NIGMS T32 Training Program
The Department of Pharmacology and Physiology has a 30-year history of T32-funded training in the Pharmacological Sciences.
The Department of Pharmacology and Physiology at Â鶹´«Ã½ has a 30-year history of T32-funded training in the pharmacological sciences. The leadership team oversees the efforts of 31 well-funded preceptors from eight departments across the School of Medicine, College of Arts and Sciences and Department of Biomedical Engineering. The program emphasizes pharmacology's multidisciplinary nature and integrative approach.
The department has two primary goals: First, to ensure competency in modern principles of drug action and related disciplines. Second, to develop a diverse pool of scientists capable of addressing the challenges in treating human diseases. To achieve these objectives, the training program includes didactic and interactive instruction on drug action principles, grant writing, responsible research conduct, and enhancing reproducibility. It also features seminar series focused on drug discovery and medicinal chemistry, career development seminars with alternative career path presentations, and opportunities for graduate students to teach undergraduate courses. Past graduates of our training program now pursue successful careers in research, academics, and industry, including several trainees who hold significant leadership positions in universities and businesses
Outcomes
Historically, the majority of students have successfully completed their Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. programs. Over the past 15 years, 74% of core biomedical students graduated with a Ph.D., 10% with an M.S., and 16% did not complete their degree. The average time to completion was 5.4 years. According to U.S. News and World Report, both the completion rate and median graduation time surpass the national averages for life sciences Ph.D. candidates. In 29 years of NIH T32 support, 96% of T32-funded students earned Ph.D. degrees.
Most Ph.D. graduates continue in science as postdoctoral fellows before securing permanent positions in academia or industry. Alumni include senior scientists at major pharmaceutical companies and faculty at leading universities. Notably, three graduates hold chairs at medical school departments, and one serves as dean of the graduate school at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
Participating Faculty
- Edward Antony (Biochemistry and molecular biology)
- Christopher Arnatt (Chemistry)
- Yuna Ayala (Biochemistry and molecular biology)
- Angel Baldan (Biochemistry and molecular biology)
- James Brien (Microbiology and molecular immunology)
- Andrew Butler (Pharmacology and physiology)
- Anutosh Chakraborty (Pharmacology and physiology)
- Vincenza Cifarelli (Pharmacology and physiology)
- Alexi Demchenko (Chemistry)
- Richard DiPaolo (Microbiology and molecular immunology)
- John Edwards (Internal medicine)
- Susan Farr (Internal medicine)
- Koyal Garg (Biochemistry and molecular biology)
- Sergey Korolev (Biochemistry and molecular biology)
- Robert Scott Martin (Chemistry)
- Kyle McCommis (Biochemistry and molecular biology)
- Marvin Meyers (Chemistry)
- Adriana Montaño (Biochemistry and molecular biology)
- Aubin Moutal (Pharmacology and physiology)
- Juliana Navia Pelaez (Pharmacology and physiology)
- Andrew Nguyen (Internal medicine)
- Nicola Pozzi (Biochemistry and molecular biology)
- Daniela Salvemini (Pharmacology and physiology)
- Willis Samson (Pharmacology and physiology)
- Francis Sverdrup (Microbiology and molecular immunology)
- John Tavis (Microbiology and molecular immunology)
- Ryan Teague (Microbiology and molecular immunology)
- John Walker (Pharmacology and physiology)
- Gina Yosten (Pharmacology and physiology)
- Silviya Zustiak (Biomedical engineering)