# Training in Biomolecular Pharmacology

> **NIH NIH T32** · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · 2020 · $86,375

## Abstract

Abstract. The predoctoral Training Program in Biomolecular Pharmacology at Boston University launched
in 1991 to meld quantitative principles of biomedical engineering (BME) with pharmacology & experimental
therapeutics. It was honored in 1997 with an NIGMS T32 award. In the succeeding 23 years, this university-wide
program has provided a supportive learning environment for predoctoral students. The Program
includes an innovative curriculum, interdisciplinary laboratory rotations, industrial summer internships at
Pfizer and Biogen, and diverse research training opportunities that span the campuses. Students enter via
the Departments of Pharmacology, BME, or the university-wide Graduate Program for Neuroscience
(GPN). Program trainees in BME and GPN experience an integrated curriculum, designed to provide
enriched training in pharmacology coordinated with specialized training in their primary discipline. Trainees
in Pharmacology gain access to diverse research and educational experiences that build upon those
provided by pharmacology faculty. The core curriculum stresses fundamental pharmacological principles
including interactions of bioactive molecules, drug delivery for novel therapeutics, animal models and
relevance to the clinic, and challenges for modern drug discovery. The Program, recently enhanced with
an NIGMS supplement on reproducibility in research, is structured to train students in the skills of rigorous
scientific research, including study design, grant application, and publication. Participating faculty ,
originally 21 and now 47 contribute expertise in focus areas, including neuropharmacology, vascular and
cancer pharmacology, genomics and proteomics, animal models (transgenic and behavioral), structural
biology, nanotechnology, systems biology and medicinal chemistry. Career and professional development
mentoring by faculty and student mentors, strengthened by BU’s NIH-funded career exploration program
for Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training, provides steady opportunities relevant to their career
and professional goals, whether in academia, government or the private sector. Training duration averages
5.3 years, and graduates compete well for positions in various sectors. The program provides stipend
support for 5 trainees each year for appointment terms of 2 years. The missions, ethos and goals of the
T32 program are to recruit the top tier of students who will be fully engaged with faculty mentors across
the university, to enhance cross-disciplinary training in the biomedical sciences.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10156172
- **Project number:** 3T32GM008541-23S1
- **Recipient organization:** BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS
- **Principal Investigator:** David H Farb
- **Activity code:** T32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $86,375
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 1997-07-01 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10156172

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10156172, Training in Biomolecular Pharmacology (3T32GM008541-23S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10156172. Licensed CC0.

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