Modern drug discovery and development require the training of scientists who understand the molecular, physiological and quantitative basis of drug action and specificity, and who can apply modern technologies and concepts to the development of novel therapeutic strategies. This multidisciplinary doctoral training program in the Pharmacological Sciences is designed to help meet that demand by preparing students for biomedical research careers in schools of medicine, dentistry and pharmacy, in research institutes, and in governmental or industrial laboratories. The most important component of training is laboratory research, first as a series of research rotations, then in the dissertation laboratory. This training is complemented by a core course that integrates the theoretical and experimental foundations of modern biological sciences;core courses in pharmacology that emphasize quantitative analysis of drug action, pharmacokinetics, drug disposition, biostatistics and experimental design;advanced courses in specialty areas;seminar courses and journal clubs. Emphasis throughout is placed on development and refinement of communication and analytical skills. The 43 training faculty represent 8 basic science and 6 clinical departments or Centers at Emory, and two Departments at Georgia Tech., providing a wealth of diverse research training opportunities. Their research foci can be loosely grouped in four broad areas: transmembrane signaling, cell growth control and molecular recognition, substance abuse and behavioral pharmacology, and molecular toxicology. This Program currently supports six students each year, who are selected mainly from a pool of approximately 35 eligible students in the Molecular and Systems Pharmacology (MSP) Program. Six slots are requested in this renewal. Graduates will have acquired broad familiarity with pharmacology, knowledge in depth in the area of dissertation research, and the technical, communicative and analytical skills necessary to pursue an independent research career. Students graduate an average of 5.2 years after matriculation. The research conducted by the trainees in this program will advance our knowledge of disease processes and contribute to development of novel and improved therapeutic strategies that will benefit the health of our citizens. By preparing young scientists to contribute to and lead the nation's efforts in these areas, this training program will help to ensure that our ability to improve the nation's health remains strong in the future.
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