The Pharmacological Sciences Training Program (PSTP) is a unique collaboration between the Medical School and the College of Pharmacy that provides synergistic, translational education, research training, and career development with the ultimate goal of preparing our graduates to excel as leaders in the field of experimental therapeutics, both in the academy and in the private sector.
PSTP trainees will develop a strong foundation in basic principles of pharmacology and medicinal chemistry and a broad knowledge of other related basic science disciplines including biochemistry, chemistry, and physiology so that they can ultimately direct cutting-edge research in pharmacology and therapeutics and address scientific questions from multiple perspectives.
Trainee activities include participation in: joint seminars, the annual PSTP Symposium, semi-annual Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Career Day, College of Pharmacy Career and Networking Events. All trainees complete a core curriculum in pharmacological sciences consisting of courses in pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, statistical analysis, and grant-writing and scientific communication; with other courses designed to fit the programmatic needs of individual students and the degree requirements of the individual departments.
The Pharmacological Sciences Training Program strongly supports the University of Michigan Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as summarized in these principles:
Diversity: We commit to increasing diversity, which is expressed in myriad forms, including race and ethnicity, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, language, culture, national origin, religious commitments, age, (dis)ability status, and political perspective.
Equity: We commit to working actively to challenge and respond to bias, harassment, and discrimination. We commit to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, (dis)ability status, religion, height, weight, or veteran status.
Inclusion: We commit to pursuing deliberate efforts to ensure that our campus is a place where differences are welcomed, different perspectives are respectfully heard and where every individual feels a sense of belonging and inclusion. We know that by building a critical mass of diverse groups on campus and creating a vibrant climate of inclusiveness, we can more effectively leverage the resources of diversity to advance our collective capabilities.
2024 Cohort
Alex Powell
Pharmacology PhD Student
Traynor Lab
Erika Ruskie
Pharmacology PhD Student
Hastings and Scott Labs
Tyler Brant
Biological Chemistry PhD Student
Sherman Lab
Ashley Scheutzow
Biological Chemistry PhD Student
Baldridge Lab
Sierra Hefferan
Medicinal Chemistry PhD Student
Sherman Lab
Katherine Hoegeman
Medicinal Chemistry PhD Student
Clasby Lab
Ryan Russo
Medicinal Chemistry PhD Student
Narayan Lab
Helen SaTsu
Medicinal Chemistry PhD Student
Hastings Lab
Hannah Myatt
Pharmaceutical Sciences PhD Student
Sun Lab
2023 Cohort
Kalynn Bird
Pharmacology PhD Student
Jenkins Lab
Kaitlyn Digsby
Pharmacology PhD Student
J Miller/Brody Lab
Krystal Santiago Colon
Pharmacology PhD Student
Mattis/Isom Lab
Hannah Boesger
Medicinal Chemistry PhD Student
Sherman Lab
Julia Catalano
Pharmaceutical Sciences PhD Student
Schwendeman Lab
Vishakha Choudhary
Biological Chemistry PhD Student
Smith Lab
2022 Cohort
Livia Stanger
Pharmacology PhD Student
Holinstat Lab
Jeremy Dortch
Biological Chemistry PhD Student
Baldridge Lab
Behirda Karaj
Pharmacology PhD Student
Brenner Lab
Cristian Martinez-Ramos
Pharmacology PhD Student
Osawa Lab
Kathryn Hoegeman
Medicinal Chemistry PhD Student
Clasby lab
Mariana Romero-Gonzalez
Pharmaceutical Sciences PhD Student
Brunaugh lab
Derrick Ousley
Medicinal Chemistry PhD Student
Kersten lab
2021 Cohort
Kassidy Jungles
Pharmacology PhD Student
Green Lab
Tenzin Ngodup
Pharmacology PhD Student
Lee Lab
Claire Shudde
Pharmacology PhD Student
Courtney Lab
Adam Ard
