Welcome

The Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology was created to foster collaborative interactions between scientists with different, though complementary, research interests and expertise. The primary goal in developing such an interdisciplinary department was to create an environment where rigorous scientific debate and discourse between researchers with different perspectives would create a stimulating and productive intellectual environment for faculty and trainees alike. As you browse through the research descriptions of our faculty and appreciate the breadth and significance of their scientific achievements, it should become clear that this experiment was a tremendous success. Research projects address a myriad of important scientific questions relevant to cancer, metabolism, nervous system function, drugs of abuse, and environmental toxicants. However, one unifying theme that has emerged in the department is cell signaling and the use of pharmacological approaches to define the key regulatory steps in relevant pathways that may be amenable to pharmaceutical exploitation or whose dysregulation may be involved in the pathogenesis of disease. It is a privilege to welcome you to our website and we encourage you to learn more about the opportunities in research, training, and education offered by this exciting and dynamic department.

Donald P. McDonnell, Ph.D.
Professor and Chairman