Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
MA Degree Program
PHD Degree Program
Courses
Faculty
Chairman David H. Farb
Programs of Study
The Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics at Boston University School of Medicine offers graduate training programs that lead to the MA, PhD and MD/PhD degrees in pharmacology. The training program is directed toward preparing students for future careers in pharmacologic research in academic, industrial, and governmental settings. Advanced research in pharmacology requires an understanding of the principles of a broad range of disciplines. The curriculum encompasses the interdisciplinary nature of this field and prepares students to study chemical interactions with biological systems on multiple levels, from the behavior of atoms in macromolecules to the effect of molecules on the behavior of organisms. A major focus of research training is in areas of molecular, cellular, and behavioral neuroscience. Newly renovated and expanded research facilities provide students with state-of-the-art opportunities for training in molecular genetics, molecular modeling, electrophysiology, biophysical methods, psychophysical methods, and other tools for elucidating the interaction of drugs with biological targets. Current research projects include: gene therapy; functional and structural mapping of receptors; regulation of receptor gene expression; theoretical analysis of ligand binding; computer-based structure analysis; transcriptional regulation of gene expression in development and aging; peptides in neuroendocrine and inflammatory processes; neuroprotective effect of steroids and glutamate receptor antagonists; protein engineering of microbial toxins; neural substrates of drug abuse and analgesia; ribozyme mechanisms and function; and biophysical studies of synaptic transmission and dendritic release in the basal ganglia.
Admission Procedures
The procedures for admission to the graduate programs in pharmacology are described in the "Academic Policies and Procedures" section. Interviews are encouraged for applicants to the MA/PhD programs and are required for applicants to the MD/PhD program. Admissions and other matters relating to graduate programs are reviewed by the Graduate Education Committee of the department.
Research Assignment
As soon after admission into the program as possible, students should choose an area of research interest and select an appropriate faculty member as supervisor of their research training. The chairman of the Graduate Education Committee serves as advisor until a research supervisor is selected. During the first year of study, students who have not chosen a research area should familiarize themselves with research projects of the faculty through laboratory rotations.
The curriculum for MA candidates is designed to provide familiarity
with the fundamentals of pharmacology as well as opportunities
to tailor the program of study to the student's interests and
career goals. A minimum of 16 credits of formal coursework is
required of all MA candidates. Students are expected to consult
with their advisors to plan the sequence of coursework that best
suits their needs. Specific departmental requirements include
regular attendance at departmental seminars and satisfactory completion
of two advanced (800-level) pharmacology courses. Courses offered
by other departments at Boston University may be substituted for
advanced Department of Pharmacology courses with the approval
of the student's advisor and the Graduate Education Committee.
Generally, MA candidates take GMS BI 751 Biochemistry, GMS MS
753 Cell Biology, GMS PM 700 Molecular Neurobiology and Pharmacology,
one semester of GMS PM 810 Current Topics in Pharmacological Sciences,
and GMS PM 800 Advanced General Pharmacology. Students may elect
to take GMS PH 740 Physiology and GMS PM 720 General Medical Pharmacology
rather than Molecular Neurobiology and Pharmacology, and Advanced
General Pharmacology. MA candidates preparing for a career in
the pharmaceutical industry are also encouraged to take GMS MS
700 Elementary Biostatistics. MA students interested in cellular
and molecular science should also register for GMS MS 753 Cell
Biology.
There are two tracks to the MA in pharmacology: (1) Research Thesis.
Students will complete at least 14 credits of formal coursework
and no more than 18 credits of laboratory research as well as
write a laboratory research thesis, which must be approved by
first and second readers. (2) Library Thesis. Students complete
24 credits of formal coursework and write a critical synthesis
of the research literature on a pharmacological topic. The thesis
must be approved by first and second readers. Students must indicate
at the time of application which of the two tracks they wish to
pursue. Transfer between the tracks requires the approval of the
student's advisor, the Graduate Education Committee, and the department
chairman.
After satisfactory completion of the first-year curriculum with
a GPA of B (3.0) or higher, an MA candidate may submit a request
for transfer into the PhD program to the Graduate Education Committee.
It is also possible to transfer from the PhD program into the
MA program; however, if a student enrolled in the PhD program
elects instead to obtain the MA degree, the student must write
either a library or a research thesis.
The curriculum for PhD candidates is designed to provide a broad-based
foundation in pharmacology, as well as flexible opportunities
to individually tailor a program that meets the individual student's
background and research interests. Students are expected to consult
with their advisors to plan a sequence of coursework that best
suits their needs. Specific departmental requirements include
regular attendance at departmental seminars and the satisfactory
completion of 10 credits of advanced (800-level) pharmacology
courses. A minimum of twenty-four credits of formal coursework
is required of all PhD candidates. Courses offered by other departments
of Boston University may be substituted for advanced Department
of Pharmacology courses with prior approval of the student's advisor
and the Graduate Education Committee. Students concentrating in
Biomolecular Pharmacology are especially encouraged to consider
curricular offerings of the Departments of Biochemistry, Biophysics,
and Biomedical Engineering.
