Ph.D. Program Curriculum
A full course load for a student who does not hold an assistantship or fellowship is considered to be 15 semester hours. Course loads exceeding 17 semester hours require written approval of the major professor, the graduate coordinator, and the Dean of the Graduate School. A student on assistantship may not exceed a 15 hour maximum course load without approval of the graduate coordinator and the Dean of the Graduate School. If the student’s assistantship exceeds 4/9 time, the student’s course load may be reduced accordingly. Students who have completed all coursework, fulfilled the residence requirement and are engaged only in research, will have their academic load assessed on an individual basis. Graduate students will not be considered as carrying a full course load if registered for less than 15 semester hours (12 semester hours in summer). Students using University facilities and/or staff time are required to register for a minimum of 3 semester hours.
Required Ph.D. Core Courses: (8000 and 9000 level or the equivalent)
Laboratory Rotation (minimum of 3 different laboratories)
Suggested course schedule:
First Year
Fall semester core courses (Year 1)
Biochemistry (AU equivalent SGS8021 Biochemistry & Gene Regulation 5 credit hours)
Molecular/Cell Biology (AU equivalent SGS8022 Molecular Cell Biology 5 credit hours)
Introduction to Research in CET- (first Lab rotation) (UGA PHRM 8740, 4 credit hours)
Clinical Seminar/Journal Club (UGA PHRM 8730)
Doctoral Research (PHRM 9000)
Spring semester core courses (Year 1)
Advanced Therapeutics I * (UGA PHRM8700 4 credit hours)
Clinical Seminar/Journal Club (UGA PHRM 8730)
Doctoral Research (PHRM 9000), second and 3rd lab rotation
Summer semester core courses (Year 1)
Biomedical Statistics – (AU equivalent STAT 7070 3 credit hours)
Doctoral Research (PHRM 9000), (4th Lab rotation or declaring your major advisor).
Electives:
1 semester (select from list below)
Cardiovascular Physiology and Pharmacology (AU equivalent SGSS 8120, 3 credit hours)
Experimental Therapeutics (AU PHRM8130, 3 credit hours)
Fundamentals of Vision Research (AU ANAT8030, 3 credit hours)
Drug Targets and Cell Signaling PHRM8600 (3 credit hours)
Additional courses may be required depending on a student’s academic and professional background and the discretion of the student’s advisory committee. Students not exhibiting excellent written and/or oral communication skills will be required to take various courses to correct these deficiencies.
* Courses identified with a * may be exempted by those holding a Pharm.D. degree.
Second Year
Fall semester core courses (Year 2)
Advanced Therapeutics II* (UGA PHRM 8710 4 credit hours,
Clinical Seminar/Journal Club (UGA PHRM 8730, 1 credit hour)
Spring semester core courses (Year 2)
Advanced Therapeutics III* (UGA PHRM 8720 3 credit hours)
Research Ethics& Grant writing – (UGA PHRM7210, 3 credit hours)
Clinical Seminar/Journal Club (UGA PHRM 8730, 1 credit hour)
Clinical Rotation / Clinical Trial Certification* (UGA PHRM 7500 2 credit hours, 1 semester after core courses are completed)
Program Faculty
Click on the links below to view Program Faculty bio pages:
Susan Fagan, Pharm.D., BCPS, FCCP, Professor Emeritus
S. Priya Narayanan, Ph.D.
Andrea S. Newsome, Pharm.D., BCPS
Somanath Shenoy, Ph.D., FAHA
Duo Zhang, Ph.D.
CET Labs
The CET lab pages and principal investigators’ faculty bios are linked below:
Cancer and Vascular Biology Lab
Principal Investigator: Dr. Somanath Shenoy
Pneumonia Research Lab
Principal Investigator: Dr. Duo Zhang
Stroke Lab
Principal Investigator: Dr. Susan Fagan
Vision Research Lab
Principal Investigator: Dr. Priya Narayanan
CET Program Handbook, Student Forms and Brochure
Information for Prospective Students- How to Apply
If you are interested in applying to the CET graduate program, please click here and scroll to the “How to Apply” tab.
