Mission
To perform outstanding teaching and research in the basic, translational and clinical sciences; to provide exemplary institutional and professional service and to promote faculty growth and development.
Research in DOPS encompasses a number of integrated areas which include Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Biophysics, Molecular Toxicology, Cancer Pharmacology, Medicinal Chemistry, Drug Discovery, Clinical/Translational Sciences, Systems Approaches and Precision Medicine.
- Goals
To perform outstanding research and training in basic, translational and clinical pharmaceutical sciences.
To provide a suitable infrastructure to support high quality research programs.
To collaborate with school and university leadership and faculty across departments and schools to evaluate emerging areas of research and implement plans for enhancement of research activities.
To disseminate the results of DOPS research locally, nationally and internationally.
- Objectives
Research areas
Integrate basic research with the translational/clinical sciences.
Continue to strengthen research and training in DOPS areas of research emphasis (see figure above) and facilitate collaborations with research programs in cognate areas.
Research communication and collaboration
Identify and obtain multi-investigator funding initiatives, including center and training grants.
Increase integration between basic and clinical researchers both inside and outside of the school to take advantage of federal programs in disease-specific areas.
Enhance the visibility of DOPS research efforts at the local, national and international levels.
Improve communication among DOPS faculty to facilitate collaborative research.
Continue to develop and support ADR research workshops and research mentoring programs for faculty and trainees.
Research infrastructure and funding
Enhance mass spectrometry facilities to support school and campus research programs in small molecule research, proteomics and metabolomics.
Support and develop state of the art facilities in drug discovery and development including Medicinal Chemistry, Computational Chemistry/Biochemistry and High Throughput/Content Screening.
Promote and enhance the development of intellectual property through patenting and licensing of inventions.
Strengthen the infrastructure of research programs within DOPS, specifically:
- Establish funding mechanisms for acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment to enhance research capabilities.
- Develop sufficient fiscal resources to support programs critical to the vitality of the department such as graduate programs, seminar programs, research seed grants, sabbatical assignments, emergency funding initiatives and the operation of an efficient and supportive departmental office.
- Establish stable funding models for departmental core facilities.
- Efficiently manage both pre- and post-award grants activity.
Support and expand the research and training programs within the Centers for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacogenomics and the Colorado Center for Nanomedicine and Nanosafety.
Develop a Center in Drug Discovery
- Goals
To provide outstanding and internationally-competitive degree programs.
To provide rigorous basic and translational science components in the PharmD, MS and PhD programs.
To continue to enhance the quality of graduate training programs.
To recruit outstanding students and fellows.
- Objectives
Develop and support the PharmD and PhD degrees so they continue to be nationally and internationally recognized as outstanding degree programs.
Increase the visibility of and recruitment in both the Pharmaceutical Sciences and Toxicology PhD programs
Implement and develop the newly-approved MS degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences
Develop new certificate programs in specialties within the Pharmaceutical Sciences
Explore the development of joint degree programs with other AMC schools.
Sustain effective integration of basic science teaching effectively with the teaching of the clinical sciences.
Promote the participation of pharmacy students in research.
Encourage and maintain high quality teaching in DOPS. Specifically:
- Appoint additional faculty members who will be outstanding teachers.
- Actively participate in continuous curricular review and adjustment.
- Continue to develop and provide mechanisms for faculty to enhance their teaching skills including appropriate peer-teaching assessments.
- Balance teaching loads across faculty in proportion to other academic duties.
- Continue to develop teaching support mechanisms provided by teaching assistants and administrative staff in the DOPS office.
Develop training grants.
Support the training and mentoring of students and fellows including career mentoring.
- Goals
To provide effective Departmental, School, University, Community and Professional service.
- Objectives
Evaluate the efficiency of Departmental, School, University and System committee structures and implement appropriate changes when required.
Balance institutional service across senior faculty while reducing the service commitment for junior faculty.
Encourage faculty participation in faculty governance.
Encourage a high level of commitment to professional service activities which reflect positively on DOPS at the national and international levels.
Encourage faculty participation in manuscript and grant reviewing activities including service on editorial boards and study sections.
Encourage faculty and staff participation in community service.
- Goals
To encourage and provide mechanisms for faculty to develop and enhance their professional skills.
- Objectives
Provide an orientation program for new faculty.
Continue to develop and support a formal mentoring program for all faculty.
Support all ADR programs and develop a specific ADR workshop on intellectual property, licensing and patenting.
Support faculty and staff participation in campus and school development programs.
Provide opportunities for faculty to assume departmental, school, campus and national leadership roles.
Promote sabbaticals and other training opportunities for faculty to enhance their skills and knowledge.
Offer grants management training to faculty and trainees.