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NIGMS T32 Training Program

The Department of Pharmacology and Physiology has a 35-year history of National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) T32-funded training in the pharmacological sciences. The leadership team oversees the efforts of more than 30 well-funded preceptors from five departments across the School of Medicine, College of Arts and Sciences, and the Department of Biomedical Engineering. The program emphasizes pharmacology's multidisciplinary nature and integrative approach.

Pharmacology is essential to the study and development of effective therapies for human disease. Its influence extends across all areas of drug discovery, a process that requires an extended range of participating scientists from multiple disciplines with a wide range of expertise in chemistry, physiology, pharmacology and medicine.

The T32 grant provides trainees with a strong foundation in pharmacological principles through didactic training in molecular pharmacology and drug discovery, grant writing and rigorous conduct of research. The program includes interactive learning opportunities such as journal clubs, data presentations to a diverse audience and an annual symposium featuring trainees, mentors and a guest speaker.

The grant also prepares trainees for a wide range of research careers in pharmacology through structured career development activities and training opportunities.

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 34 years of NIH T32 support, 95% 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, four graduates hold chairs at medical school biology departments, and one serves as vice president of research at the University of Virginia.

Participating Faculty

  • Christopher Arnatt (chemistry)
  • Yuna Ayala (biochemistry and molecular biology)
  • Ángel Baldán (biochemistry and molecular biology)
  • Dana Baum (chemistry)
  • Andrew Butler (pharmacology and physiology)
  • Rafael Cazuza (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)
  • Liberty François-Moutal (pharmacology and physiology)
  • Koyal Garg (biochemistry and molecular biology)
  • Daniel Harwiger (microbiology and molecular immunology)
  • Sergey Korolev (biochemistry and molecular biology)
  • Robert Scott Martin (chemistry)
  • Kyle McCommis (biochemistry and molecular biology)
  • Marvin Meyers (chemistry)
  • Ryan McCulla (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)
  • Beika Zhu (pharmacology and physiology)
  • Silviya Zustiak (biomedical engineering)