It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the College of Health and Sciences (CHAS) at North Carolina Central University. The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences was established in 2007 and is located in the Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE) building.
About the Pharmaceutical Sciences Department
The program in Pharmaceutical Sciences prepares students for positions of leadership in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and clinical research industries. We offer two distinct undergraduate programs in Pharmaceutical Science and Clinical Research Sciences.
Our robust cutting-edge curriculum integrates both analytical sciences and experiential learning through hands-on laboratory research modules and corporate internship programs. These skills provide our graduates with a competitive advantage when entering the workforce and a well-grounded foundation for those desiring to pursue advanced degrees in the life sciences or health-related fields.
Total Students
Degree Programs
Faculty and Staff
The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences offers two undergraduate degree programs: a bachelor of science in Pharmaceutical Science and a bachelor of science in Clinical Research Sciences. Minors in both programs are also available in the department and a certificate is offered in the Clinical Research Sciences program. In addition to undergraduate degrees, the department offers a postgraduate master of science degree in Pharmaceutical Science with a research-based thesis or project-based non-thesis options, as well as an accelerated baccalaureate to master’s (ABM) degree.
The Department has approximately 149 students with 10 tenured/tenured track faculty and 4 fixed-term faculty members. More than half of our faculty members have extensive experience in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. Our talented faculty and staff are committed to the success of our students and to providing the highest quality education through intensive, focused study that includes hands-on research and experiential learning designed to prepare them for careers in a wide range of private and public institutions or to further their education.
Departmental Research
The research initiatives in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences focus mainly on translational science, which aims to address a wide range of problems in the fields of neuroscience, cancer, cardiometabolic diseases, nanobiotechnology, and plant genetic engineering using cutting-edge technology.
The drug discovery center provides the infrastructure for early-stage compound discovery and development, from assay enablement and validation to high-throughput screening and lead compound generation and optimization at disease targets. The department/BRITE facility houses over 300,000 small molecules and natural products and contains well-equipped state-of-the-art automated instruments that include various 384-channel liquid handlers, multi-label fluorescent readers, and high-content live cell screening microscopes and imaging systems.
With a focus on innovation and multidisciplinary collaboration involving internal and external partners, our faculty and dedicated team of researchers stand at the forefront of training the next generation of pharmaceutical scientists, as well as making groundbreaking discoveries that could lead to therapies for unmet medical needs.
Finding new medicines that will positively impact disease model systems.
Exploring the role lipids and alcohol play in liver disease and identifying biomarkers of disease.
Our teams work on discovering small molecules and natural products that target major neurodegenerative disorders.
Our basic and translational research focuses on target validation and the discovery of novel small molecules with anticancer activity.
This research exploits plants with modern biotechnology and molecular techniques to contribute to biomedical study.
The Pharmaceutical Sciences B.S. prepares students for leadership positions in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. The curriculum is focused on both analytical sciences and laboratory research experiences. These experiences will provide the students with a competitive edge for entering the industry and provide a strong foundation for those wishing to pursue advanced degrees.
The Clinical Research Sciences Program prepares students for clinical research positions in the local and global industries. We give students the tools they need to succeed in careers in clinical management and clinical trials, allowing them to participate in a variety of projects related to the development and testing of new medications and medical devices for safety and effectiveness.
The Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences offers a post-baccalaureate clinical research science certificate program to meet the increasing job market demand in clinical research. The Clinical Research Sciences Program (CRSP) offers nine credit hours of didactic coursework and a three-credit-hour clinical rotation at the Duke Clinical Research Institute or another partnering organization.
Students who complete our graduate studies program leave NCCU with an M.S. degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, which has a focus on either drug discovery or biomanufacturing. The program, which emphasizes laboratory research, provides a solid foundation for those who plan to pursue a career in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries or continue their education at the doctoral level.
Cooper, Stephanie R
Administration Support Specialist
Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise
Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE), Room 2016
919-530-5551
Ibeanu, Gordon
Associate Professor, Chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise
Biomanufacturing Research Institute and Technology Enterprise (BRITE), Room 1017
919-530-6711
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