Pharmacology, Toxicology & Therapeutics

Welcome to the Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics at the University of Kansas Medical Center. As the title of the department indicates, we have faculty with diverse research interests. However these three areas are essential for the development of new drugs and to determine the safety of all chemicals. Thus, students obtain a broad educational background in our department, which markedly increases their opportunities for employment.

During the last three years, the Department has undergone a marked expansion. Seven new faculty have been hired. In addition, a number of new pieces of scientific equipment have been purchased: HPLC-MS/MS, nucleotide sequencer, robot, etc. In September of 2006 we plan to move into a new research building, as shown in the architects drawing. We also plan to hire six additional faculty the next three years. Thus, this department is an exciting place to be.

Research opportunities are available for graduate students in pharmacology, toxicology and therapeutics. In pharmacology, our faculty's research interests are in neuropharmacology, where faculty interests are in pain reduction, schizophrenia and related areas, as well as the pharmacokinetics (absorption, distribution, biotransformation and excretion) of drugs. Our faculties research interests in toxicology include estrogen-induced carcinogenicity, chemical-induced thyroid carcinogenicity, toxicity of dioxin and other environmental chemicals, chemical-induced hepatotoxicity, and hepatobiliary excretion of xenobiotics.

In therapeutics, faculty are involved in determining whether herbal medicines cause drug interactions with prescribed drugs. A number of research projects include pharmacology, toxicology, and therapeutics. For example studies are being performed to understand which drugs enter the liver by specific transporters, and how genetics determine why some patients response to drugs is different than other pateints (pharmacogenomics).

The Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics at the University of Kansas Medical Center has an excellent record of training students. Our graduates have gone on to be scientific leaders in academia, government and industry.

Curtis D. Klaassen, Ph.D.
University Distinguished Professor and Chair