Education

Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences faculty members teach tomorrow’s PhD scientists, clinicians, and clinical scientists to think critically and holistically as they approach scientific questions and clinical problems, and to work across disciplines as a matter of course. Through this way of learning, the hope is that graduates will continue to work across fields and with partners inside and outside academia.

Faculty members in the department also share their expertise with industry, government, and academic leaders in other universities.

Degree programs

PhD education is a highly interdisciplinary endeavor at UC San Francisco—a natural outgrowth of UCSF’s hallmark interdisciplinary approach to research. Department faculty members teach in many PhD graduate degree programs.

The School of Pharmacy administers these five PhD programs, which sit under the broader umbrella of the Quantitative Biosciences Consortium (QBC).

PhD in Bioengineering (BioE)

Prepares scientists to integrate the biological and engineering sciences to build bold, new solutions to biomedical problems. This program is offered through the UCSF/UCB Joint Graduate Group in Bioengineering.
Biological and Medical Informatics (BMI)

Prepares scientists to harness and apply the power of data analysis tools to understand the complexities of human biology.
PhD in Biophysics (BP)

Prepares scientists to explore the intricacies of living systems through the application of physics and chemistry.
PhD in Chemistry and Chemical Biology (CCB)

Prepares scientists to explore the molecules in complex living systems and to investigate how molecules influence health and disease.
Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics (PSPG)

Prepares independent, creative leaders in the pharmaceutical sciences, who can apply genetics and genomics to the development of safe, effective drugs for patients.

Additional graduate degree programs

PharmD degree

Prepares pharmacists to lead and innovate in pharmacy practice, policy, and science; to remain lifelong experts in the safe and effective use of medicines; and to contribute to patient-centered care within health care teams. Faculty members in the three School of Pharmacy departments develop and deliver the school’s PharmD degree program.
MS in AI and Computational Drug Discovery and Development (MS AICD3)

Trains students to apply computer science, data science, statistical analysis, machine learning, and other data-driven methods to redefine the discovery and development of new drugs and therapies.
Master of Translational Medicine degree (MTM)

Trains students to apply translational research and engineering approaches to solve fundamental problems in health care delivery. The program links the Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences at UCSF with the Department of Bioengineering at UC Berkeley.
Doctor of Medicine degree program

Emphasizes self-directed learning, connections across disciplines, and competency-based education. Department faculty members teach in the MD degree program in the School of Medicine.

Combined degree programs

PharmD-PhD Combined Program

There is a growing need for clinical scientists in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries to design and carry out clinical studies. UCSF is one of only a few universities in a position to train top-flight PharmD/PhD scientists. The Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences administers the PharmD/PhD program.
PharmD- MS in Clinical Research

The Training in Clinical Research program offers students in our PharmD program the opportunity to earn a master of science in clinical research (MSCR) degree.
PharmD-MS AICD3

Our Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Computational Drug Discovery and Development (AICD3) program can be combined with the PharmD program in a sequential manner. It is not a combined or expedited degree. However, students will be able to transition directly into the MS in AICD3 after completing the PharmD curriculum. We recommend the PharmD first because the pharmacy background is especially helpful for the AICD3.

Postdoctoral programs

Fellowship programs

UCSF and UCSF School of Pharmacy fellowships provide early-career PharmD, PhD, and MD graduates with specialized training ranging from the lab to the clinic, company, and government agencies.
Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (CPT) Postdoctoral Training Program

Prepares clinician-scientists to become leaders in clinical pharmacology research within academia, industry, and government.
UCSF/Genentech Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Pharmacology

Delivers unique immersion experiences in regulatory science research and drug development, with a particular emphasis on pharmacometrics and clinical pharmacology.

Career-development and leadership courses

The department shares its expertise nationally and internationally through the following courses, offered to professionals in industry, regulatory agencies, academia, and health care.

American Course on Drug Development and Regulatory Sciences (ACDRS)

Education and training in the field of medical product development at an advanced level, with a focus on the drug development pipeline. The program is targeted at scientists in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries who are involved in clinical drug development; academic and government scientists; and decision- and policy-makers.
Pharmacokinetics for Pharmaceutical Scientists (PK Course)

Basic principles of pharmacokinetics with emphasis on physiologic conceptualization and problem solving. The program is targeted at pharmacists, physicians, pharmacologists and others in the pharmaceutical sciences who will use pharmacokinetics in the development and testing of drugs.