Overview
The Department of Pharmacology at University of Illinois at Chicago Performs Leading-Edge Research
At University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), the Department of Pharmacology's leading-edge research, directed by internationally recognized faculty members, provides an intellectually stimulating training experience for graduate students. The pharmacology department in UIC's College of Medicine provides an exciting environment for training that leads to the Ph.D. degree in pharmacology. The department has research strengths and extensive NIH funding in the areas of cardiovascular and lung biology, cell signaling, molecular pharmacology of G-proteins, immunopharmacology, molecular and cellular basis of inflammation, and neuroscience. Research in these areas at UIC is pursued using multidisciplinary methods that emphasize intensive training at the molecular, cellular, and whole-animal levels. This is facilitated by a graduate student-faculty ratio of about 2:1 and an emphasis on close tutorial relationships. The goal of the program is to produce outstanding scientists capable of performing at the highest level in academic and industrial settings.
Ph.D. Program's Academics in Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacology Are Challenging
Course work at UIC provides a broad-based education in biomedical sciences as well as specialized instruction in pharmacology. The Department of Pharmacology participates in an integrated program, Graduate Education in Medical Sciences (GEMS) that offers interdisciplinary course work, flexibility in laboratory rotations, and choice of thesis advisers. All first-year students in the department take three GEMS core courses in the first semester: Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Physiology and Molecular Biology, as well as a research methods course. In the second semester, students interested in pharmacology take Receptor Pharmacology and Cell Signaling, Research Methods, and the first semester of Medical Pharmacology. Second-year course requirements include Medical Pharmacology, Scientific Integrity and Responsible Research, and a pharmacology elective. Electives outside the department are also available in areas such as drug development, bioinformatics, and molecular genetics.
UIC students initiate their research during the first year by doing three lab rotations, after which they choose their thesis adviser. The preliminary exam is given at the end of the second year of graduate work and consists of a written research proposal that is defended orally in front of a faculty committee. The department's students hone their presentation skills by participating in lab meetings, journal clubs, and departmental student seminars, as well as local, national, and international scientific meetings. Throughout their residency, graduate students expand their knowledge of current trends in biomedical research by attending seminars and interacting with leading visiting scientists from around the world.
Pharmacology Research Facilities at UIC Are State-of-the-Art
Graduate-level pharmacology research facilities are primarily located in the Medical Sciences Building and the new, state-of-the-art College of Medicine Research Building. Departmental facilities include cell- and tissue-culture laboratories, cold and warm rooms, darkrooms and developing equipment, and autoclaves. An array of departmental core instruments including microscopes for visible, fluorescent, and confocal imaging; a phosphoimager; a fluorescent microplate reader capable of kinetic measurements; a CCD camera; and an instrument for doing real-time PCR. Each laboratory in the department is equipped with a complete array of sophisticated instrumentation reflecting areas of specialization in molecular pharmacology. Pharmacology also has a Molecular Resources Core Laboratory for generating molecular DNA constructs and a Physiology Core Laboratory for in vivo work.
The university maintains a centralized Research Resources Center with instrumentation available for cell sorting, protein sequencing and synthesis, electron microscopy, NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectroscopy. Also available are a core genomics facility, a DNA sequencing service, and a supervised animal-care unit. Students may use the comprehensive open-stack library at the Health Sciences Center, and they have extensive online access to the full text of thousands of scientific journals.
Financial Aid and Housing at UIC Help Students Remain Focused on Education and Research
Students in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Illinois at Chicago can receive financial support that allows them to focus on their graduate education and research. Upon admission to the program, each student is awarded financial assistance that includes a competitive stipend for living expenses as a research assistant and a tuition and service fee waiver. With satisfactory progress toward completion of their degree, students can continue to be supported throughout their residency. Living and housing costs for a graduate student in Chicago are generally offset by the stipend. Students may live in on-campus apartments, dormitories, or off-campus housing of their choice.
The Location of UIC Provides A Rich Living Environment for Students
The University of Illinois College of Medicine is located in the heart of the Illinois Medical District, a trendy and highly-gentrified area only minutes from downtown Chicago. The University Village area has become a desirable place to live for students, post-docs, faculty and young professionals. World-class cultural facilities such as the Chicago Symphony Center, museums, theater district, Millenium Park and Grant Park are easily accessed by a short elevated train ride from the campus. Numerous sports and recreational opportunities can be found throughout the Chicagoland area.
The University of Illinois at Chicago is the largest institution of higher education in the Chicago area, enrolling 25,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students and employing 12,000 faculty and staff. Through its 15 colleges and professional schools, the University offers 79 undergraduate, 87 master's, and 64 doctoral programs. More than 2 million volumes are housed in the University's library and its specialized collections. It has become a gathering place for visiting scientists in numerous disciplines and is one of the most active research environments in Chicago's scientific community.