Contact the Program Director
Somanath P. R. Shenoy, Ph.D., FAHA
Email: sshenoy@augusta.edu
Phone: 706-721-4250
Recent M.S. Graduates
Summer 2022
Abdulaziz Alanazi, PharmD, MS
Summer 2021
Eissa Jafari, PharmD, MS
Sultan Almuntashiri, PharmD, MS
Fall 2020
Amritha Anand Candadai, B. Pharm, MS
Summer 2020
Rana Kadry, B. Pharm, MS
Abdulkarim Alshammari, PharmD, MS
Summer 2019
Ahlam Alharthi, PharmD, MS
Asma Gah, PharmD, MS
Waleed Althomali, PharmD, MS
Mohammed Alshammari, PharmD, MS
Recent Ph.D. Graduates and Dissertation Titles
Fall 2021
Mir Shoebulla Adil, Pharm.D., Ph.D.
Claudin 17 in blood tissue barrier regulation in physiology and pathology
Summer 2020
Mohammed A. Sayed, MS, Ph.D.
Hypertension and the development of post-stroke cognitive impairment: Mechanisms and therapeutic implications
Fall 2019
Abdulrahman Alwhaibi, PharmD, Ph.D.
The unconventional role of Akt1 in advanced prostate cancer: functional and molecular characterization
Summer 2019
LaDonya Jackson, MS, Ph.D.
Delayed administration of angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) agonist compound 21 improves stroke outcomes in diabetes
Spring 2019
Wael Eldahshan, MS, Ph.D.
Impact of angiotensin 2 receptor stimulation on recovery after stroke in females
Fall 2018
Sandeep Artham, Ph.D.
Reciprocal Regulation Of Lung Injury And Resolution By The AKT-FOXO Signaling Pathway In Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Summer 2017
Harika Sabbineni, Ph.D.
Akt-Mediated Pathway Regulating Endothelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EndMT) and Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling
Spring 2017
Arwa Fairaq, Ph.D.
Adiporon, a Small-Molecule Adiponectin Receptor Agonist, Inhibits Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Contractile Response: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications
Heba A. I. Ahmed, Ph.D.
Post-stroke/ Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Angiotensin System Modulation
Fall 2016
Sally Elshaer, Ph.D.
Modulating Neurotrophin Receptor; P75NTR Exerts Vascular Protection In Ischemic Retinopathy.
Summer 2016
Islam Osman, Ph.D.
Vasoprotective Effects of Pioglitazone, an Insulin Sensitizer: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications to Prevent Intimal Hyperplasia after Arterial Injury
Spring 2015
Abdelrahman Yousry Ali Gama Fouda, Ph.D.
Mechanisms Mediating Neuroprotection and Recovery with AT2 Receptor Stimulation after Stroke
Summer 2014:
Maha Abdalla, Ph.D.
Role of Akt in Myofibroblast Differentation Leading to Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Ahmad Abdel-Karim Farhan Al-Azayzih, Ph.D.
Differential Effects of Transforming Growth Factor β1 on Prostrate Tumor, Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition, and Micrometastiasis
Islam N. Mohamed, Ph.D.
High Fat Diet Induces Retinal Microvascular Inflammation and Degeneration; Role of TXNIP-NLRP3 Inflammasome Axis
Spring 2014:
Sahar Soliman, Ph.D.
Mechanisms of protection by Angiotensin II receptor antagonsits after stroke: Role of VEGF A and B
Summer 2013:
Ahmed Alhusban, Ph.D.
Improving Stroke Outcome Through Increasing the Activity of the BDNF/TrkB System
Spring 2013:
Belal Al-Husein, Ph.D.
Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Simvastatin-Medicated Inhibition of Prostrate Cancer Cellular Functions in Vitro and Tumor Growth in Vivo
Fall 2012:
Roshini Prakash, Ph.D.
Cerebrovascular Remodeling and Plasticity in Diabetes: Mechanisms and Relevance to Stroke Recovery
Fall 2011:
Mohammed Abd El Said, Ph.D.
Imbalance of Cellular Redox Impairs Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Survival and Angiogenic Signal
Current Student Directory