University at Buffalo (UB)
Are you curious about how medications actually work to prevent and treat disease? Do you want to know what makes some medications safer and more effective than others? Are you driven to find new ways to help people with cancer, heart disease or asthma live longer, healthier lives? This program—internationally renowned and one of the first of its kind in the U.S.—is designed specifically for students who want to discover, develop and optimize drugs.
As a pharmaceutical sciences student, you’ll start with classes in a variety of scientific disciplines, including biology, chemistry, calculus and physics. From there, you’ll study physiology and pharmacology, then explore how drugs move and act within the body (including biopharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics). In addition, you'll learn about the safety and impact of various medications.
Even as an undergraduate student, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to work directly with faculty and conduct research related to your interests. Whether you’re focused on improving treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, developing next-generation protein drugs, combatting global infectious diseases like HIV, or nearly any aspect of pharmaceutical science, you’ll learn how to translate ideas and theories into real-world applications.
Beyond research, you’re encouraged to join the UB Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Student Chapter, which hosts events and offers support as you pursue your career goals.
As a pharmaceutical sciences grad, you'll likely be involved in discovering medications, developing them for patients to use and ensuring they are safe. Some of the most popular careers include:
You'll be able to choose where you want to work, too. Some of your options include working at a university, a hospital, a regulatory agency such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a laboratory like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), or within a pharmaceutical or biotechnology company.
Of course, you can always continue your education with a graduate degree in pharmacy or pharmacology or in a related field such as medicinal chemistry, nursing, public health, medicine, bioengineering or biotechnology.
Our faculty have earned some of the most prestigious honors in their fields, including the Fulbright Scholar Award, International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) fellow, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, Volwiler Research Achievement Award, American Association for the Advancement of Science fellow, and SUNY Chancellor’s Award in Scholarship and Creative Activities. They are world-renowned researchers and scientists who have made groundbreaking contributions to the field.
But what you’ll notice immediately is their commitment to our students. They are here at UB because they want to teach—as evidenced, in part, by their teaching awards and student recognition. They’re excited to share their wisdom and help you grow into your career.