Location:

Pocatello, United States

Program Type:

Full Degree

Degree Level:

Master

Specialty:

Pharmacology

Program Overview

Program Description:

Graduate Studies Two graduate degrees, the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and the Master of Science (M.S.) are offered in the Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences in The College of Pharmacy at Idaho State University. Career opportunities for individuals with a graduate degree in the Pharmaceutical Sciences include positions in academia (both research and teaching), pharmaceutical industry, and government regulatory agencies to name a few. Further education or development may allow an individual to pursue opportunities in business or administration. Graduate degrees may be obtained in one of the following broad disciplines: -Pharmacology -Pharmaceutics -Drug Discovery & Development Pharmacology is the study of drug action on biological systems. It is a basic science that may encompass physiology, behavioral sciences, cell biology and molecular genetics. Studies may be directed at the whole animal, isolated organs or cells or DNA. Currently in our department, students may conduct research in a number of areas that include alcohol addiction and dependence, sexual variations in physiologic responses, cancer biology and treatment, and signaling mechanisms underlying cell growth and death. Pharmaceutics is the science that deals with the design and evaluation of contemporary pharmaceutical dosage forms and drug delivery systems to ensure their safety, effectiveness and reliability. Pharmaceutics places a strong emphasis on understanding and exploiting the principles underlying drug delivery, whether a drug is a small organic molecule, a higher molecular weight protein, or a peptide derived through the use of biotechnology. Current projects underway in the department include the development of permeability/penetration enhancers for poorly soluble drugs including protein and peptides; and production of polymer nanoparticles that can be used for drug delivery. Drug discovery and Development is the process by which new or existing chemical species are found for the treatment of various diseases and carried through preclinical and clinical studies until they receive FDA approval. This is an inherently cross-disciplinary process involving pharmacology, pharmaceutics, metabolic studies, bioanalytical chemistry, medicinal chemistry and toxicology. Current work in the department includes the isolation of natural products drugs from plants and from microorganisms isolated from cave systems, development of isoflavone analogs with enhanced ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, and the study of the metabolism of neurosteroids. Faculty Research Our skilled faculty work closely with graduate students in a variety fields of study. The following is a brief overview of the multiple disciplines that are available at ISU, and the doctors that study them: Alok Bhushan cancer chemotherapy and mechanisms of resistance James Bigelow metabolism and analysis of natural products and other bioactive compounds Christopher Daniels cell signaling, apoptosis and cytokine biology Dana Diedrich cell surface biochemistry of gram-negative bacteria and pathogenic protozoans Chris Downing investigation of genetic and epigenetic factors mediating ethanol teratogenesis. James Lai brain metabolism and neurotoxicology of metals, ammonia and fatty acids Cindy Wilson cardiac and skeletal muscle metabolism and contractile function. Regulation by exercise and pharmacological agents in diabetes, aging or other diseases Curriculum During the first year of the program, students are required to gain laboratory experience under the direction of several faculty members, as well as complete required courses. Upon choosing an advisor and developing a specialized program of study, students complete required and elective courses while also completing original research in the laboratory of their advisor. We offer the Master of Science with either a thesis requirement or a non-thesis option. Students choosing the non-thesis option will be required to complete a semester long research practicum and complete a master paper requirement. Students are required to complete a dissertation for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.

Additional Program Information

Accreditation:

Idaho State University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.