General Information

The Pharmacological Sciences Training Program (PSTP) at the University of Michigan is a unique collaboration between the Medical School (Depts. of Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry) and the College of Pharmacy (the Interdepartmental Program in Medicinal Chemistry and the Dept. of Pharmaceutical Sciences) that provides synergistic, translational education, research training, and career development with the ultimate goal of preparing our graduates to excel as leaders in the field of experimental therapeutics, both in the academy and in the private sector. Our Program is designed to provide pre-doctoral trainees with a strong foundation in basic principles of pharmacology and medicinal chemistry and a broad knowledge of other related basic science disciplines including biochemistry, chemistry, and physiology so that they can ultimately direct cutting-edge research in pharmacology and therapeutics and address scientific questions from multiple perspectives. All trainees complete a core curriculum in pharmacological sciences consisting of courses in pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, statistical analysis, and grant-writing and scientific communication; with other courses designed to fit the programmatic needs of individual students and the degree requirements of the individual departments. In the laboratory, trainees learn to design carefully controlled experiments, to evaluate experimental data using appropriate statistical methods, to understand the significance of their work, and to propose alternative explanations. Trainees who are interested in clinical pharmacology have research opportunities through PSTP faculty members in the Medical School who are physician-scientists. Importantly, each student initiates an IDP at matriculation. This IDP is then expanded and revised as the student gains experience and perspective through career development opportunities, course work, and laboratory research. Trainees are encouraged to think broadly about research problems while focusing their thesis research on a critical, unmet gap in knowledge. The strong, interdisciplinary, yet individualized training in the pharmacological sciences gives PSTP trainees a distinct advantage in that they are uniquely and rapidly employable and thus well positioned to contribute to the NIH mission to discover new medicines upon graduation.

PSTP faculty members are drawn from 2 schools within UM (Medical, and Pharmacy). Scientific interactions / collaborations between PSTP faculty and trainees are facilitated through sponsorship of joint seminars, the annual PSTP Symposium, semi-annual Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Career Day, College of Pharmacy Career and Networking Events, and service on joint dissertation committees. The PSTP serves to strengthen our community of investigators and trainees by promoting collaborations and providing a supportive and inclusive environment for inidividuals with research interests in pharmacology and experimental therapeutics. The unique, interdisciplinary environment of the PSTP is critical to our mission to train students to address current and emerging issues in global human health. The diverse nature of PSTP faculty research is strongly linked by the overarching themes of drug discovery, drug development, and drug action supported by state-of-the-art facilities at UM. Our cohort of outstanding PSTP trainees forms a strong community through their shared interests in developing careers in experimental therapeutics.