UB launches first pharmacy-based clinical and translational therapeutics master’s degree program in U.S.

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has created the nation’s first pharmacy school-based master of science degree programs in clinical and translational therapeutics.

Clinical and translational therapeutics helps bridge scientific discoveries with the treatment of disease. The UB program offers PharmD, undergraduate and health care professional students a unique opportunity to engage in research and training to combat disease, as well as help develop a pipeline of research leaders focused on therapeutic individualization and optimization of patient care.

“There are currently no pharmacy school-based programs in the U.S. in the clinical and translational sciences that are specifically focused on treatment,” says program director Brian Tsuji, PharmD, professor and associate dean for clinical and translational sciences in the UB School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. “This makes our program highly innovative as it blends the clinical sciences with research rigor and therapeutic application.”

There is a significant need for pharmacy and health care professional students to gain this advanced training as the nation faces a critical decline of clinical scientists with experience in both patient care and research, according to the National Institutes of Health.

The completion of the program, combined with the PharmD or other health professions degrees, provides graduates with a remarkable advantage when applying for residencies, fellowships or employment in clinical pharmacy or industry.

The program offers five therapeutic areas of concentration: clinical trials, pharmacotherapy, translational pharmacology, experimental therapeutics and pharmaceutical outcomes. The tracks combine rotations with a pragmatic focus on research to create a highly individualized experience.

“UB has world-leading graduate training programs in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in the pharmaceutical sciences, and an extremely innovative PharmD curriculum,” says Tsuji. “Our MS in clinical and translational therapeutics truly stands on the shoulders of giants.”