Pharmacology and Molecular Medicine PhD Program
Our mission is to train the next generation of scientists and leaders in the field of Pharmacology and Molecular Medicine.
Students receive expert training from nationally and internationally renowned Program faculty to interrogate the molecular mechanisms of biological systems and disease and to leverage discoveries for therapeutic intervention in the areas of neuroscience, cancer biology, signal transduction, structural biology, cardiovascular biology, precision medicine, and computational biology. Graduates have been highly successful in academic, biotechnology, and government careers.
Faculty and Student Achievements
Gordon Research Seminar on Synaptic Transmission in Italy
We are so proud of our students, faculty, and postdocs for having such a large turnout at the Gordon Research Seminar on Synaptic Transmission in Italy! All trainees attended the Gordon Research Seminar at the beginning of the conference which was chaired by Dean Kareemo and Dr. Selin Schamiloglu, and Dr. Kate Smith served as the faculty advisor. Talks were given by Eric G. Stokes, Luis Gomez Wulschner, and Carley Miller, and posters were presented by Nicole Brown, Luis Gomez Wulschner, Matt Larsen, Carley Miller, Harrison Ramsay, Amber Stewart, Eric Stokes, and Sarah Wolfe. During the conference, Dr. Ulli Bayer, Dr. Mark Dell'Acqua, Dr. Kate Smith, and Dean Kareemo gave talks, and PhD candidates Nicole Brown, Luis Gomez Wulschner, Dean Kareemo, Matt Larsen, Carley Miller, Harrison Ramsay, Amber Stewart, Eric Stokes, and Sarah Wolfe presented posters. Congratulations to all, and way to represent the Department of Pharmacology at CU Anschutz abroad!
Student Eric Stokes Published
Eric Stokes - Stokes EG, Kim H, Ko J, Aoto J. A systematic structure-function characterization of a human mutation in Neurexin-3α reveals an extracellular modulatory sequence that stabilizes neuroligin-1 binding to enhance the postsynaptic properties of excitatory synapses. J Neurosci. 2024 Sep 4:e1847232024. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1847-23.2024. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39231636.
Pharmacology Student Tyler Martinez Published in eNeuro
February 8, 2024 - Congratulations to current student Tyler Martinez for his publication in eNeuro, Amyloid-β-Induced Dendritic Spine Elimination Requires Ca2+-Permeable AMPA Receptors, AKAP-Calcineurin-NFAT Signaling, and the NFAT Target Gene Mdm2.
Pharmacology Student Ian Shelton Published in Cancer Discovery
September 6, 2023 - Congratulations to current student Ian Shelton for his publication in Cancer Discovery, A Novel Type of Monocytic Leukemia Stem Cell Revealed by the Clinical Use of Venetoclax-Based Therapy.
Alumnus Brian Lloyd, PhD published in Nature Communications!
August 5, 2023 - Pharmacology PhD program alumnus Bryan Lloyd, PhD recently published his research Neurexin-3 subsynaptic densities are spatially distinct from Neurexin-1 and essential for excitatory synapse nanoscale organization in the hippocampus in Nature Communications.
PharMM program from the 2025 Pharmacology Department Retreat
Lily Elizabeth Feldman Recognized as Chair of GRS
to PharMM student Lily on the excellent work as the Chair of the Gordon Research Seminar (GRS), Multi-Drug Efflux Systems. The GRS provides a unique forum for young doctoral and post-doctoral researchers to present their work, network, and gain feedback on their research.
Eric Stokes published a collaborative paper in Nature
Student Dillon Boulton Published
Dillon Boulton - Boulton DP, Caino MC. Emerging roles for Mitochondrial Rho GTPases in tumor biology. J Biol Chem. 2024 Aug 14;300(9):107670. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107670. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39128718.
Pharmacology Student Brian Brady Published in Nature Chemical Biology
January 12, 2024 - Congratulations to current student Brian Brady for his publication in Nature Chemical Biology, A Platform to Induce and Mature Biomolecular Condensates Using Chemicals and Light.
Pharmacology Program Students and Faculty Published in Nature
August 30, 2023 - Congratulations to current student Nicole Brown, alumnus Jonathan Tullis, and program faculty, Drs Ulli Bayer, Mark Dell’Acqua and Jason Aoto for their publication in Nature, LTP induction by structural rather than enzymatic functions of CaMKII.
Alumnus Jacqueline Turner, PhD published in Nature Communications
June 3, 2023 - Congratulations to alumnus Jacqueline Turner, PhD for their publication in Nature Communications! Lysophosphatidic acid modulates CD8 T cell immunosurveillance and metabolism to impair anti-tumor immunity | Published Online June 3, 2023
Ekici Awarded F30
Selin Ekici, an MD/PhD candidate in the C. Ford Lab, was awarded a National Institutes of Health F30 Grant for "Investigation of dopamine signaling pathways in medium spiny neurons." It has been awarded for 4 years.
Amber Stewart awarded NIH F31 Grant
"The role of subsynaptic nanoscale architecture in inhibitory synaptic plasticity" NIH F31, 3 years awarded.
Emelia Smith Receives Poster Award
Emelia Smith won the trainee poster award at the TEMTIA 11 meeting (which is The EMT International Association). The meeting occurred in Seattle, Washington, from November 12-15, 2024.
Student Nicole Brown's Review Published
Mach 21, 2024 - Congratulations to current student Carolyn Nicole Brown for review publication, Studying CaMKII: Tools and standards.
Espinosa Awarded Anschutz Acceleration Initiative Grant
January 12, 2024 - Dr. Joaquin Espinosa and team are working to pave the way for the first immunomodulatory therapy for children with Down syndrome. Assuming positive results, their work could launch a new age of therapeutic development to improve the quality of life and extend the lifespan of millions of individuals affected by this chromosomal abnormality.
Danielle Jeffrey receives F31 Award
August 24, 2023 - Congratulations to graduate student Danielle Jeffrey for receiving an F31 Award! Individual Predoctoral Fellowship (F31) Award supports promising doctoral candidates performing dissertation research and training in a scientific health-related field.
Maddy Rodriguez receives NSF GRFP Fellowship
April 3, 2023 - Congratulations to Maddy Rodriguez on her GRFP Fellowship! Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) fellowships seek to broaden participation in science and engineering of underrepresented groups, including women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and veterans. The five-year fellowship provides three years of financial support inclusive of an annual stipend.