Summer Undergraduate Program
Undergraduate Research Program at the University of Utah at the Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry provides undergraduate students majoring in the basic sciences with the opportunity to gain first-hand experience in scientific research at a major academic institution.
Due to budget restraints and the current ecomony, we have discontinued the Pharmaceutics Summer Research Program. We thank you for your interest in our department.
What is Pharmaceutics?
Pharmaceutics is the science of drug delivery. This broad field encompasses a spectrum of diverse scientific disciplines. The domain of research extends from fundamental studies of drug physicochemical properties to dosage forms and delivery systems, including investigations of the mechanisms of various physiological processes impacting the delivery of drugs to specific sites of action and, therefore, on their therapeutic effectiveness. The complexity and size of drug molecules and problems in their delivery have grown, providing new and expanded challenges for pharmaceutical scientists. Protein pharmaceuticals and gene delivery methods offer additional exciting opportunities.
Researchers in pharmaceutics or pharmaceutical chemistry must have sufficient breadth and depth in physical chemistry, organic chemistry, mathematics, biotechnology, and the biological sciences in order to solve research problems requiring mastering basic science concepts from multiple disciplines.
The University of Utah Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry is recognized world-wide as a leading department in this discipline.
Current Research
Research Topics in Pharmaceutical Chemistry are listed within each of the group pages. Some topics are:
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Biomembrane transport systems. (Knutson Group)
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Biosensors and clinical diagnostics assays (Herron Group)
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Characterization of biomineral solubility behavior (HAP Group)
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Clinical Bioavailability of New Drug Formulations (Kern Group)
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Conopeptites as new anesthetic drugs (Kern Group)
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Degradable, Temperature Sensitive Hydrogels(Kim Group)
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E.E.G. Analysis of Drug effects on the Brain. (Kern Group)
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Folate Receptor-Mediated Gene Delivery, IL-10 Delivery (Kim Group)
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Leukemia, Cytokine-Based Cancer, and Cardiovascular Disease Gene Therapy (Kim Group)
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Microspheres/Insulin (Protein) Aggregation (Kim Group)
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Monitoring of Metabolic Disorders (Kern Group)
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Novel Biomaterials (Hybrid hydrogels & Self-assembled monolayers) (Kopecek Group)
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PEG-insulin, anti-GAD, Bioartificial Pancreas, and IL-10, IL-4 Gene Therapy for Type I & II Diabetes (Kim Group)
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Polymeric anticancer drugs (Kopecek Group)
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Polymeric Gene Carrier Research (Kim Group)
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Response Surface Modeling of Drug Kinetics and Drug Dynamics (Kern Group)
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Site-specific delivery to GI (Kopecek Group)
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Structure-function correlates of antigen-antibody complex formation (Herron Group)
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Targeted drug-delivery systems (Herron Group)
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Trafficking of the human progesterone receptor (Lim Group)
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Transdermal drug delivery (Higuchi)
More Topics are listed on the individual Group Pages
Department research is presented in the Monday Seminars Series.
Research Facilities
The Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry occupies approximately 24,000 square feet of space in the College of Pharmacy and two nearby locations, all in proximity to the Medical Center and Health Sciences Library. One of these locations is the newly constructed Biomedical Polymers Research Building, which also houses the Center for Controlled Chemical Delivery. All department space is well equipped for graduate research, containing facilities for cell culture, and small-animal surgery, as well as cold rooms, darkrooms, and several instrument rooms, offices, and conference rooms. Instrumentation available within the department includes numerous chromatographic instruments (HPLC, CE, FPLC, GLC), various scintillation counters, spectrometers (UV/VIS, UV/VIS/NIR, fluorescence, FTIR), calorimetry instrumentation, a quasielastic light scattering instrument, lyophilization equipment, and various microscopes for confocal microscopy and other applications. Researchers have ready access to NMR and mass spectrometry services including GC/MS and LC/MS, SEM, EM, and scanning force microscopy services.
What Do Students Do in the Graduate Program?
The Undergraduate Research Program is a ten-week program during which time students conduct independent research under the supervision of senior faculty members applying chemical and mathematical principles to contemporary problems involving drugs and related molecules. Participants receive basic instruction in laboratory and research techniques, learn first-hand the use of specialized laboratory instrumentation, and learn how to effectively search and study the scientific literature. The program is designed to provide maximum independence but sufficient guidance to ensure that students will obtain a complete research experience.
The stipend for a ten-week period of research is $3,000.00. Students will be responsible for their travel and housing expenses. At their option, participants may enroll as University of Utah students for the summer and receive academic credit for their research work. In addition to the honor of having been selected, participants will obtain valuable exposure to scientific research which will enable them to more clearly evaluate research as a career alternative.
The University of Utah is located overlooking Salt Lake City at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains. Opportunities for a variety of summer recreational activities are abundant, including hiking, mountain climbing, boating, and fishing. Ten national parks are within a day's drive of the University.
What Do Students Do in the Graduate Program?
The Undergraduate Research Program is a ten-week program during which time students conduct independent research under the supervision of senior faculty members applying chemical and mathematical principles to contemporary problems involving drugs and related molecules. Participants receive basic instruction in laboratory and research techniques, learn first-hand the use of specialized laboratory instrumentation, and learn how to effectively search and study the scientific literature. The program is designed to provide maximum independence but sufficient guidance to ensure that students will obtain a complete research experience.
The stipend for a ten-week period of research is $3,000.00. Students will be responsible for their travel and housing expenses. At their option, participants may enroll as University of Utah students for the summer and receive academic credit for their research work. In addition to the honor of having been selected, participants will obtain valuable exposure to scientific research which will enable them to more clearly evaluate research as a career alternative.
The University of Utah is located overlooking Salt Lake City at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains. Opportunities for a variety of summer recreational activities are abundant, including hiking, mountain climbing, boating, and fishing. Ten national parks are within a day's drive of the University.
How Do I Apply?
Students now pursuing a bachelor's degree in chemistry, engineering, biology, physics, mathematics, pharmacy, or related disciplines may qualify for the Research Program. Applicants should preferably have completed organic chemistry lab and their junior year by the beginning of the summer research activity. Students in their final year as undergraduates are reminded that graduate programs leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry are available and inquiries are welcome. Applications are invited from all qualified individuals regardless of race, religion, disabilities, age, or sex.
Due to budget restraints and the current ecomony, we have discontinued the Pharmaceutics Research Program. We thank you for your interest in our department.
Graduate School Admission Information
