Department of Pharmacology

Welcome to the Department of Pharmacology at UT Health San Antonio. We conduct basic and translational research across a wide spectrum of diseases to improve human health. Expertise in the department includes neuroscience, substance abuse disorders, drug-receptor interactions, aging, diabetes, and cancer. We utilize cutting-edge techniques encompassing cellular and molecular biology, optogenetics, and behavioral assays to test hypotheses.  Because of the departmental diversity in disease models as well as technical approaches, our faculty routinely collaborate on integrated research projects. Drug discovery initiatives in the department often involve collaborations with chemistry partners to optimize initial leads for eventual drug development.

We consistently rank among the top 25 Departments of Pharmacology in NIH funding at U.S. medical schools and our faculty are well-respected locally, nationally, and internationally.  Our collegial and cooperative environment, together with the commitment of our faculty to training, provides an optimal setting for success in graduate education and postdoctoral training. We host the Center for Biomedical Neuroscience (CBN), the Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence (ARTT), their respective NIH T32 training grants, and an ASPET undergraduate research program. Our goal is not only to train students to become accomplished scientists in a specific area of research but also to become independent, creative, and productive thinkers. This has enabled our graduates to move on to rewarding and successful careers in academia, the pharmaceutical industry, and government.