Most PhD candidates enroll in basic courses in biochemistry, cell
biology, neuroscience, biostatistics, physiology, and pharmacology
(700 level). The core curriculum includes GMS BI 751 Biochemistry,
GMS MS 753 Cell Biology, GMS PM 700 Molecular Neurobiology and
Pharmacology, GMS PM 800 Advanced General Pharmacology, and two
semesters of GMS PM 810 Current Topics in Pharmacological Sciences.
Students are also encouraged to register for a course in biostatistics
such as GMS MS 700 Elementary Biostatistics or GRS MA 614 Statistical
Methods II. These courses provide both the necessary background
study in the basic sciences and an introduction to the discipline
of pharmacology. This subject matter is generally a prerequisite
to more in-depth study in the advanced courses listed below. For
MD/PhD candidates this introductory sequence is sat-isfied by
the first and second year medical curriculum; students are encouraged
however to take GMS PM 700 Molecular Neurobiology and Pharmacology.
MD/PhD students are required to take 10 credits of advanced (800-level)
electives. A typical curriculum would be GMS PM 700 Molecular
Neurobiology and Pharmacology, two semesters of GMS PM 810 Current
Topics in Pharmacological Studies, and one specialized advanced
elective. GMS PM 810 may be counted as an advanced elective only
twice. MD/PhD students who take GMS PM 700 receive credit as an
advanced course. Students enrolled in the PhD program in pharmacology
are expected to maintain a GPA of B (3.0) or higher.
The qualifying examination for PhD candidates consists of a written
and oral examination. Students are expected to take the qualifying
exam no later than the end of the third curricular year. Preparation
for the examination should be made in close consultation with
the candidate's advisor, the four other members of the examining
committee, and the committee chairman. The written portion of
the qualifying examination tests a student's understanding of
the fundamental principles of pharmacology and covers subject
matter presented in the recommended curriculum for PhD students.
The oral examination, usually taken within two weeks of passing
the written, is designed to assess the student's ability to synthesize
and correlate information, develop hypotheses, and design experiments
to solve research-related problems in the pharmacological sciences.
Each PhD candidate chooses a Boston University faculty member
as advisor for the dissertation project, preferably before the
second curricular year. The student and advisor designate a five-person
dissertation committee (which includes the advisor) with the approval
of the department chairman. At least three members of the committee
must have primary appointments in the department. The committee
must include at least one member from outside the department or
Boston University. PhD candidates are expected to prepare a brief
(approximately ten-page) progress report and thesis proposal on
the dissertation project and present a departmental seminar approximately
one year before the dissertation defense. Following the seminar,
the student meets with committee members to discuss the research
progress.
The PhD candidate prepares a dissertation that documents the accomplishment
of original independent research of significance to the pharmacological
sciences. The research is expected to meet publication standards
of peer-reviewed journals in the candidate's area of specialization.
A draft of the dissertation, approved by the advisor, is submitted
to the second reader and, after revision, to all committee members.
A committee meeting with the student is held no sooner than two
weeks after distribution of the dissertation for recommendations
regarding final revisions. With the approval of the committee,
the PhD candidate arranges for the formal dissertation defense,
which begins with a seminar presentation and is followed by a
discussion of the work with the committee members.
Norman D. Boyd PhD, Associate Professor
J. Worth Estes MD, Professor Emeritus
David H. Farb PhD, Professor
Terrell T. Gibbs PhD, Assistant Professor
Tohru Ikuta MD, PhD, Assistant Professor
Kevin A. Jarrell PhD, Assistant Professor
Conan Kornetsky PhD, Professor
Susan E. Leeman PhD, Professor
Ruth R. Levine PhD, Professor Emerita (University Professor)
Isabelle M. Mintz PhD, Assistant Professor
Edward W. Pelikan MD, Professor Emeritus
R. Christopher Pierce PhD, Assistant Professor
Shelley J. Russek PhD, Assistant Professor
Ladislav Volicer MD, PhD, Professor
Carol T. Walsh PhD, Associate Professor
Mark W. Bitensky MD, Research Professor (Research Professor
of Biomedical Engineering)
Thomas R. Browne, III MD, Associate Professor (Professor
of Neurology)
Charles R. Cantor PhD, Professor (Professor of Biomedical
Engineering)
Alan S. Cohen MD, Professor (Professor of Medicine)
Kristine A. Erickson PhD, Research Associate Professor
(Associate Professor of Ophthalmology)
Robert G. Feldman MD, Professor (Professor of Neurology)
Gladys Friedler PhD, Associate Professor (Associate Professor
of Psychiatry)
Benjamin Gerson MD, Professor (Professor of Pathology)
Reinhard K. R. Kage MD, PhD, Adjunct Assistant Professor
John F. Keaney, Jr. MD, Research Associate Professor (Assistant
Professor of Medicine)
Przemyslaw A. Marek DVM, PhD, Adjunct Associate Professor
Judith K. Marquis PhD, Adjunct Associate Professor (Director,
Preclinical Development, Hybridon, Inc.)
