[Skip to Content]
Upstate Pharmacology

Research in Pharmacology focuses on cellular and molecular biology, physiology, and disease, in relation to drug action.


Application Materials Need to Be Submitted By:

PhD Applicants:  Jan 1, 2024

How to Apply: PhD

MS Applicants:  May 1, 2024

How to Apply: MS

Pharmacology

Current research in the Department of Pharmacology focuses on cancer biology, leukemia, drug discovery and delivery, structure-based drug design, cell signaling, cardiovascular electrophysiology and disease, neurodegeneration, and stem cells.

This program awards:

  • PhD in Pharmacology
  • MS in Pharmacology

This work is supported by extramural funding, particularly from NIH. To continue this excellent tradition in research and teaching and to keep pace with changes in Pharmacology, our department is enhancing its research strengths and expanding into new research areas.

Pharmacology has a lot of potential to open up opportunities down the road”

Veronica Singh, PhD Student

College of Graduate Studies - Pharmacology

About the Program

The Pharmacology Department has a legacy of excellence in teaching pharmacology to second year medical students at Upstate Medical University. The Medical Pharmacology course has an impressive history of awards received from the Syracuse Medical Alumni Association acknowledging the high quality of instruction by the faculty. More recently, the curriculum evaluation assessment by medical students consistently ranks the Medical Pharmacology course as the most well-organized and executed course in the basic science curriculum. The AAMC Medical School Graduation Questionnaire consistently ranks the Medical Pharmacology course "Good to Excellent" in preparation for clinical clerkships and electives.

The high regard for the Medical Pharmacology course may be attributed to a culture of quality medical education in the Pharmacology Department where vigilant improvement is sought, student feedback is taken seriously, instruction is diligently and rigorously peer reviewed, care is taken to ask fair and accurate exam questions and an expectation to meet high standards for faculty and students alike.

Degree Requirement Checklist

Please review the following checklists of requirements needed to obtain an MS or PhD degree in Pharmacology:

PhD Degree Requirement Checklist

Pharmacology - PhD Degree Requirements

Required Graduate Courses

Course Number Title Credit Hours
GS604 Graduate Student Research Opportunities 1
GS612 Biomedical Sciences Laboratory Rotations 6
GS616 Foundations of Molecular and Cellular Biology 3
GS637 Responsible Conduct of Scientific Research 2
GS892 Introduction to the Presentation and Analysis of Scientific Literature: Journal Club 1
GS690 Experimental Design & Analysis 2
PHA610 Principles of Pharmacology 1
PHA645 Pharmacology Seminar (one/academic year) 0
PHA623 Grant Writing in Pharmacology 3

Elective Courses

Course Number Title Credit Hours
*PHA612 Cardiovascular Physiology and Pharmacology 1
*PHA615 Apoptosis and Cancer Pharmacology 2
*PHA618 Current Topics in Pharmacology 1
*PHA622 Principles and Practices of Drug Discovery and Development 1

* Students are required to take a minimum of 4 Advanced Pharmacology course credits (including PHA610).

MS Degree Requirements Checklist

Pharmacology - MS Degree Requirements

 

Required Graduate Courses

Course Number Title Credit Hours
GS604 Graduate Student Research Opportunities 1
GS616 Foundations of Molecular and Cellular Biology 3
GS637 Responsible Conduct of Scientific Research 2
GS892 Introduction to the Presentation and Analysis of Scientific Literature: Journal Club 1
GS690 Experimental Design & Analysis 3
PHA610 Principles of Pharmacology 1
PHA645 Pharmacology Seminar (one/academic year) 0

Elective Courses

Course Number Title Credit Hours
PHA617 Methods of Pharmacology Research 2
*PHA612 Cardiovascular Physiology and Pharmacology 1
*PHA615 Apoptosis and Cancer Pharmacology 2
*PHA618 Current Topics in Pharmacology 1
*PHA622 Principles and Practices of Drug Discovery and Development 1

PHA623

Grant Writing in Pharmacology

3

* Students are required to take a minimum of 4 Advanced Pharmacology course credits (including PHA610).

Current Research

Our research programs emphasize mammalian systems and translation to the clinic. Specific focus areas are molecular pharmacology, drug development and delivery, nanomedicine, cancer biology and therapeutics, cardiovascular science, epilepsy, metabolic disease, wound healing, sepsis, immunotherapy and cell signaling

Have Questions?

Please direct inquiries to:

Office of Admissions

Phone: 315-464-4570
Email: admiss@upstate.edu

Schedule an Admissions Appointment

Top