Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Bouve College of Health Sciences
Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts
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Northeastern University - Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences - Overview
The Northeastern University Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
The Northeastern University Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences prepares students to become pharmaceutical scientists in wide-ranging specialties dealing with the discovery, design, and use of drugs.
Northeastern is the only graduate program in New England offering a degree in pharmaceutical science, producing professionals who go on to work in areas ranging from drug development and neuro-pharmacology to targeted drug delivery systems and nanomedicine.
The renowned program is part of the Northeastern University's School of Pharmacy, which is consistently ranked first in the National Institutes of Health funding among all private schools of pharmacy in the US.
The department is undergoing a substantial expansion as faculty and research programs grow. Research grants and contracts, not just from government agencies, but from foundations and associations as well, are in fact at an all-time high.
Master's and Doctoral Programs in Pharmaceutical Science
The Northeastern University Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences offers Master of Science (MS) degrees in pharmacology, toxicology, pharmaceutics, and drug delivery, as well as an interdisciplinary option.
PhD programs are also offered in Pharmaceutical Sciences, with specialties in pharmacology, pharmaceuticals and drug delivery systems, and an interdisciplinary option, as well as a specialty in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery.
PhD Concentrations
Within each area of degree specialty, students can select a specific concentration in which to focus their work. In Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery, for instance, concentrations are available in synthetic, biochemical/pharmacological, and biophysical medicinal chemistry.
In Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery Systems, students may concentrate on novel drug delivery systems, nanomedical technologies, physical pharmacy, or biopharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics.
The interdisciplinary specialization was created for students wishing to combine courses and skills from two areas of specialization, with at least one of the specialization areas required to come from within the college. The second area, such as engineering, biology, or chemistry, may come from another college at Northeastern.
Centers of Research Excellence
Graduate students in the Department of Pharmaceutical Science can take advantage of 5 interlinked Centers of Research Excellence in pursuing specific areas of pharmaceutical and chemical research.
The centers include the Center for Drug Discovery, the New England Inflammation and Tissue Protection Institute, the Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Nanomedicine, the Center for Translational Imaging, and the Environmental Cancer Research Program.
Additional Research Institute Involvement
Pharmaceutical Science students and faculty members are also heavily involved in research at the Barnett Institute of Chemical and Biological Analysis, which has pioneered breakthroughs in forensic science, advanced materials study and biotechnology.
There is also extensive involvement with the Electronic Materials Research Institute, which focuses on nanomaterials for nano-, info-, and bio-technologies.
The institute recently was awarded a $3.5 million Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training (IGERT) grant from the National Science Foundation for nanomedicine. The grant supports 14 PhD students and 15 undergraduate and master's associates.
Exceptional Faculty Leads, Mentors Graduate Research Endeavors
Graduate students join internationally recognized faculty members in 7 key areas of research: medicinal chemistry and drug discovery; neuropharmacology; inflammation & immunology; toxicology; drug delivery & nanomedicine; translational imaging; and bioanalytical chemistry.
In drug delivery, for instance, associate professor Heather Clark has been involved in innovative technology creating tattoos made of nanosensors that are injected into the upper layer of the skin to allow for the monitoring of everything from glucose levels for diabetics to sodium levels during prostate surgery.
Professor Mansoor Amiji is involved in developing nanotechnology-based methods of drug delivery for the treatment of diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and HIV/AIDS.
Vladimir Torchilin, a distinguished professor of pharmaceutical sciences, was recently named by Times Higher Education as the world's second-most prolific researcher in pharmacology and toxicology.
And Professor Barbara L. Waszczak recently received a grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research to study Parkinson's disease. Prof. Waszczak developed, with her research team, an idea to use an intranasal delivery method to deliver to the brain a protein that shows promise in stopping the progression of Parkinson's in early stages.
Admission and Financial Aid
Applicants for admission should have a bachelor's degree or equivalent in biology, chemistry, medical technology, pharmacy, chemical engineering, or a related field, with a minimum grade point average of 3.00 or better. GRE scores from the last five years should be submitted, but specialty subject GREs are not required.
Applicants who fall short of requirements may be admitted to the Master of Science level of study and permitted to take undergraduate Northeastern University courses along with certain graduate courses.
An MS degree is not required of PhD applicants.
Doctoral students in the Department of Pharmaceutical Science receive tuition waivers and usually receive stipends for research or teaching of $25,000-$30,000/year.
Northeastern University Thrives in the Heart of Bustling Boston
Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is located in the heart of Boston and represents its urban surroundings with a diverse student population.
Students enjoy close proximity to some of the world's leading health care institutions and corporations, and Northeastern University, best known for its strong "experiential learning" cooperative education ethic, is heavily involved in collaborations with many of the institutions.