Our graduate program in toxicology has a national and international reputation for quality. Known for our preparation in the areas of molecular toxicology, cancer biology and pharmacology, neurotoxicology and immunotoxicology, we’re here to train you for a successful research career.
We’re problem-solvers in the world of toxicology. Our program focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying the toxic effects of therapeutic agents, industrial chemicals and environmental toxins. An integral part of this program is the investigation and characterization of the genetic components that underlie an organism's or tissue's resistance or susceptibility to toxic agents.
Our objective in this program is clear: educate pre-doctoral students to develop independent research careers in molecular and environmental toxicology. Upon completion of the toxicology graduate program, our students receive PhD degrees in toxicology and utilize their training in academia, industry or government.
Our world-class faculty is made up for scientists who make an impact. Faculty members have primary appointments in the School of Pharmacy, the School of Medicine, the Webb-Waring Antioxidant Research Institute, the National Jewish Medical Center or the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center.
For students, that means access to research opportunities that cover the breadth of toxicology with major strengths in cancer/carcinogenesis/chemoprevention, oxidative stress and antioxidants, neurotoxicology, pulmonary toxicology, hepatotoxicology, pharmacogenetics, pharmacogenomics, immunotoxicology and forensic and clinical toxicology.
In addition to our graduate students, we train many postdoctoral fellows and wok with highly trained technicians and undergraduate researchers within the toxicology program. After students complete their coursework and choose a project, they become essentially full-time researchers until the dissertation is submitted to the faculty. Students normally attend and present their research results at national scientific meetings. Communication with scientists at other institutions is considered an important facet of research training.
While there is considerable overlap between the two programs, the Molecular Toxicology Graduate Program focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying the toxic effects of therapeutic agents, industrial chemicals and environmental toxins. An integral component of this program is investigation and characterization of the genetic components that underlie an organism's or tissue's resistance or susceptibility to toxic agents.
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:
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.
Email Address:michael.wempe@cuanschutz.edu
Primary Phone:303-724-8982
Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Building
12850 East Montview Boulevard
Second Floor Room 2105
Aurora, CO 80045
My laboratory uses chemical synthesis (organic and bio-organic) to produce known and novel compounds which are subsequently screened (in vitro) for their biological activity. Drug oral bioavailability may be influenced by low solubility, intrinsic instability, low membrane permeability, high first pass metabolism, and/or active excretion across the small intestine back into the intestinal lumen via efflux pumps.
Consequently, we are interested in and conduct fundamental research in drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics, and toxicity. 'Research' activities include: i) Medicinal Chemistry - rational drug design and Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) elucidation; ii) computational chemistry; iii) developing novel technology to improve drug oral bioavailability and iv) identifying new bio-analytical methodology.
Isabella Jaramillo
Email: Isabella.Jaramillo@cuanschutz.edu
Phone: 303.724.7263