Pharmacology Training Programs in the Future
Major Accomplishments in Pharmacology and Impact of other disciplines. (partly from ASPET’s “Significant events in Pharmacology”) Discovery of G proteins - biochemistry ANP - physiology/biochemistry ANP receptor Guanylyl Cyclase - biochem/mol. biology Zidovudine effective against HIV - virology/immunology Late 80’s to 90’s - Structures of G proteins (ras, Gi , Gs , G ) biochem/structural biol structure of adenylyl cyclase - biochem/structural biol structure of rhodopsin (GPCR) - biochem/structural biol 90’s - current - transgenics and knock outs - genetics/mol. biol./physiol/pathology.
Pharmacology Systems Biology Proteomics Mathematical Modeling Pharmacogenomics Biochemistry Molecular Biology Immunology Microbiology Physiology Chemistry Cell Biology Genetics Structural Biology Astrophysics
Pharmacology Students/Postdocs IndustryAcademia Govt. (CDC NIH, etc.) AdministrationScience (R&D) Teaching Other (writing Patent law, etc)
Needs on curriculum: How much do we teach? What do we teach? More Biochemistry? Proteomics? Systems Biology/ Computational Biology (Mathematical Modeling)? - Collaborations with biology/math depts. - joint programs? Small molecule screens? (interactions with industry) Intellectual Property and Patenting? (ditto) More genomics/genetics? Structure based inhibitors/activators? Structural Biology? Administration? Ph.D/MBA programs?
Enhance the translational side of research Collaborations with Clinicians (co-mentors/committee members) - insights into clinical trials Collaborations/Partership with Industry (scholarships/fellowships) Co-mentors in Industry? Advantages: Learn hands-on the processes that contribute to drug development - analyses of clinical trial data Gain insights into the nuances of how Industry works - from data books, proprietary rights, to research priorities. Make informed decisions about careers in industry. Hurdles: Time away from primary lab Delay in publications! Commitment on part of industry? - investment?