Both Master’s and Doctorate students in the PPGCF must complete a minimum of 15 units. Doctorate candidates must pass a qualification exam no later than 24 months after joining the program. The examining committee evaluates the project’s development, the quality of the student’s arguments and the prospects for completion within 48 months and for publication of the research results in qualified scientific periodicals.
At the end of the Master’s program, candidates prepare a thesis, which is presented at a public defense session before an examining committee. This committee consists of at least three examiners, one being the student’s advising professor. At the end of the Doctorate program, students prepare a doctoral dissertation, which is presented at a public defense session before an examining committee. This committee consists of at least five examiners, one being the student’s advising professor.
Below is the list of courses commonly offered at PPGCF, along with their respective semesterly workloads and classification as core (OB) or optional (OP) within the Program. Courses that are not regularly offered are labelled as Topics in Pharmaceutical Sciences I (15 hours), II (30 hours) or III (45 hours).
ACT816 – MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (30 hours; OP)
Structure and function of nucleic acids, genome structures, genetic code, gene expression, gene manipulation, the main techniques utilized in diagnosis and in pharmaceutical development and their applications.
PFA840 – BIOSYNTHESIS OF BIOACTIVE NATURAL PRODUCTS (60 hours, OP)
Natural bioactive products are examined according to the principles of biosynthesis. Core chemical aspects are focused on during the study of metabolical sequences (structure, stereochemistry and mechanisms), as are biosynthetic relations between the various types of natural substances.
ACT815 – HEMOSTASIS DISTURBANCES: THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL APPROACHES (60 hours, OP)
Physiological aspects of hemostasis; disturbances related to vessels, platelets, coagulation factors, natural anticoagulants, and fibrinolysis. Laboratory methods for the diagnosis of states of hypo and hypercoagulability.
FAF804 – TEACHING INTERNSHIP (15 hours, OB)
Teaching internship in an undergraduate course subject related to Pharmaceutical Practices, with a focus on preparing and teaching both theoretical and practical classes.
PA841 – PHARMACOLOGY (60 hours, OP)
Stimulate the learning of important themes related to autonomic pharmacology, from the morphological and physiological aspects of the autonomic nervous system (sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric divisions) to the clinical use of autonomic drugs.
ACT814 – PHYSIOPATHOLOGY OF RED AND WHITE BLOOD CELLS (60 hours, OP)
Origin, maturing, physiology, and pathology of red and white blood cells, with a focus on laboratory diagnosis. Study of clinical cases related to the subject.
PFA839 – SPECTROMETRIC IDENTIFICATION OF DRUGS
Study of the basic principles of different types of spectrometry (infrared, ultraviolet, mass, and hydrogen and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance), in order to provide students with the knowledge needed to perform spectrometric identifications of organic compounds and drugs.
PFA842 – APPROACHES TO PHYTOCHEMISTRY (60 hours, OP)
Study of the core concepts and applications of chromatographic methods in qualitative and quantitative analyses of natural products. To broaden the student’s knowledge of the micromolecular components of vegetable species and semisynthetic derivatives of natural products, with an emphasis on bioactive substances. To introduce advanced methods of bioprospecting plant species.
FAR811 – SEMINARS IN PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES I (15 hours, OP)
Presentation of seminars related to research in the field of Pharmaceutical Sciences by PPGCF students at all levels, dealing with the objectives and methodologies present in the dissertations or theses.
FAR812 – SEMINARS IN PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES II (15 hours, OB)
Complementary formation in the field of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Themes related to recent research in Pharmaceutical Sciences are presented by professors, guest researchers or PPGCF students.