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    The Pharmaceutical & Translational Sciences (PHTS) Program brings together, under one umbrella, the school’s three laboratory-based PhD programs—Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics (CXPT), Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology (MPTX) and Pharmaceutical Sciences (PSCI). This promotes a more cohesive interdisciplinary experience advancing education and offering opportunities to sample the entire range of innovative research options.

    This doctoral training program prepares students for careers in the pharmaceutical industry, academia and advanced scientific research in a broad range of settings. The training encompasses a unique scientific framework from drug discovery, delivery and development to application of genetics and genomics to experimental and clinical translational research.

     

    PHTS Umbrella

    PPSI PhD Umbrella infograph

    The umbrella structure allows students to attend courses and seminars together, and rotate through laboratories across programs during their first year. This fosters interdisciplinary crosstalk among students and faculty, helping students find an ideal laboratory and faculty mentor as well as a specialized track of study they want to pursue. Upon successful completion of the first year, students will select an area of study from one of the three listed below, in which they will earn the Doctor of Philosophy degree following successful completion of the PhD Program.

    The MPTX PhD Program provides training in molecular mechanisms of disease as well as disease and drug interaction. Coursework emphasizes molecular pharmacology and the interaction of drugs with cell physiology. Research areas are laboratory-based and include drug design and development, receptor pharmacology, pharmacodynamics, medicinal chemistry, cancer biology and pharmacology, immunology, metabolism and biochemistry, molecular- and neuro-pharmacology, and oxidant and environmental toxicology. The MPTX PhD program and the PSCI PhD program are both administered under the umbrella of the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

    The PSCI PhD Program provides training that emphasizes basic as well as applied research through advanced coursework in contemporary pharmaceutical sciences. Independent laboratory research areas include drug design, development, targeting and delivery; medicinal chemistry; computational chemistry; pharmaceutics; pharmacokinetics; pharmacodynamics; immunology; and molecular and cell biology. The PSCI PhD program and the MPTX PhD program are both administered under the umbrella of the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

    The CXPT track provides cross-training between clinical and basic sciences—focusing on the investigation of disease processes, drug development, and the efficacy and toxicity of therapeutic regimens. Course requirements and research opportunities offer both experimental (basic) and disease-focused experiences. The emphasis in this track is clinical translational, using molecular and translational science techniques to address clinically relevant research questions.

    Chun-Jun (CJ) Guo

    How did your time at the USC Mann School impact you?

    "The rigorous training I received through the USC Pharmaceutical Sciences PhD program equipped me with a strong foundation in natural product chemistry, microbial genetics and analytical chemistry. This comprehensive background has proven invaluable in my research on unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying microbe-host interactions."

    Chun-Jun (CJ) Guo

    PhD Pharmaceutical Sciences '14

    Assistant Professor, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences
    Anh Truong

    What inspired you to pursue a PharmD/PhD at USC?

    "I only applied to pharmacy schools that advertised a dual degree program; plus USC is the number-one private pharmacy school in the country. While it was a struggle to take PharmD and PhD classes at the same time, the School’s dual degree program allowed me to complete my clinical and research training two years faster than if I had pursued the degrees separately."

    Anh Truong

    PharmD ’17, PhD Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology ’21

    Field Application Scientist at Agilent Technologies
    Hugo Avila

    Why did you choose USC Mann?

    "One of the appealing factors that sold me was the famous USC alumni network, the focus on translational science at various levels, and the option to earn a masters in either regulatory science or drug development. Taken together I believe they contribute to making me more competitive in the job market after my PhD."

    Hugo Avila

    PhD Pharmaceutical and Translational Sciences ’21

    Senior Advisor, Eli Lilly and Company
    Amy Tran-Guzman

    Why was USC a good fit for you?

    "USC was a good fit for me because it had provided me with opportunities to develop necessary scientific skills and grow a professional network for a postgrad career in the pharmaceutical industry."

    Amy Tran-Guzman

    PhD Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology '22, MS Regulatory Science '17

    Scientist at Bristol Myers Squibb
    USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
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