David Geffen School of Medicine
23-120 Center for Health Sciences
Box 951735
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1735
Molecular and Medical Pharmacology
310-825-0390
Department e-mail
Stephen C. Cannon, MD, PhD, Interim Chair
Samson A. Chow, PhD, Vice Chair
Johannes Czernin, MD, Vice Chair
Arion F. Hadjioannou, PhD, Vice Chair
Harvey R. Herschman, PhD, Vice Chair
R. Michael van Dam, PhD, Vice Chair
The Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology offers an opportunity for gifted students to work with accomplished faculty members toward making novel discoveries in basic and clinical research.
Departmental research interests span a broad range of studies by integrating biological, physical, engineering, and medical sciences to explore mechanisms of disease in biological systems from in silico through a single cell to the whole organism level, while encompassing patient studies. Faculty members strive to understand basic biological systems and disease states and, where appropriate, to use these observations to develop both new molecular diagnostic technologies and new molecular therapeutics.
The department also offers two MD/PhD programs concurrently with the Geffen School of Medicine. One is the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) in which candidates are medical students that have been accepted into MSTP by the School of Medicine in order to qualify. The second is the Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) program in which candidates are post-MD house-staff (interns, residents, or fellows) who have been accepted into the STAR Program by its selection committee in order to qualify.
The department, together with the Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine, offers PhD or postdoctoral training combined with residency training for veterinarians (with DVM or DVM/PhD degrees) in the Veterinary Investigator in Scientific Training and Advancement (VISTA) program.
Note: There is no degree program in pharmacy at UCLA.
With the department as home to the Crump Institute for Molecular Imaging; and the Ahmanson Translational Imaging Division—with its nuclear medicine and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging research and clinical service—students have access to state-of-the-art science and technology, and the opportunity to make a direct impact on patient care. In addition, the department is home to the Business of Science Center. This program supplies education, experience, and industry mentorship to graduate students in the department and in other academic programs to prepare them for professional careers.
