Associate Professors David M. Kaetzel, Edward J. Pavlik, Norman Pedigo, Michael Piascik, LuZhe Sun. Assistant Professors Olivier H. Thibault, Robert W. Hadley, Nicholas J. Koszewski, Nada Porter, Hollie I. Swanson. Research Assistant Professors Kuey-Chu Chen. The Department of Pharmacology offers the Ph.D. degree in Pharmacology. Pharmacology is the study of drugs and their interaction with molecular and physiologic systems.
Pharmacology encompasses therapy in medicine as well as investigations of basic cellular mechanisms.
Pharmacologists in modern society find careers as teachers, as scientists engaged in research of problems related to developing new drugs and evaluating drugs for their efficacy and toxicity. In addition, the molecular and physiologic mechanisms of drugs and endogenous substances are also studied. Graduates from accredited colleges with bachelor degrees in the biological sciences, in chemistry, physics or pharmacy or who also hold professional degrees in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or pharmacy are eligible for candidacy for graduate degrees in pharmacology. It is advisable that the candidates have good basic training in mathematics, physics, chemistry and biological sciences. A major part of the Ph.D. program involves independent research under the direction of a member of the graduate faculty.