Pharmacology & Toxicology

karen vasquez large — **Karen Vasquez, Ph.D.**
Division Head and Professor of Pharmacology & Toxicology

Thank you for visiting the website of the Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Texas at Austin! As the Pharmacology and Toxicology Division Head, it is my privilege to introduce you to our program.

The University of Texas Pharmacology and Toxicology/Pharmaceutical Sciences PhD program is among the top in the country, with 17 faculty and 29 graduate students. With an emphasis in environmental and molecular mechanisms of health and disease, we aim to identify the mechanisms involved in disease etiology to apply this knowledge to develop improved strategies to prevent and/or treat human disorders. Our focus is on neurological and developmental disorders, addiction, and cancer. Our outstanding faculty have won multiple prestigious awards for their research in the areas of DNA damage and repair, cancer etiology and prevention, addiction and neurotoxicity, neuroimmunology, and neuroendocrinology, and generate ~$8,000,000 per year in grant funding to support research. Our students receive a competitive stipend with paid tuition and health insurance, and they customize their coursework according to their research interests.

We are proud to be an inclusive and diverse community located in the heart of Austin (ranked #1 most livable city in the country). Fellowships and professional development opportunities are available along with financial support for travel to conferences. The mission of the Pharmacology and Toxicology Division is to train the next generation of scientists/students for productive careers in science, and to continue and advance our research excellence.

What starts here changes the world!

Research in Pharmacology and Toxicology

Research in the Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology encompasses studies elucidating basic and translational mechanisms of drug action, the neuropharmacology of addiction, environmental factors that perturb health and lead to disease, DNA repair and genetic instability, and cancer biology, treatment, and prevention.

Our curriculum and research program prepare students for careers related to the actions of drugs and their therapeutic potential, and toxicological mechanisms of disease. Faculty and students use cutting-edge biochemical, molecular, cellular, physiological, and behavioral experimental approaches in their laboratories. Through interactions across various departments, centers and institutes, Division faculty and students have access to state-of-the-art facilities in genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics, and imaging technologies and expertise.

Ph.D. Graduate Program

a graduate student named Ashley working in a lab

To earn a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences in the Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, students participate in graduate education, research and scholarly work that is designed to promote student achievement of the highest level of professional and academic competence. A student receiving an advanced degree from the College of Pharmacy is prepared for a career in research and scholarly work in various settings including an academic institution, industrial company or governmental agency.

Students in the program develop a research project of their own creation, under the supervision of some of the field’s premier faculty, in order to attain the highest level of professional and academic competence in the field and practical experience in independent research. Visit the degree requirements page for details about the curriculum and division-specific requirements.

Eligibility & Admissions

Students entering our program have a baccalaureate degree in a discipline such as pharmacy, chemistry, biochemistry or a biological science. This training should include coursework in biology, organic chemistry, biochemistry, calculus and physiology.

Additional details about eligibility and admissions can be found on the Graduate Studies page.

Educational Resources