The primary goal of the Ph.D. Training Program in Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (MPET) in the Mayo Graduate School is the development of independent investigators capable of directing outstanding research Programs in academia, industry or other settings. The faculty is comprised of 18 well funded, independent investigators, who focus on a continuum of research encompassing studies from basic molecular and genetic aspects of disease through drug discovery and development of novel therapies for cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and malignant diseases. This faculty provides training opportunities in areas that include computational chemistry, molecular mechanisms of drug action and resistance, novel therapeutic strategies, preclinical and clinical pharmacology, and pharmacogenomics of genes associated with drug responses. Twenty-one predoctoral students are currently enrolled in the MPET track of the Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. Program. A rigorous didactic curriculum includes a series of Core Curriculum courses that ensures a strong fundamental knowledge in biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, statistics, cell biology and pharmacology and a series of tutorial-based courses to provide students with advanced training in molecular pharmacology. During their first two years of study, students complete 3 laboratory rotations and select a laboratory for their thesis research. They sit for comprehensive written and oral qualifying examinations at the end of year two. After developing a thesis written proposal delineating the questions and approaches to be pursued in the thesis research, the thesis committee reviews the proposed research at the first committee meeting. Students present work-in-progress updates on their research projects to MPET faculty and students each year. Students are strongly encouraged to publish completed work in a timely manner and to attend national meetings to present their work. The average time to completion of the Ph.D. Program is approximately 4.8 years. During the fourth and fifth years of training, students are mentored to identify outstanding postdoctoral training opportunities as the next step in their career development. Graduates of the MPET Ph.D. training program have outstanding track records, with many now serving as principal investigators directing their own laboratories. ? ?
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