Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology
The Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology (ECP) is at the forefront of the emerging discipline of experimental pharmacotherapeutics, providing national and international leadership in individualized medicine through prominent research and an excellent graduate program.
Graduate Program
The Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology graduate program at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy is an innovative, interdisciplinary program that trains students to conduct research encompassing methodology from basic and clinical pharmacology perspectives. In our program, students study:
Graduates are prepared for distinguished careers in clinical research
- Experimental Pharmacotherapy
- Drug metabolism
- Infectious disease
- Pharmacometrics
- Pharmacogenomics
Faculty Spotlight
Assistant Professor Melanie Nicol has spent her career pursuing HIV/AIDS research. In recent years, she has focused much of her efforts on researching HIV/AIDs prevention in women specifically, and has begun participating in international partnerships to combat the disease globally. To continue this work and developing international partnerships, Dr. Nicol was awarded a K08 young investigator career development grant from the National Institute of Health; National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIH NIAID) to study specific factors affecting the efficacy of HIV preventative drugs in women.
Current studies include: “Evaluating Antiretroviral Pharmacology in the Female Genital Tract to Optimize HIV Preventio,” (NIH NIAID K08), “Pharmacology of Antiretrovirals in Anatomical Brain Tissue among persons with chronic HIV infection” (NIH NINDS), and "Role of the vaginal microbiome in antiretroviral disposition in the female genital tract" (UMN AHC).
Research Projects
Advancing the science of human pharmacology and therapeutics through translational research
Research conducted by department faculty can focus on a range of topics, diseases/conditions, and investigational methods. Some current and recent projects are highlighted here:
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Community Health
- Drug Dependence
- Pharmacogenomics
- Pharmacometrics/ Pharmacokinetic modeling
- Neuropharmacology
- Seizure Disorders
- Infectious Disease
ECP Gazette
Biannual Newsletter of the Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology.
News
Dr. Mahmoud Al-Kofahi has joined the ECP faculty as a tenure-track assistant professor specializing in pharmacometrics.
Ling Li has been selected as the recipient of the 2015-2016 Fesler-Lampert Chair in Aging Studies by the Center on Aging.
ECP Clinical and Translational Research
This cross-disciplinary paradigm translates basic scientific discoveries into safe and effective therapeutic uses by providers and patients, through laboratory experiments and clinical studies. Clinical data can also prompt new questions and investigations, leading back to the bench and beginning a new cycle of translational research.