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Graduate Committee

Dr. Luis Marky (Chair & Graduate Program Director), Dr. Don Ronning, Dr. Paul Trippier, Dr. Joe Vetro, and Dr. Anthony Podany

Pharmaceutical Science is an interdisciplinary field the utilizes a diverse group of scientific disciplines (e.g., biology, chemistry, engineering, and physics).  The Pharmaceutical Sciences PhD program provides instruction and training in drug discovery, drug delivery and targeting, biophysical chemistry, bio-materials nanotechnology, nanomedicine, biopharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. Students are mentored by members of the faculty whose research interests reside in developing new drugs to treat malaria, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and infectious diseases as well as delivering and/or targeting small and large molecular weight drugs or genes to treat cancer, ophthalmic, lung, bone, cardiovascular and other diseases.

PhD Curriculum

Degree Tracks

PhD students in Pharmaceutical Sciences must choose one of the following tracks:

  • Drug Delivery & Biopharmaceutics;
  • Biophysics;
  • Medicinal Chemistry; or
  • Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences

General Requirements

  • Completion of coursework. 
  • Completion of the Comprehensive Examination.
  • Completion of a research project consistent with a PhD level of achievement.
  • Completion and successful defense of a doctoral dissertation.
  • Concurrence of the mentor and the student's Supervisory Committee.

The coursework requirements for the Pharmaceutical Sciences PhD program are detailed provided below. Students will need to complete the two core course (IPBS 801 and PHSC 845)  and all courses in track curriculum prior to taking the comprehensive examination.  The need for any additional courses beyond this curriculum will be determined by the student's Supervisory Committee.

Coursework

CORE COURSES (required courses for all tracks)
GRAD 800RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT IN RESEARCH TRAINING *0
PHSC 802ESSENTIALS OF DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT 3
PHSC 845QUANTITATIVE PHARMACUETICAL ANALYSIS *3
PHSC 960CURRENT TOPICS IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES (each fall and spring semester)1
PHSC 970SEMINAR (each fall and spring semester)1
PHSC 999DOCTORAL DISSERTATION1-15
The student's Supervisory Committee will assist in selecting appropriate electives
*Courses need to be completed, plus two elective courses, and track curriculum prior to taking Comprehensive Exam
DRUG DELIVERY & BIOPHARMACEUTICS TRACK
Required: Select 2 of the following 4 courses
PHSC 885PHYSICAL PHARMACY3
PHSC 852PHARMACEUTICAL CHEMISTRY FOR DRUG DELIVERY AND NANOMEDICINE3
PHSC 910PHARMACOKINETICS AND BIOPHARMACEUTICS3
BIOS 806BIOSTATISTICS3
Two elective courses
BIOPHYSICS TRACK
Required: Select 2 of the following 3 courses
PHSC 885PHYSICAL PHARMACY3
PHSC 848NANOIMAGING/BIOIMAGING3
PHSC 921BIOPHYSICAL CHEMISTRY3
Two elective courses
MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY TRACK
Required courses
CHEM 8246 (ADV. ORG. CHEMISTRY MECH - This course is offered at the University of Nebraska - Omaha)
CHEM 8236 (ADV. ORG. CHEMISTRY SYNTHESIS - This course is offered at the University of Nebraska - Omaha)
PHSC 830ADV MEDICINAL CHEM3
PHSC 903SPECTROSCOPIC METHODS AND ANALYSIS3
One elective course
CLINICAL PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES TRACK
Required courses
BIOS 806BIOSTATISTICS3
BIOS 808BIOSTATISTICS II3
PHSC 905APPLIED PHARMACOGENOMICS3
PHSC 920APPLIED PHARMACOKINETICS IN TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH AND DRUG DEVELOPMENT3
One elective course