Program Description:
The program leading to the Master of Science degree in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology will prepare students for careers in industry, government, education, and research organizations or for further professional training. It is offered in close cooperation with the U.S. Air Force and Navy Toxicology Laboratories located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
This program differs from other undergraduate major or master’s-level programs currently offered at Wright State University, both conceptually and with respect to employment and career options. It provides a comprehensive introduction to the broad range of theoretical concepts that comprise these disciplines, providing both historical context and state-of-the-art technical approaches to solving pharmacological and toxicological problems. This goal of providing students with a career-oriented yet theoretically based education will be accomplished within the core curriculum through the combination of text and literature-based lectures, complemented by laboratory instruction and journal club type seminars, and culminating with a thesis research project.
Admissions Requirements:
Applicants must fulfill the requirements for admission established by the Graduate School. A baccalaureate degree in physical, chemical, or life sciences with undergraduate level courses in biochemistry, molecular biology, molecular genetics, and cell biology is generally required. Preference is given to applicants with a GPA of 3.0 or greater. A personal goals statement and three letters of recommendation are required. For international students, a TOEFL minimum score of 213(CBT) or 79/120(IBT) or a band 6 through the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
Facilities:
The Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology occupies the second floor of the Health Sciences Building on the main campus of Wright State University. Resources include seven well-equipped biomedical research laboratories and common equipment facilities. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is located immediately adjacent to Wright State University, where the facilities of the Air Force and Naval Toxicology laboratories are available to students in the program. In addition to providing a training site for thesis research, these sites also serve as a window to potential career opportunities for graduates of this program. The laboratories at WPAFB conduct research on the health effects of a wide variety of agents for military and other government agencies including the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). The university has an agreement of cooperation with WPAFB promoting educational and research interactions applicable to this M.S. program.
Molecular Biology and Imaging Research Facilities
Students will have the opportunity to utilize state-of-the-art equipment in this core facility maintained within the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology. The core facility contains a sophisticated protein SELDI-TOF mass spectrometer, a laser scanning confocal microscope (Leica SP-2), an epifluorescence microscope (Leica DM-5), a phosphorimager (Fuji FLA-2000), and a multifunctional microplate reader (Packard Fusion). Computer workstations for storage, quantification, and analysis of data, and high-resolution printers for making images are available.
Integrative Pharmacology Facility
Students will also have the opportunity to utilize computerized behavioral and cardiovascular monitoring equipment to monitor the effects of stress, drugs, and toxicants on these physiological parameters in mice.
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