The field of pharmacology has a direct impact on the health and care of the U.S. population. Located at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences (DPMS) is well-positioned to provide superb career training in the broad field of Pharmacology. The training mission of the Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences (PMS) Training Program is centered on providing trainees with state- of-the-art research knowledge and professional skills focused on drug design, mechanism of action and the process of development and translation. Our broad objective is to prepare a diverse pool of budding scientist- scholars for a variety of pharmacology-related careers. The Program curriculum and activities are specifically designed to provide training that covers each component of the drug discovery and development pipeline and to nurture a positive training experience. We accomplish this objective through numerous activities designed to develop trainee core competencies and preparation for careers in pharmacology. In addition to mentored laboratory research, our program has four training components: 1) specialized and broad coursework in the areas of basic and clinical pharmacology, physiology, bioorganic chemistry, drug discovery and biomedical sciences, 2) collaborative ties to the Lieber Institute for Brain Development (LIBD), which exposes students to a translational biotech research environment, and the Division of Clinical Pharmacology, which offers training in the areas of clinical and translational pharmacology, 3) multi-faceted pharmacology-focused career building and networking activities through our extensive alumni and pharmaceutical career connections and institutional resources, and 4) multi-faceted pharmacology-related training in the responsible conduct of research and methods to enhance reproducibility that are ongoing throughout training. With the above plan we arm our trainees with the requisite knowledge base, technical and professional skills needed to be successful in the broad field of pharmacology. Our success in achieving these objectives will be measured through validated assessment instruments covering the courses, training activities, Doctorate Board Oral/Written Exams, and through external reviews. Importantly, we strive to provide a pathway for our trainees to attain skills that allow them to achieve work-life balance and to positively impact society in their chosen career paths. The Program intends to recruit and retain nine new trainees each year who will be supported by this training grant for their first year of training. In their subsequent years of mentored research, they will be supported by our well-funded and diverse training faculty. The Program is structured to support appropriate time-to-degree for all trainees (~5 years). We provide a unique pharmacology-focused career and professional development curriculum and environment that arms trainees with the skills to adapt to an ever-changing biomedical research landscape and directly facilitates entry into a broad spectrum of pharmacology-related career paths.
The Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences (PMS) Training Program at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine provides trainees with state-of-the-art research knowledge and skills that prepare them to lead successful, rewarding careers impacting diverse areas of pharmacology toward: new target discovery and drug development, understanding drug mechanisms and delivery, and influencing drug policy and regulation.
