About the Program
The Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics at Purdue University provides academic and research opportunities for graduate students interested in pharmaceutics as a scientific career. Pharmaceutics is a discipline that encompasses the different areas of industrial pharmacy, including the development of small-molecule pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals, pharmacokinetics/biopharmaceutics, and physical pharmacy. The broad spectrum of research interests in one academic department, combined with research projects that integrate the physical, chemical and biological sciences, provides the graduate student with an unparalleled opportunity to work in an outstanding intellectual research environment.
Over the years, students with undergraduate degrees in pharmacy, biochemistry, chemistry, chemical engineering, and the biological sciences have received their Ph.D. degrees from the IMPH Department. The diverse academic and cultural backgrounds of graduate students create a stimulating environment for personal as well as intellectual growth.
Dual-Title PhD in Cancer Research: Students can participate in an immersive experience at the forefront of cancer research and education. Purdue University Institute of Cancer Research (PICR) offers a Dual-Title PhD Program in Cancer Research, a unique opportunity for aspiring scholars to distinguish themselves in the dynamic field of cancer research. Applications are accepted at any time during the completion of their degree. Each applicant will be thoroughly reviewed by the PICR Committee for Academic and Career Success, led by the committee’s associate director.
As cancer continues to pose complex challenges, the demand for experts in this field has never been higher. Graduates from a degree program focused on cancer are poised for diverse and rewarding career opportunities in academia, industry, private NGOs, and government sectors. However, those with a Dual-Title PhD in cancer research, in combination with one of Purdue University’s established degree programs, elevate their profile as scholars and researchers with a specific disciplinary focus coupled with an in-depth understanding of cancer.
Program Website: Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics
Program Website: Cancer Research
Required Courses (13 credits)
Seminar Course (xx credits)
Each student will be required to present a first seminar by the end of the fifth semester. The student may present a literature review and/or literature review and research results. Departmental seminars are evaluated by the faculty and are the basis for a grade in seminar during that semester as well as serving as criterion for evaluation of new graduate students.
Each student is also required to present a second seminar on their graduate research, near the end of their studies. The second departmental seminar is also a Doctoral Seminar, i.e. it is a part of the student’s doctoral defense. Accordingly, the seminar is open to the interested public and the appropriate announcement will be made university-wide. Attendance at all seminars is mandatory for all students unless excused by their Major Professor with concurrence of the faculty member in charge of seminar.
Research Areas (xx credits)
Students will choose a research area to focus their studies.
Delivery and Biopharmaceutics
When a drug is given to a patient, it must be absorbed into the bloodstream and reach the appropriate site within the body in order to be effective. “Drug delivery” deals with the absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination (ADME) of drugs, and with designing formulations that give the desired ADME properties. Research in drug delivery includes the development of controlled release oral dosage forms, the targeted delivery of chemotherapeutics for treating cancer, the design of transdermal patches that deliver drugs across the skin, and fundamental studies of the role of transport proteins in drug uptake and distribution. The Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics is internationally recognized for its research in oral drug delivery, in novel nanomaterials for delivery to the lung and to solid tumors, and for the development of controlled release oral dosage forms.
Formulation
“Formulation” combines a drug with biologically inert materials to create a product with the desired properties. Properties that can be controlled by formulation include apparent solubility and dissolution rate, chemical stability, protein aggregation, and crystal polymorphic form. Research in formulation addresses the rates and mechanisms of chemical degradation reactions, the nucleation and growth of pharmaceutical crystals, and the development of novel excipients that stabilize the drug. The Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics is a world leader in developing fundamental understanding and new technologies for formulating pharmaceutical solids.
Manufacturing
Once a new drug has been discovered and formulated, it must be manufactured to produce the final product. Pharmaceutical manufacturing uses unit operations such as granulation, tablet coating, cell culture and lyophilization (freeze-drying) to achieve this goal. Research in pharmaceutical manufacturing includes the design of new and improved processes, the creation of new process monitoring and control strategies, and the development of scientific principles that guide the regulation of drug products. The Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics is a pioneer in pharmaceutical manufacturing research.
Dissertation Research (xx credits)
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