WHY US
The Ph.D. Program in Clinical Drug Development of Herbal Medicine is designed to provide scientific and research-based training for students who are interested in clinical and translational research of herbal medicine by integrating biology, chemistry, and pharmaceutical science to cultivate professional developments to carry the innovation forward.
COURSES INTRODUCTION
We provide students with unique opportunities for intensive research training and a broad range of challenging opportunities for multidisciplinary research in collaborative laboratories to bridge the ‘translational gap’ between basic and clinical research. Research areas currently under active investigation on campus include clinical Chinese pharmacotherapy, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, structural characteristics and chemical identification of compounds in herbal medicines, mechanism of action, and clinical application in herbalism.
CURRICULA
These 6 courses are required:
| ◆ Research ethics | 0 credit |
| ◆ Seminar | 4 credits |
| ◆ Dissertation | 12 credits |
| ◆ Special topics in translational medicine of Chinese herbal medicine | 2 credits |
| ◆ Special topics in traditional Chinese medicine research & development | 2 credits |
| ◆ The Application of evidence-based medicine in traditional Chinese medicine research | 2 credits |
Suggested Electives:
| ◆ Pharmaceutical marketing & management | 2 credits |
| ◆ Immunological analysis | 2 credits |
| ◆ Design of drug synthetic pathway | 2 credits |
| ◆ New aspects of pharmaceutical immunology | 2 credits |
| ◆ Structural elucidation | 2 credits |
| ◆ Glycobiotechnology in pharmaceutical industry | 2 credits |
| ◆ GxP quality management of medicinal products & medical device through product lifecycle | 2 credits |
| ◆ Research methodology in pharmaceutical outcomes research | 2 credits |
| ◆ Long-term pharmaceutical care | 2 credits |
| ◆ Clinical Chinese pharmacotherapy | 2 credits |
| ◆ Innovation & research in clinical pharmacy | 2 credits |
| ◆ Seminar in pharmacognosy | 2 credits |
| ◆ Advanced spectroscopy | 2 credits |
| ◆ Specialty pharmacy practicum | 3 credits |
| ◆ Genotoxic analysis | 2 credits |
| ◆ Advanced biotechnology in Chinese herbs exploration | 2 credits |
| ◆ Design & development of controlled release dosage forms | 2 credits |
| ◆ Principles of drug design | 2 credits |
| ◆ Clinical trials | 2 credits |
| ◆ Genomics & therapeutic drug monitoring | 2 credits |
| ◆ Patient assessment & communication skills in pharmacy practice | 2 credits |
| ◆ Separation techniques for natural products | 2 credits |
| ◆ Cell cycle control & targeting therapy | 2 credits |
| ◆ Genetic engineering & protein engineering | 2 credits |
| ◆ Pharmaceutical care practice | 2 credits |
| ◆ Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research | 2 credits |
| ◆ Precision pharmacy | 2 credits |
| ◆ Pharmacotherapy in ambulatory care | |
| ◆ Pharmacotherapy in hematologic malignancy & oncologic disease | 1 credit |
| ◆ Clinical drug discovery of pharmacokinetics & pharmacodynamics from botanical herbs | 2 credits |
| ◆ International clinical pharmacy practice | 2 credits |
| ◆ Metabolic syndrome & cancer | 2 credits |
| ◆ Special topics in translational medicine of Chinese herbal medicine | 2 credits |
| ◆ Practicum in biotechnology industry | 1 credit |
Click here for a sample schedule, by semester
Semester 1
Required courses:
| ◆ Research ethics | 0 credit |
| ◆ Special topics in translational biopharmaceuticals | 2 credits |
| ◆ Seminar | 1 credit |
Elective courses:
| ◆ Pharmaceutical marketing & management | 2 credits |
| ◆ Immunological analysis | 2 credits |
| ◆ Design of drug synthetic pathway | 2 credits |
| ◆ New aspects of pharmaceutical immunology | 2 credits |
| ◆ Structural elucidation | 2 credits |
| ◆ Glycobiotechnology in pharmaceutical industry | 2 credits |
| ◆ GxP quality management of medicinal products & medical device through product lifecycle | 2 credits |
| ◆ Research methodology in pharmaceutical outcomes research | 2 credits |
| ◆ Long-term pharmaceutical care | 2 credits |
| ◆ Clinical Chinese pharmacotherapy | 2 credits |
| ◆ Innovation & research in clinical pharmacy | 2 credits |
| ◆ Seminar in pharmacognosy | 2 credits |
| ◆ Advanced spectroscopy | 2 credits |
Semester 2
Required courses:
| ◆ Research ethics | 0 credit |
| ◆ Seminar | 1 credit |
Elective courses:
| ◆ Specialty pharmacy practicum | 3 credits |
| ◆ Genotoxic analysis | 2 credits |
| ◆ Advanced biotechnology in Chinese herbs exploration | 2 credits |
| ◆ Design & development of controlled release dosage forms | 2 credits |
| ◆ Principles of drug design | 2 credits |
| ◆ Clinical trials | 2 credits |
| ◆ Genomics & therapeutic drug monitoringe | 2 credits |
| ◆ Patient assessment & communication skills in pharmacy practic | 2 credits |
| ◆ Separation techniques for natural products | 2 credits |
| ◆ Cell cycle control & targeting therapy | 2 credits |
| ◆ Genetic engineering & protein engineering | 2 credits |
| ◆ Pharmaceutical care practice | 2 credits |
| ◆ Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research | 2 credits |
| ◆ Precision pharmacy | 2 credits |
| ◆ Pharmacotherapy in ambulatory care | 1 credit |
| ◆ Pharmacotherapy in hematologic malignancy & oncologic disease | 1 credit |
Semester 3
Required course:
| ◆ Seminar | 1 credit |
| ◆ Dissertation | 12 credit |
Elective course:
| ◆ International clinical pharmacy practice | 2 credits |
| ◆ Clinical drug discovery of pharmacokinetics & pharmacodynamics from botanical herbs | 2 credits |
Semester 4
Required courses:
| ◆ Seminar | 1 credit |
| ◆ Dissertation | 12 credits |
Elective course:
| ◆ International clinical pharmacy practice | 2 credits |
| ◆ Metabolic syndrome & cancer | 2 credits |
| ◆ Special topics in translational medicine of Chinese herbal medicine | 2 credits |
| ◆ Practicum in biotechnology industry | 1 credit |
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
- A minimum of 30 credits, including 22 credits of required courses. Most of the course requirements can be completed in 2 years, candidates shall satisfy the requirements list below for the Ph.D. degree.
- At least 2 SCI papers and both their rank needs to be in the top 50%, or one rank original paper in the top 10%, or one paper with impact factor more than 5.
- Thesis defense
FUTURE CAREER PATH
Graduates of Ph.D. Program in Clinical Drug Development of Herbal Medicine may pursue diverse and dynamic careers in pharmacy and beyond. Some of these careers include:
- Research scientists and faculty positions in academic research institutions or universities
- Chemical analysts, biologists, and pharmacologists in pharmaceutical or therapeutic industries
- Healthcare professionals in hospitals, health centers
