Contact:
Boris Tabakoff, Ph.D.
Professor and Chairman
Department of Pharmacology
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
4200 E. Ninth Avenue C236
Denver, CO 80262
Telephone: (303) 315-5057
FAX: (303) 315-0708
E-Mail: boris.tabakoff@uchsc.edu
WWW: http://www.uchsc.edu/sm/pharmaco
Year Established: 1967
Total Number of Faculty: 60
Total Number of Students: 22
US Citizens: 100%
Female: 68%
US Under-represented minorities: 10%
Black (not of Hispanic origin): 5%
Hispanic Origin: 5%
Total Number of Graduate in the Last Five Years:
25 graduates
Average Number of Years to Complete Program: 5
Program Description: The complex questions asked in neuropharmacology require familiarity with a number of diverse disciplines such as cell biology, biochemistry, neurophysiology and neuroanatomy. Specific examples of questions being addressed by department laboratories are: how does the hippocampal formation in the brain participate in the processes of learning and memory, and what is the basis for the memory loss seen during aging? What are the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which drugs of abuse such as cocaine, morphine and alcohol affect the activity of the nervous system? What neurochemical mechanisms underlie the processes of tolerance, dependence and sensitization to drugs? What are the molecular properties of CNS signal transduction systems (receptor-effector coupling systems) and how are these properties modified by drugs? What are the molecular properties of neurotransmitters receptors (e.g. the cloned subunits of GABA, acetylcholine and glutamate receptors)?
Techniques used to address neuropharmacological questions include electrophysiology (intra and extra-cellular recording), biochemistry (e.g., radioenzymatic assays to study neurotransmitter release), in vivo electrochemistry, receptor binding and autoradiography, molecular biology (cloning and oocyte expression; in situ hybridization; Northern and Western analysis; PCR), fluorescence microscopy (to analyze intracellular ion concentrations) and cell and tissue culture.
An interactive, collaborative atmosphere prevails among the department's neuroscience laboratories. Often questions arise that can be best answered by using a combination of approaches and techniques. There are particularly close ties among the neuropharmacology laboratories and those studying the pharmacology of alcohol and drug abuse. The explosion of research in the area of neuroscience makes neuropharmacology exciting and challenging discipline that is likely to influence our understanding of the nervous system and to result in more efficacious treatments for neurological and psychiatric diseases.
The five-year training program in Neuropharmacology in the Department of Pharmacology is broadly divided into two periods. During the first two years, the program combines the required core courses with a diverse range of research experiences. Providing a firm foundation in molecular biology and pharmacology, the core courses are supplemented with electives that present advanced information in areas of specific interest to the student.
Of equal importance, first and second year students engage in research experiences that allow them to apply the course material to real research problems. Further, these experiences expose the student to the department's research opportunities. Student research rotations are carried our in the laboratories of training faculty members, typically for a period of one quarter in each lab. With the aid of the research advisor, the student formulates a research question and designs and implements an experimental approach to address the question.
The Department of Pharmacology maintains an active seminar program which attracts outstanding speakers from throughout the world. These seminars expose students to ongoing, state-of-the-art research in all aspects of pharmacology and other biomedical sciences. In addition, students are welcome to meet informally with the speakers.
As documented on our web site, the Department has one of the most highly rated Pharmacology programs in the US.
Admission Requirements:
How and Where to Apply: Address above or judy.deboer@uchsc.edu
Annual Tuition and Fees Costs: Paid by the Department of Pharmacology
Approximate Cost of Living Per Year: $12,000
Housing Availability and Costs Per Year: Traditional student, single, $450/mo., readily available, family 2 bedroom, hard to find.
Day-Care Facilities Availability and Costs Per Month: $115-150 per week; per child. Readily available, campus facility is waitlisted.
Stipend/Assistantships and Financial Assistance: $15,000/year. Stipends paid by the Department; financial assistance/student aid.
How to Apply for Financial Assistance: scotti-hunter@uchsc.edu
Last revised April 15, 2003
http://www.andp.org/programs/graduate/unitedstates/colorado/ucolopharm.htm
Directory of Neuroscience Training Programs
© 2007 Association of Neuroscience Departments and Programs
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