University of Illinois at Chicago, Pharmaceutical Sciences Department

Pharmaceutical Sciences focuses on the basic sciences that underlie drugs and drug therapy.

Mission in Research: The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences consists of scientists with expertise related to medicinal chemistry, drug design and discovery of synthetic, semisynthetic and natural product origins, pharmacognosy, pharmacology, pharmaceutics, pharmacogenomics, pharmacokinetics, cell and molecular biology, toxicology and forensic sciences, as well as other disciplines closely allied to these sciences.  This expertise is utilized in, but not limited to determining targets of drugs and mechanisms by which drugs act, identifying and quantifying factors influencing drugs, characterizing the nature of therapeutic and toxicological responses to drugs, characterizing the impact of the dosage formulations and delivery system on drug action, application of these areas of expertise in basic and translational research, and application of these areas of expertise in forensic arenas. This scientific expertise is brought to the education and teaching of College’s professional and graduate students.

Mission in Education: An equally important role of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences is also to educate professional pharmacy (PharmD) and graduate students (MSc and PhD) in areas related to the departmental expertise. Educational services are provided by faculty members with scientific expertise in research areas related to medicinal chemistry, pharmacognosy, pharmacology, pharmaceutics, pharmacogenomics, pharmacokinetics, cell and molecular biology, toxicology, and forensic sciences, as well as other disciplines closely allied to these sciences. The faculty members contribute to the excellence of the College of Pharmacy and University through their research and teaching in areas of their expertise as well as participation in meaningful institutional, professional, and public service.

The Pharmaceutical Sciences program is a research-based program that trains interdisciplinary scientists to apply chemical and biologic tools to better understand diseases and address therapeutic challenges and prepares individuals for further study and/or careers in pharmaceutical science and research, pharmaceutical administration and sales, biotechnology, drug manufacturing, regulatory affairs, and related fields. Includes instruction in mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics, statistics, pharmaceutics, pharmacology and toxicology, dosage formulation, manufacturing, quality assurance, and regulations.