Innovative Pharmaceutical Sciences Research

The Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SSPPS) conducts cutting edge research in the discovery of drug targets and therapeutic agents for translation into the clinical setting for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of human diseases. The internationally recognized faculty at SSPPS investigates a wide scope of human health issues, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, infectious disease and inflammation, neurologic disorders, psychiatric conditions, endocrine and metabolic diseases, pediatrics, and preventative medicine including vaccines. Research is being conducted across the spectrum of drug development from target identification, drug discovery, drug repurposing, pharmacology in disease models, toxicology, clinical evaluation of drug candidates, drug delivery, and pharmacy practices including pharmacoeconomics, pharmacogenomics, and health systems. The accomplished faculty are experts in these fields for advancing innovative pharmaceutical sciences research.

Cutting edge strategies for drug discovery utilize advanced in silico computational drug screening and SAR, structural biology, advanced analytical tools for drug and target evaluation by mass spectrometry, NMR, LC, chemistry, and related bioanalytical tools. Discovery of marine natural products as drug molecules is being conducted by faculty at SSPPS and SIO (Scripps Institute of Oceanography, UCSD). Creative approaches in pharmaceutical sciences lead to breakthrough discoveries to improve health.

SSPPS provides the critical link for translating basic sciences research of the campus into drug development applications for clinical evaluation research with faculty within SSPPS, the School of Medicine and other departments at UCSD. Surrounding the UCSD campus are numerous research institutions and pharmaceutical companies devoted to drug development. Collaborations and partnerships among the research intensive institutions and pharmaceutical companies in the area strengthen research and training opportunities in San Diego. SSPPS investigators are forging new innovative directions in pharmaceutical sciences research.