The USC Mann School’s master’s program in Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics will provide students with foundational concepts/knowledge and practical training in interdisciplinary sciences of therapeutic discovery and development, evaluation of risks and benefits of medications in diverse patient populations. Coursework emphasizes diverse branches of pharmacological and translational sciences – evaluation of ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination; toxicity) of potential therapeutics, drug screening, preclinical development; pharmacogenomics, pharmacometrics, pharmacoepidemiology, data science including bioinformatics and machine learning, and clinical testing. Students will have opportunities to engage in research to facilitate their performance at high-level basic, translational, and applied science in the discipline specific to the their area of emphasis. This foundational training will enable the graduates to be highly competitive for Ph.D. programs in pharmacological and translational sciences or employed in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry, or government (e.g. FDA, NIH).
Master’s students enrolled in the program will be able to:
- Explain and discuss core scientific concepts pertinent to basic and translational sciences.
These include novel drug design, lead development and optimization, preclinical development with the emphasis on metabolic profiling, toxicology and efficacy.
- Develop knowledge on solutions of clinically-relevant challenges using preclinical drug development and clinical trial testing practices with the input of health-care practitioners.
- Develop understanding and hands-on methodological skills in contemporary technologies/techniques.
- Apply contemporary and innovative research methodological skills related to the respective area of emphasis under guidance of their faculty advisor to:
- Synthesize, integrate, and evaluate data from diverse sources into their research.
- Use statistical and bioinformatics methods required to conduct translational research.
- Develop skills to interact in multidisciplinary research teams if warranty by the specific research project the graduate is engaged with. Apply these skills to work in a team mentored by a senior Ph.D. student or a fellow Master student.
- Develop and implement effective scientific communication skills by presenting findings of their work at group meetings and at scientific conferences if warranted.
- Complete a research-based thesis in their respective area of emphasis under the guidance of their faculty advisor, which may form part or all of a publishable original research paper.