Clinical Pharmacology Postdoctoral Research Training Program Institutions
Contact: Dr. Rochelle Long
The goal of these programs is to develop clinician-scientists who will be leaders in the field of clinical pharmacology research. Individuals in these programs should receive experience in the methodology and conduct of basic and clinical research to qualify them to investigate the effects and mechanisms of drug actions in humans. Programs should provide rigorous, multidisciplinary postdoctoral research training with an emphasis on hypothesis-driven laboratory or clinical research. Trainees, most of whom would have the M.D. or Pharm.D. degree, will be expected to spend at least 2 years in the training program and devote a minimum of 80 percent effort toward their research. Trainees should have the opportunity to acquire fundamental scientific knowledge and research techniques in such areas as basic pharmacology, biochemistry, physiology, molecular medicine and gene therapy, biostatistics, pharmacogenetics/genomics and other biomedical subdisciplines. For trainees with an M.D. or Pharm.D. degree or other professional degree, this experience should emphasize rigorous research training and complement their clinical backgrounds. Trainees may be recruited from a broad range of clinical specialties including internal medicine, infectious disease and pediatrics. For trainees with a Ph.D. degree, the research and training should be specifically designed to promote a career in clinical pharmacology research. The training experience should be enhanced by providing programmatic activities, such as a seminar series and journal club, and may include specific courses if well justified, such as those on research techniques/approaches, statistics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacogenetics and clinical trial design and regulatory issues. NIGMS expects fellows of Clinical Pharmacology Training Grant Programs to pursue research careers in academia, the pharmaceutical or biotech industry, or government research or regulatory agencies.
