IPSTP/T32 - Integrative Pharmacological Sciences Training program

What is it?

Check out our brochure!

The IPSTP is an interdisciplinary training program, available to Ph.D. students in seven Ph.D. programs: Pharmacology & Toxicology, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Neuroscience, and Physiology. Students will focus on study in two unique areas of research, in vivo pharmacology approaches and drug discovery. Trainees choose a research mentor from among 45 training faculty in the seven participating programs. The program prepares graduate students for a successful research career as a pharmacological science professional. State of the art research facilities are available to all trainees. General core facilities include those for Flow Cytometry, Bioinformatics, DNA Sequencing, Genomics, Mass Spectrometry, Proteomics and Electron & Confocal Microscopy. Drug discovery cores include: Assay Development and Drug Repurposing - (i.e. high throughput screening), Molecular Interactions Core, Medicinal Chemistry, and the In Vivo Facility for animal model work.

What does the program do?

This program provides two years of stipend and tuition support to select trainees. Travel and enrichment funds are also available to trainees.

What should the trainees do?

Trainees enroll in core courses and laboratory rotations during their first year in the umbrella program. Trainees are then eligible for program support as second and third year Ph.D. students if they choose a training faculty member as their research mentor.

Required courses/workshops

• Two pharmacology courses (PHM 801; PHM 802)
• One Biostatistics course (PHM 830)
• Three week-long bootcamps on in vivo pharmacology; computational pharmacology and big data; and drug discovery
• One professional development courses
• Monthly forum
• Monthly journal club
• Annual retreat
• Fellowship workshop and mock study session

Optional short-term internships are available to all trainees in an in-house contract laboratory facility.

Time to degree?

The average time of completion to Ph.D. is 5.25 years