General Applicant Information
The Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics at Boston University School of Medicine offers graduate training programs that lead to the M.A., Ph.D. and M.D.-Ph.D. degrees in pharmacology. The training program is directed toward preparing students for future careers in pharmacologic research in academic, industrial and governmental settings. Advanced research in pharmacology requires an understanding of the principles of a broad range of disciplines.
The curriculum encompasses the interdisciplinary nature of this field and prepares students to study chemical interactions with biological systems on multiple levels, from the behavior of atoms in macromolecules to the effect of molecules on the behavior of organisms. A major focus of research training is in areas of molecular, cellular, and behavioral neurosciences. Newly renovated and expanded research facilities provide students with state-of-the-art opportunities for training in molecular genetics, molecular modeling, electrophysiology, biophysical methods, psychophysical methods and other tools for elucidating the interaction of drugs with biological targets. Current research projects include:
- Functional and Structural Mapping of Receptors
- Regulation of Receptor Gene Expression
- Theoretical Analysis of Ligand Binding
- Computer-Based Structure Analysis
- Transcriptional Regulation of Gene Expression in Development and Aging
- Peptides in Neuroendocrine and Inflammatory Processes
- Excitotoxicity in Aging and Disease
- Neural Substrates of Drug Abuse, Analgesia, Learning, and Memory
- Mechanisms of Learning and Memory
- Translational Epilepsy
You can apply online for the MA/PhD Program in Biomolecular Pharmacology or the interdepartmental Program in Biomedical Neuroscience. Admission criteria are also available.
Program of Study
The Graduate Programs of the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics at Boston University School of Medicine provide both the broad and the specialized aspects of professional education for a career in the biomedical sciences. Students engage in intensive studies in pharmacology and receive extensive exposure to biomedical disciplines offered by other departments at the university. Major areas of training specialization include molecular pharmacology and neuropharmacology. Additional training opportunities are provided through interdepartmental programs in biomolecular pharmacology, biomedical neuroscience, molecular and cellular biology, human genetics, and bioinformatics.
The graduate program combines course work and laboratory research training leading to the M.A. or Ph.D. degree. Students take basic courses in biochemistry, physiology, and pharmacology and can choose from a variety of advanced electives. The core curriculum includes the required courses Molecular Neurobiology and Pharmacology, Laboratory Techniques in Modern Pharmacology, Advanced General Pharmacology, and the seminar course Current Topics in Pharmacological Sciences. The curriculum also offers elective courses in Pharmacogenomics, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacology of Inflammation, Biochemical Neuropharmacology, Neuropsychopharmacology, Neuroendocrine Pharmacology, and Drug Discovery and Development. Students are generally required to participate in laboratory rotations during their first year of study. The program also offers summer internships at major pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in the Boston area. These internships are encouraged after the first year of graduate study.
Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunities
In addition to graduate degree programs, the Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics at Boston University School of Medicine also offers a summer research training program for undergraduates in the laboratories of its faculty. The program, referred to as SURP, is administered through the Division of Graduate Medical Sciences and is designed in part to enhance the diversity of the scientific workforce. The website for this program describes the specifics of the program, including the application process, housing at Boston University, financial support, and the career mentoring component.
Research Facilities
Laboratories of the Department and of the School of Medicine are well equipped for pharmacological research. There are facilities for both in vitro and in vivo studies employing a wide variety of techniques in molecular biology, cell biology, neurochemistry, receptor biochemistry, electrophysiology, and behavioral studies. More than 40 faculty participants provide research training opportunities in the Biomolecular Pharmacology and the Biomedical Neuroscience Programs. Collaborations are ongoing with the Cardiovascular Institute and the Cancer Center for students interested in cardiovascular or cancer pharmacology research.
Financial Aid
Funds are available for the full support of graduate training for Ph.D. students. Students are supported with annual stipends of $31,000, as well as full tuition remission and health insurance. Stipend support is made possible by funds from federally funded research grants and fellowships, the NIGMS Training Grant in Biomolecular Pharmacology, and support from the pharmaceutical industry. Financial aid is also available for students who are members of minority groups through NIH grant supplements.
Student Group
A total of 34 graduate students—29 Ph.D., and 5 M.D./Ph.D. candidates—are enrolled through the Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics in 2009–10.
In addition, 6 Ph.D candidates in the Biomolecular Pharmacology Training Program are enrolled through the Department of Biomedical Engineering.
Student Outcomes
Recent graduates are pursuing academic careers in pharmacological research as well as pursuing drug development at academic medical centers and in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry. Click here to see some recent alumni.
Location
Boston, Cambridge, and the surrounding area provide one of the greatest concentrations of intellectual, cultural, and recreational resources in the United States. Boston University itself has superb athletic and recreational facilities as well as many student groups and activities that are open to all graduate students.
The University and Medical Center
Boston University is a private institution founded in 1839. The University’s history includes the graduation of the first African American woman to receive an M.D. and the first woman to receive a Ph.D. in the United States.
The Boston University Medical Center comprises more than 500 faculty scientists and over 800 graduate students, whose research programs receive more than $150 million per year in sponsored support.
For more information, please see the Virtual Tour of the Medical Campus.