Medicinal Chemistry PhD Student
Clasby lab
Adaeze Eneli
Pharmaceutical Science PhD Student
A. Schwendeman lab
Sophia Meyer
Medicinal Chemistry PhD Student
Sexton lab
2020 Cohort
Shreeya Bakshi
Pharmacology PhD Student
Isom Lab
Elyse Frydendall
Pharmacology PhD Student
Scott Lab
Natalia Harris
Biological Chemistry PhD Student
Sherman and J Smith Labs
Francisco Sanchez-Conde
Pharmacology PhD Student
Jones D. Lab
Glory Velazquez
Medicinal Chemistry PhD Student
Garcia Lab
2020 Cohort
Emily Makowski, PhD, Senior Scientist, Genentech
Thesis: "Multi-Objective Engineering of Therapeutic Antibodies"
Advisor: Peter Tessier, PhD
2019 Cohort
Kristen Hong Dorsey, PhD, Advisor, Eli Lilly and Company
Thesis: "Evaluation of Lipid-Based Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases"
Advisor: Anna Schwendeman, PhD
Jesse Wotring, PhD, Medicinal Chemist
Thesis: "Rapidly Translational Drug Discovery Using High Content Imaging: Applications to Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and the COVID-19 Pandemic"
Advisor: Jonathan Sexton, PhD
Chi-Chi Ukachukwu, PhD, Eli Lilly and Company
Thesis: "The hERG1 PAS Domain: An Anti-arrhythmic Drug Target and Master Regulator of IKr"
Advisor: David K. Jones
Kelsey Kochan, PhD, FDA Pharmacologist
Thesis: "Characterization of Positive Allosteric Modulators of the Mu Opioid Receptor"
Advisor: John Traynor, PhD
2018 Cohort
Josh Lott, PhD, Medical Science Liaison, Merz Aesthetics
Thesis: "Delineating the Specificity of Cannabinoid Effects by Investigating Cannabinoid Receptor-1 Trafficking and Signaling"
Advisor: Manoj Puthenveedu, PhD
Alina Morales, Scientific Associate, Viscira
Thesis: "Regulation of Chromaffin Cell Exocytosis via Endogenously Secreted Signaling Molecules Acetylcholine and PACAP"
Advisor: Arun Anantharam, PhD
Andrea Pesch, PhD, Sr Regulatory Affairs Specialist, Loxo Onocology
Thesis: "Targeting DNA Damage, Apoptosis, and the Cell Cycle for the Radiosensitization of Aggressive Forms of Breast Cancer"
Advisors: Corey Speers, MD, PhD and James Rae, PhD
Garrett Dow, PhD, Senior Development Scientist, Beckman Coulter
Thesis: "Elucidation of DNA-Binding and Dimerization Activities of the Master Virulence Transcription Factor, VirF, From Shigella flexneri to Aid in Virulence-Targeted Inhibitor Design for Treatment of Shigellosis"
Advisor: George Garcia
Jennifer Diaz-Espinosa, PhD, Advisor, Eli Lilly and Company
Thesis: "Mechanistic Analysis and Quantification of Clofazimine"
Advisors: Kathleen Stringer, Ph.D. and Haojie Zhu, PhD
Rachel Torrez, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholar, Univ of Utah
Thesis: "Structural and Functional Analysis of Human Dicer"
Advisors: Amanda Garner, Ph.D. and Melanie Ohi, PhD
2017 Cohort
Jason Albert, PhD, Presidential Management Fellow | Dept. of Energy
Thesis: "Metal-HisTag Coordination for Remote Loading of Biomacromolecules into PLGA Microspheres"
Advisor: Steven Schwendeman, PhD
Sarah Burris, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher University of Michigan
Thesis: "Human Cytochrome P450 Enzymes in Steroidogenesis and Drug Metabolism"
Advisor: Emily Scott, Ph.D.
Nnamdi Edokobi, PhD, Scientist | Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP
Thesis: "The Role of Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Gene Scn1b in the developing pediatric heart"
Advisor: Lori L. Isom, PhD
Julie Philippe Gupta, PhD, Life Sciences Consultant, Putnam Associates
Thesis: "Ankyrin-B is Lipid-Modified by S-Palmitoylation to Promote Dendritic Membrane Scaffolding of Voltage Gated Sodium Channel Nav1.2 in Neurons"
Advisor: Paul Jenkins, PhD
Chair, Department of Pharmacology
Professor of Pharmacology
Professor of Molecular and Integrative Physiology
Professor of Neurology
Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
Professor of Chemistry, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts
Research Professor, Life Sciences Institute
Department of Biological Chemistry and Professor of Biological Chemistry
