals.
• Identify which aspects of their individual program may be usefully transferred to some applied research program.
• Identify a problem/question
• Form an hypothesis
• Develop a model
• Design an experimental strategy to test the hypothesis
• Execute an experimental plan
• Interpret the data against the hypothesis
• Report the results in a dissertation and peer reviewed publications

Admission Requirements

Acceptance is granted at the discretion of the Pharmaceutical Science Ph.D. Admissions Committee based on the criteria below.

• Successful completion of the Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences Application process.
• Each applicant must hold a baccalaureate degree or graduate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university, or its equivalent from a recognized non-U.S. institution of learning
• Applicants must have a minimum Grade Point Average of 3.0 out of 4.0 or the equivalent in the last 60 semester credits of undergraduate and in all post-baccalaureate work.
• Applicants are recommended to have successfully completed with a grade “C” or higher: General Biology I and II for Science Majors with Labs, General Chemistry I and II for Science Majors with Labs, Organic Chemistry I and II for Science Majors with Labs, Calculus 1 or Advanced Calculus. Students may have to take additional courses if proficiency cannot be demonstrated.
• A personal statement of objectives is required which includes applicant's background, professional goals and academic and research interests.
• Official Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores sent directly from ETS.
• Three Letters of Recommendation using the “Ph.D. Letter of Recommendation Form”. The letters should be written by people who can speak to the applicant's educational ability, motivation, and character, and/or leadership experiences. At least one of your letters MUST be written by a Professor of one of the Natural or Physical Sciences. Please allow the Recommenders plenty of time to complete this form, and have them mail the letter directly to the UH Hilo Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy, Office of Student Services, PhD Program Admissions, 200 W. Kawili Street; Hilo, HI 96720-4091.
• Completed SKYPE or equivalent electronic interview.

Foreign applicants must also submit:

• Official TOEFL score report unless the degree was conferred by an institution whose language of instruction is English. International students seeking Graduate Assistant positions with any instructional responsibility must demonstrate proficiency in English, defined as a TOEFL score of at least 600 on paper-based or 100 on internet-based test or its equivalent or an IELTS score of 7.0 or its equivalent.
• International Graduate Student Supplemental Information Form .

Further information on the details of fulfilling admissions requirements are available from the Ph.D. Program Admissions Office pharmacy@hawaii.edu , and on the DKICP Admissions website .

Graduation Requirements

• Successful achievement of the requirements for year one of the student’s program.
• Regardless of any previous graduate experience, a minimum of 24 graduate didactic credit hours must be taken at UH Hilo before the Ph.D. degree can be granted.
• Completion of all first year graduate courses each with a grade no less than a “B” (3.0) and, thereafter, maintenance of a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better.
• Completion of one seminar each year; a minimum grade of “B” (3.0) should be achieved for this presentation. The Proposal Defense and Dissertation Defense seminars will satisfy the seminar presentation requirement for that particular academic year.
• No later than the fourth semester of the program, successful completion of a written and/or oral Comprehensive Examination to demonstrate competence in the chosen area(s) of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
• No later than the fifth semester of the program, completion of an original dissertation research proposal, presentation of a public seminar on the student’s research proposal, and successful defense in a comprehensive oral examination (Proposal Defense) on the proposal and any other topics that the Graduate Committee deems necessary. In this examination the student’s Graduate Committee will determine if the student is sufficiently prepared in the selected field of study to continue with their dissertation. Once the student passes the Comprehensive Examination and the Proposal Defense, he/she will be eligible to be admitted to Candidacy for the Ph. D. degree.
• Successful completion of a dissertation, with enrollment in a minimum of 56 credits of dissertation research ( PHPS 799V Directed Studies (To Be Arranged) and PHPS 800 Resrch Dissertation-Phrm Sci (1–15) ). Upon completion of the dissertation, a final public seminar and oral dissertation defense (Dissertation Defense) will follow.
• Completion of at least 96 combined credits of graduate courses and dissertation; including PHPS 700-level and PHPS 800-level courses.
• The publication of one or more first author research manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals.
• Compliance with UH Hilo rules and regulations for graduation.

To successfully complete the PhD degree candidates must complete; year 1 with a minimum grade of B in each graded course (Minimum GPA = 3.0); after the first year, courses must be completed with a cumulative GPA of no less than 3.0; a minimum of 24 graduate level didactic credits and a minimum of 56 credits of research courses (PHPS 799 and PHPS 800); a minimum of 96 credit hours overall (Minimum cumulative GPA = 3.0).

• PHPS 718 Lab Visits & Supervisor Select (1)
• PHPS 749 Overview of Pharm Sciences I (2)
• PHPS 703 Cancer Biology (2)
• PHPS 710 Lab Animal Care, Mgt & Med I (2)
• PHPS 751 Biochemistry I - Biomolecules (3)
• PHPS 735 Cell Cycle Progression (2)
• Or other appropriate electives to make up a minimum of 9 credits
• PHPS 704 Com Chem & High Throughput Tec (2)
• PHPS 709 Inst Meth & Struct Elucidation (2)
• PHPS 713 Organic Medicinal Chemistry I (2)
• PHPS 717 Med Chem CNS Drugs & Develop (2)
• PHPS 723 Pharmacognosy (2)
• PHPS 755 Advanced Pharmaceutics I (3)
• PHPS 733 Aerosol Physics in Medicine (1)
• PHPS 706 Environmental Toxicology (2)
• PHPS 721 Neuropsychopharmacology (2)
• PHPS 724 Pharmacology I (3)
• PHPS 750 Overview of Pharm Sciences II (2)
• PHPS 780 Research Seminar (1)
• PHPS 799 Directed Studies (To Be Arranged)
• Cancer Biology Emphasis
• PHPS 711 Lab Animal Care, Mgt & Med II (2)
• PHPS 720 Nat Prod & Cancer Chemoprevent (2)
• PHPS 729 Receptor Theory & Signal Trans (2)
• PHPS 752 Biochemistry II - Metabolism (3)
• PHPS 734 Biotechnology Laboratory (2)
• Or other appropriate electives to make up a minimum of 5 credits
• Medicinal Chemistry Emphasis
• PHPS 714 Organic Medicinal Chemistry II (2)
• Pharmacognosy Emphasis
• PHPS 702 Bio Dev:Prin&Prac in Drug Disc (1)
• PHPS 730 Sample Coll, Documnt & Presrv (1)
• Pharmaceutics Emphasis
• PHPS 756 Advanced Pharmaceutics II (3)
• Pharmacology Emphasis
• PHPS 725 Pharmacology II (3)
• PHPS 799 Directed Studies (To Be Arranged) (minimum 7 credits)
• Electives as needed, electives plus PHPS 780 Research Seminar (1) PHPS 799 should total a minimum of 12 credits
• Electives as needed, electives plus PHPS 799 should total a minimum of 12 credits
• Electives as needed, electives plus PHPS 780 Research Seminar (1) and PHPS 799 should total a minimum of 12 credits
• PHPS 799 Directed Studies (To Be Arranged) (minimum 6 credits)
• For final semester in program: PHPS 800 Resrch Dissertation-Phrm Sci (1–15) (1 credit required)
• Electives as needed, electives plus PHPS 799 and PHPS 800 should total a minimum of 12 credits

Electives–Listed Alphabetically