The Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, located on the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) campus at Amarillo, Texas offers Masters (M.S.) and Doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees in integrated biomedical/pharmaceutical research as part of the TTUHSC Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
About the Program
Modern pharmaceutical science encompasses a number of disciplines, including biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology, immunology, pharmacology, pharmaceutics, and medicinal chemistry. The field is unified by the search for novel drug targets and the development of new agents and formulations for the treatment biomedical disease. This includes cutting edge techniques to target drugs to sites of therapeutic action and to reduce adverse effects related to drug metabolism, lack of target selectivity, and pharmacogenetic differences within the human population. PhD’s in pharmaceutical science are well trained for drug discovery and development positions in academic labs, government (e.g., Food and Drug Administration), and the pharmaceutical or biotech industries.
Each student completes a core curriculum including foundation training in biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology and pharmaceutics designed to give students a basic understanding of the biomedical processes by which the body operates and the pharmaceutical agents and delivery systems available to interact with these systems. Electives studies offer the student the opportunity for specialization in more focused areas of interest, including receptor biology, molecular drug action, cell signaling, cancer research, pharmacokinetics, drug metabolism, and biotechnology. Communication, research design, professional skills and ethics are developed throughout the curriculum in complementary courses. Students become immersed in the philosophy of life-long learning and the importance of maintaining and updating their knowledge base as critical, independent thinkers and scientists. The faculty sees this integrated approach as one of the primary strengths of the program, combining cutting-edge molecular and biomedical breakthroughs with modern drug development, targeting and formulation. A broad range of biomedical and pharmaceutical research opportunities are available throughout the department. Focus areas of the Department with links to specific faculty interests are listed below:
Aging/Brain/Neuroprotection/Stroke
Blood Brain Barrier and Neurovascular
Cancer and Molecular Biology & Therapy
Cardiovascular Disease & Regulation
Drug Discovery and Formulation & Pharmacokinetics
Receptor Biology, Cell Signaling & Immunotherapy
Funding
Typically, students may complete a course of study for a Ph.D. degree within 4-5 years or a Masters degree in about half that time (2-2.5 years). Funding is available in the form of stipends ($23,000) from the Department/Graduate School and from individual faculty research resources. These stipends are awarded on a competitive basis to qualifying Ph.D. candidates. Currently, the Department has 43 funded graduate students.
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