Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology

PhD in Medical Sciences

Research in the Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology concentration in the Medical Sciences PhD Program is focused on interdisciplinary approaches to the study of nervous and cardiovascular systems and related disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and drug addiction. Training will include a unique interdisciplinary blend of didactic coursework, journal clubs, seminar series, as well as significant research experience. The goal of the research programs in the Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology is to translate studies that decipher mechanisms of diseases or discover novel diagnostic/therapeutic targets into improved healthcare.

Courses

The curriculum for the PhD in Medical Sciences can be found in the Graduate Catalog. A sample of courses offered within the Molecular Pharmacology & Physiology concentration is listed below.

Basic Medical Physiology
Basic Medical Pharmacology
Advanced Pharmacology & Physiology
Neuroscience
Advanced Neuroscience
Membrane Physiology
Systems Neurophysiology

Graduate Catalog

Faculty & Research

Current research interests include:

Renal Pathophysiology and Hypertension
Microcirculation, Lymphatic Biology, Cell and Matrix Molecular Biology
Glycobiology
Hyperbaric Neurophysiology
Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of CNS Oxygen Toxicity
Neural Plasticity with neurodegenerative disease and after brain injury

Learn more about our faculty, students, and their research interests below.

Current Faculty & Students

Affiliated Institutes & Facilities

Neuroscience Institute

Concentration Spotlights

Awards

Salma Abdelmaboud - Dr. Christopher P. Phelps Memorial Fund Annual Neuroscience Student Travel Award, 2023
Adewale James - Martin Frank Diversity Travel Award, 2023
Melissa Lowe - Graduate Student Cardiovascular Renal Research Symposium Travel Award, 2023

Recent Publications

Mastrogiacomo, D. M., Price, A., Fu, Y., Banerjee, R., Knauer, L. A., Li, K., Yang, Y., Davis, G. E., Dellinger, M. T., & Scallan, J. P. (2026). Lymphatic Malformations With Activating KRAS Mutations Impair Lymphatic Valve Development Through Matrix Metalloproteinases. Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology, 46(5), e324257. https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.126.324257
Moore, M., Cetinkaya-Un, B., Sarkar, P., Kayisli, U. A., Semerci-Gunay, N., Teng, M., Lockwood, C. J., & Guzeloglu-Kayisli, O. (2025). Depletion of Fkbp5 Protects Against the Rapid Decline in Ovarian Reserve Induced by Prenatal Stress in Female Offspring of Wild-Type Mice. International journal of molecular sciences, 26(6), 2471. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26062471
Darcey, T. S., Hooper, J. S., Nair, S. S., Lurye, K. V., Kim, S. H., Hadley, S. H., Patil, M. J., & Taylor-Clark, T. E. (2025). Reflex regulation of respiration and heart rate by inhaled activators of vagal bronchopulmonary afferents. Journal of neurophysiology, 134(5), 1540–1556. https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.00248.2025

More Information

For information about the Medical Sciences PhD Program, contact 813-974-2836 or biomedphd@usf.edu.

Apply Now

Please note, students do not apply directly to a concentration. Interested students should submit an application for the PhD in Medical Sciences. Concentrations are typically selected during the first year of study.