Admission requirements to the graduate program in toxicology include a bachelor of arts or science degree from an accredited institution, as well as an academic record that satisfies the minimum admission requirements established by the CU Graduate School. All applicants for the program should complete a year of study in the following subjects: general chemistry, organic chemistry, calculus, biology, English and physics.

In addition, courses in the following subjects are highly recommended to supplement the student's background: physiology, biochemistry, statistics, cell biology, physical chemistry, and computer science. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is optional.

Under special circumstances, deficiencies in important areas may be made up within the first year after entrance into the program. Normally, admission to the program will be based on an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better. However, applicants' recommendations, research experience and additional individual accomplishments will also be considered in the admissions process.

Applications are accepted online only and are due December 1st.

As part of the CU Anschutz graduate school, all PhD students in good academic standing are guaranteed financial support.

Although a priority of the School of Pharmacy is to provide financial support to its graduate students, stipend, tuition and fees for graduate studies in the School of Pharmacy are the sole responsibility of the student. Payment of stipend, tuition and any fees by the School of Pharmacy or by grants, contracts or gifts to the School of Pharmacy faculty is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress (as defined by the Toxicology Graduate Student Handbook) and completion of required core courses, seminars, research rotations, and examinations. The School of Pharmacy also reserves the right to review and adjust its funding policies at any time. Stipends are awarded on a 12-month basis. All students are expected to work towards program requirements for 12 months of the year.

The PhD program in toxicology trains graduate students to become proficient and successful investigators who are able to:

  1. Demonstrate a basic knowledge of central concepts in the biomedical sciences.
  2. Understand the current concepts in toxicology.
  3. Read and critically evaluate the scientific literature.
  4. Generate hypotheses based on current concepts in the field, then design, conduct, and interpret their own research projects.
  5. Communicate research results effectively through oral presentations at scientific seminars, conferences, and other venues.
  6. Present research results in national meetings, peer-reviewed publications and in a dissertation.
  7. Write a grant proposal.

At the School of Pharmacy, our programs are characterized by a vigorous research environment. A major research emphasis area is toxicology, which studies the adverse effects of drugs and xenobiotics on the body. Toxicology is the biomedical science concerned with understanding the adverse effects of chemicals and other dangerous substances on living organisms.

Toxicologists seek to identify the toxic effects of drugs and chemicals on living organisms, and to understand the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms associated with toxic injury. In doing so, toxicologists use state-of-the-art biological and chemical techniques to answer questions such as: How dangerous are chemicals to people? How much exposure is required to cause harm? What are the effects of such chemical exposures?

The objective of the toxicology graduate program at the University of Colorado is to educate pre-doctoral students to develop independent research careers in molecular and environmental toxicology. Upon completion of the toxicology graduate program, students will receive a PhD degree in toxicology and utilize their training in academia, industry or government.

The following are specific rules approved by the graduate faculty of the School of Pharmacy for graduate studies leading to doctor of philosophy degree in toxicology. All other requirements for these degrees will follow the guidelines of the Graduate School, which can be found in the Toxicology Graduate Student Handbook. The student carries the major responsibility of meeting the rules of the School of Pharmacy and the Graduate School. Failure to meet the following rules and guidelines may result in delay of graduation.

Program Director

Jared Brown PhD

Professor Toxicology Graduate Program Director, T32 Training Program in Molecular and Systems Toxicology Director, Colorado Center for Nanomedicine and Nanosafety Co-Director

Associate Director

James Roede PhD

Associate Professor Toxicology Graduate Program Associate Director
kris-fritz

Kristofer Fritz PhD

Associate Professor
  • Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Email Address:kristofer.fritz@cuanschutz.edu

Primary Phone:303-724-3398

Mailing Address:
  • CU Anschutz

Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Building

12850 East Montview Boulevard

Second Floor Room 2131

Aurora, CO 80045

The long-term goal of our research is to elucidate biochemical mechanisms of cellular dysfunction resulting from altered protein post-translational modifications (PTMs). Specifically, our lab focuses on the downstream effects of protein carbonylation due to lipid peroxidation and protein acylation due to altered liver metabolism. 

Education, Licensure & Certifications

  • BS, La Sierra University, Riverside, CA (Biochemistry)
  • PhD, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA (Biochemistry) 
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Colorado

Affiliations

  • Faculty Member – School of Medicine, Division of Cardiology
  • Board Member - Colorado Biological Mass Spectrometry Society 

For questions regarding graduate school programs contact:

Isabella Jaramillo
Email: 
Isabella.Jaramillo@cuanschutz.edu  
Phone: 303.724.7263
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Jared Brown PhD

Professor Toxicology Graduate Program Director, T32 Training Program in Molecular and Systems Toxicology Director, Colorado Center for Nanomedicine and Nanosafety Co-Director