Steven M. Paul MD, Adjunct Professor (Vice President for
CNS Research and Clinical Investigation, Lilly Research Laboratories)
L. Bruce Pearce PhD, Adjunct Associate Professor
Susan P. Perrine MD, Professor (Professor of Pediatrics)
Philip Podrid MD, Associate Professor (Professor of Medicine)
Carl E. Rosow MD, PhD, Adjunct Associate Professor (Associate
Professor of Anesthesia, Harvard Medical School)
Hugues J.-P. Ryser MD, Professor (Professor of Pathology)
Sirir K. Sengupta PhD, Associate Research Professor Emeritus
(Associate Research Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology)
Cassandra L. Smith PhD, Professor (Professor of Biomedical
Engineering)
Temple F. Smith PhD, Professor (Professor of Biomedical
Engineering)
Kosta Steliou PhD, Professor (Professor of Chemistry)
S. William Tam PhD (Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology and
Experimental Therapeutics)
W. Mark Vogel PhD, Adjunct Associate Professor (Food and
Drug Administration)
Published by Trustees of Boston University
11 March 1999
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MA Degree Program
Curriculum
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PHD Degree Program
Curriculum
Qualifying Examination
Dissertation
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Courses
Prereq:
consent of instructor. Examines a spectrum of topics ranging from
the regulation of gene expression in the nervous system to the
structure and function of receptors and ion channels. Emphasis
is placed on theoretical foundations of pharmacological methods
in neurobiology. Farb, staff. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
Prereq:
consent of instructor. Supervised laboratory rotation emphasizing
modern research techniques in molecular, cellular, and behavioral
pharmacology. Problems of collection, summary, and interpretation
of data are addressed. Farb, staff. 2 cr, either sem.
Prereq:
GMS BI 751, GMS PH 740, GMS MS 703 or equivalent, and consent
of instructor. Pharmacologic principles and properties of chemical
agents of interest to human medicine are presented in lectures
and workshops. Lectures provide a complete survey of drug classes
affecting organ systems such as the nervous system, as well as
antimicrobial and cancer chemotherapeutic agents. Workshops emphasize
interpretation of pharmacologic data and patient-oriented problem
solving. Walsh, staff. 8 cr, 1st sem.
Prereq:
Premedical courses in the sciences. Principles of pharmacology
are covered and several major classes of therapeutic agents, with
attention to their mechanisms of action. Issues of current and
future concern in medical pharmacology are addressed including
problems of drug abuse, the ethics of human experimentation, the
pricing of new drugs, and new biotechnological approaches to drug
design and development. Walsh, staff. 4 cr, 1st sem.
Prereq:
consent of instructor. Lectures and discussions on the major classes
of pharmacologic agents, with special attention to molecular,
cellular, and physiological mechanisms of therapeutic effects.
Walsh, staff. 2 cr, 2nd sem.
Prereq:
consent of instructor. Given in conjunction with the weekly seminar
program of the department. Students present and discuss research
papers with the visiting scientist working on the cutting edge
of pharmacology. Russek. 2 cr, either sem.
Prereq:
consent of instructor. Emphasizes pharmacologic basis of drug
action in the central nervous system, stressing aspects of behavioral
pharmacology and problems of drug addiction. Kornetsky, Pierce.
2 cr, 1st sem.
Prereq:
consent of instructor. Lectures and discussion on basic factors
determining absorption, distribution, biotransformation, and excretion
of drugs. Includes methods of analysis and interpretation of pharmacokinetic
data. Walsh. 2 cr, 2nd sem.
Prereq:
consent of instructor. Covers the basic principles of neuroendocrinology
with special emphasis on pharmacologic aspects. Topics include
the biochemistry, physiology, and pharmacology of the neural hormones
which regulate anterior and posterior pituitary function, as well
as selected other peptides such as substance P, neurotensin, and
some cyto-kines. Leeman. 2 cr, 1st sem.
Prereq: consent of
instructor. Lectures and discussions on biosynthesis, inactivation,
receptors, and signaling mechanisms of neurotransmitters and chemical
mediators including GABA, glutamate, acetylcholine, catecholamines,
purines, peptides, prostaglandins, and histamines. Farb. 2 cr,
2nd sem.
Prereq:
consent of instructor. Focuses on fundamental aspects of gene
control with emphasis on the dual role of RNA as both an informational
and a catalytic molecule. Topics range from discussions of gene
transcription and RNA splicing, to discussions of ribozymes as
therapeutic agents. The relevance of these topics to the understanding,
and potential treatment, of disorders that result from altered
patterns of gene expression is stressed. Jarrell. 2 cr, 1st sem.
Variable
cr.
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Faculty
Mark Alexander PhD, Assistant ProfessorJoint Appointments
Barry A. Berkowitz PhD, Adjunct Professor
147 Bay State Road
Boston, MA 02215
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