Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Pharmacology and Toxicology
With an integrated, combined approach to the study of pharmacological and toxicological issues in biology and the biomedical sciences. Covers topics such as solvents, xenobiotic metabolism, chemical toxicity, neurotoxicology, immunopharmacology, biotransformation, tissue culture and in vitro studies, biomolecular analysis, bioactivation and inactivation, enzyme regulation, chemoprevention and chemotherapy, industrial and chemical studies, radiation health, and bioinformatics.
Inside the major
Programs within this field
Colleges may offer this field under 7 more specific program names. The program you choose affects the courses you take.
- Pharmacology
- Focuses on the scientific study of drug interactions on biological systems and organisms and the sources, chemical properties, biological effects, and therapeutic uses of drugs. Covers pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, drug therapeutics, drug action, bodily responses to drug events, biochemical proliferation and differentiation, apoptosis, cell biology, medicinal chemistry, and studies of specific drugs and drug interactions.
- Molecular Pharmacology
- Focuses on the scientific study of the biochemical and biophysical characteristics of drugs at the molecular level and their interaction with, and effects on, biological macromolecules and cellular structures and processes. Covers molecular biology and biophysics; pharmacology of signal transduction, transmitters, and protein synthesis and release; receptors, protein interaction and binding; drug discovery and recognition; molecular toxicology; drug design; pharmacodynamics; developmental genetics; and studies of therapeutic strategies.
- Neuropharmacology
- Focuses on the scientific study of drugs that modify the function of the brain and central nervous system, the effects of such drugs on health, disease, perception, motor action, and behavior; and the development of countermeasures and treatment therapies. Covers neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, behavioral neuroscience, neurobiochemistry, neuropathology, the mechanisms of brain function, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutics, and studies of specific drugs and drug therapies.
- Toxicology
- Focuses on the scientific study of poisons and other biohazards; their interactions with organisms and their food and respiratory systems; and their prevention, management, and counteraction. Covers toxicological biochemistry, toxic agents and transporters, toxin fate, toxicokinetics and metabolism, toxin classification, molecular toxic mechanisms, extracellular matrices and cell function, bacterial pathogenesis and mutagenesis, pathophysiology and apoptosis, cell stress and injury, studies of specific toxins, and studies of specific organ systems and physiological functions in relation to toxicological problems.
- Molecular Toxicology
- Focuses on the scientific study of the genetic determinants of susceptibility to external pollutants and poisons; the interaction of toxic agents with biological systems at the molecular and cellular levels; and the development of countermeasures and treatments. Covers pharmacogenetics, biomolecular structure, gene expression and regulation, transgenic modeling, toxic events signaling, transcriptional activation, mutagenesis and carcinogenesis, pulmonary toxicology, xenobiotic metabolism, oxidative stress, risk assessment, molecular dosimetry, and studies of specific toxins and treatment therapies.
- Environmental Toxicology
- Focuses on the scientific study of the health effects associated with exposure to toxic chemicals and systems occurring in the natural, work, and living environments; the management of environmental toxins and toxicity; and the development of protections for humans, animals, and plants. Covers applied ecology; microbiology; toxin transport, fate, and degradation; dermal toxicology; reproductive and genetic toxicology; atmospheric and environmental chemistry; metals toxicology; environmental mutagens and biotransformation; nutrient interaction; chemical sensitivity, disorders, and disease; risk assessment; animal waste management; environmental health; and hazardous materials management.
- Pharmacology and Toxicology, Other
- Pharmacology and toxicology not listed above.
Where it can lead
Careers this field can lead to
Explore related careers, starting with the closest connections and the occupations hiring the most people.
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- 6.1%
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- 18.5%
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Explore this careerAll work is projected to grow 3.5% between 2025 and 2035; read every hiring-change figure against it.
Working style
How and where the work happens
Related careers can feel very different from one another. Compare the specific occupations to understand the work each one involves.
Few of the careers connected to this field are measured as substantially in-person or active work. Compare the specific occupations to see how much time each one involves with people, equipment, and movement.
College options
Where to study it
Ordered by how many degrees each college awards in this field. Sort by any numbered column.
| College | Degrees a year | Admit rate | Average annual cost after aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of California-Santa Barbara CA | 62 | 28% | $13,000 |
| CUNY York College NY | 21 | 59% | $7,000 |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison WI | 21 | 43% | $8,000 |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion AZ | 20 | 90% | $17,000 |
| University of Louisiana at Monroe LA | 20 | 75% | $13,000 |
| University of California-Davis CA | 18 | 42% | $12,000 |
| CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice NY | 17 | 57% | $7,000 |
| University of Southern California CA | 15 | 10% | $20,000 |
| University at Buffalo NY | 11 | 69% | $21,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA | 8 | 54% | $26,000 |
| St. John's University-New York NY | 7 | 80% | $29,000 |
| Saint Joseph's University PA | 5 | 86% | $24,000 |