Pharmacology and Toxicology Minor

*Not a baccalaureate degree program

A minor in pharmacology and toxicology is offered to science and non-science majors interested in acquiring an introductory understanding of the actions of drugs and toxic agents on living cells and tissues.

The overall goal of the program in Pharmacology and Toxicology is to prepare students with a comprehensive understanding of the interactions of drug and toxin actions with living cells and tissues. Majors in our program are expected to master both the conceptual and practical aspects of pharmacology and toxicology, as well as fundamental laboratory techniques used in assessing drug action. This training provides students with an array of career opportunities including advanced study in either graduate or professional schools or for scientific careers in regulatory affairs, production analysis, product safety or sales, or as research scientists and/or drug information specialists.

Research Oriented Curriculum

During your studies, you can work with our highly accomplished faculty at every stage of experimental, hands-on research; studying biological processes, modeling novel compounds, synthesizing these compounds and testing their effects.

We cultivate a positive, supportive academic environment that enables you to thrive.

Conducting lab research as an undergraduate lays the groundwork for a successful career in Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuroscience and related fields in the Biomedical Sciences.

Our majors get hands-on research experience in PMY 409 (Experimental Pharmacology). We also offer lab research to majors and interested non-majors via PMY 498.

Our faculty has extraordinarily broad and diverse areas of research interest. These areas include, neuropharmacology, behavioral pharmacology, hormone mechanisms, drug use and abuse, toxicology, biophysics and genetics of ion channels, pharmacogenomics & toxicogenomics, circadian rhythms, neuroscience, and cancer.

Please visit the Pharmacology and Toxicology department website for additional information about our faculty.

The broad academic background provides students with a wide array of career opportunities. Many graduates enter medical or dental schools or pursue graduate studies in pharmacology or other biochemical sciences. Pharmacology graduates find employment in technical, production/analytical, or sales positions as research scientists or drug information specialists in the pharmaceutical industry, government, university laboratories, and hospitals.

Alumni in Pharmacology and Toxicology have been employed in the following fields:

• Administrator
• Armed forces services
• Biochemist
• Educator
• Health careers
• Manufacturer's representative
• Marketing
• Pharmacologist
• Research scientist
• Sales
• Toxicologist

Intended students in their first two years will work with the Biomedical Undergraduate Office to create an academic plan, discuss course selection and workload management. Advisor assignments are determined by students’ academic year.

The purpose of advisement is to provide students with guidance in course sequencing and selection. In-person advisement is required in your first year at the University to develop an appropriate academic plan to facilitate a timely graduation. Students are required to meet with their advisor in the first year of study and are encouraged to meet with their advisor at least once a semester. In addition to assisting students in completing their degree in a timely manner, advisors also connect students to campus resources that can aid in their academic success and meeting their post graduate or professional goals.

Shannon Brown
Undergraduate Academic Advisor
Smbrown3@buffalo.edu

The Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Arin Bhattacharjee, is regularly available to discuss the program.

We celebrate scholarly excellence and contributions to the scientific community through competitive annual awards.

We fully fund student travel to major Pharmacology conferences and help you develop relationships with researchers early in your career.