Undergraduate Research in the Pharmaceutical Sciences

An Undergraduate Research Experience

A research project is an alternative experience to classroom learning. Research in the pharmaceutical sciences provides an excellent opportunity for students to explore biomedical topics from a hands-on perspective in several areas:

Research projects in the College of Pharmacy cover areas such as the isolation of novel drugs, explanation of drug action in animal and cell culture models, development of new drugs and delivery systems, determination of drug metabolism, evaluation of therapeutic regimens and study of patient behavior.

Opportunities are open to students from any major program at OSU (with appropriate background), who currently have a 3.0 GPA and 3 quarters of college coursework. Research hours may be completed for course credit, by registering for Pharmacy 693 (see the College of Pharmacy Office of Student Affairs, 150 Parks Hall, for more information).

Check out the Recent Thesis Projects and Faculty Research Topics to get an idea of the many possible project areas! Many of the faculty names are linked to faculty sites that contain more research information. In many cases there are more possibilities for projects than listed below.

Interested students are encouraged to contact faculty members associated with the projects to learn more about specific opportunities.

Scholarships

College of Pharmacy Annual Scholarship Competition (PDF)
Students may apply for Scholarships from The College of Pharmacy for their research project (Note the June deadline for projects active during the following academic year). Click to view an application and details (PDF File). The forms may also be obtained from the College of Pharmacy Office of Student Affairs, 150 Parks Hall.

Other Scholarships:

Pressey Honors Endowment Grant Program

The University Honors & Scholars Center Small Grants Program, funded by the Sidney Pressey Endowment Fund, is designed to assist students who are candidates for graduation with distinction and who have specific research needs not covered by other assistance. The maximum amount for which students may apply is $500, and the funds must be used for the purposes indicated in the budget. Applications are available in 150 Parks Hall and by contacting the Kuhn Honors & Scholars House (220 West 12th Avenue, 292-3135). The application also includes a one- to three-page summary, a budget, and a letter of support from the faculty project adviser. Students must apply for these grants no later than the second Friday of each quarter, and awards will be made on a competitive basis. The grant may be used either the quarter it is awarded or in a subsequent quarter, but students must be enrolled during the quarter in which they receive funding.

Summer Research Internships

The University Honors & Scholars Center occasionally awards Summer Research Internships to especially promising with distinction candidates so that they will have the opportunity to enhance significantly the quality of their Senior Honors Research and Thesis Projects. Selection is made by a University-wide committee with the charge of evaluating the student's research proposal, the student's academic performance and promise, and the faculty mentor's commitment to the project. Candidates for the award should assume that, if selected, they will spend approximately forty hours per week doing research over a ten-week period and that this research will provide the basis upon which to do more intensive research during the senior year. Contact the University Honors & Scholars Center (220 West 12th Avenue, 292-3135) for availability and applications. The deadline in the past has been in March.

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships

Fellowships are available for undergraduate students who would like to do research work in any of the pharmaceutical sciences for the summer of 2009. The fellowships provide a minimum of $4,000 for a ten-week full-time experience. Click here for more information about Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships in the Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Links & Campus Resources

The University Undergraduate Research Office

Pharmacy Scholars program

University Honors & Scholars Center

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