Activities
Seminars
PGG students attend a weekly seminar organized by the Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics. Listening to talks given by invited speakers - prominent scientists from Penn and other research centers in the USA and abroad - and direct interaction with the speakers at the seminar and during post-seminar lunch keeps our students updated on cutting-edge research and expands their horizons. Additionally, our PGG students participate in the annual ITMAT Symposium. Our students also attend talks given by invited speakers at specialized monthly seminars organized by the:
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (ITMAT)
- Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology (CEET)
- Center for Targeted Therapeutics and Translational Nanomedicine (CT³N)
Learn to Lead: Expanding Opportunities for BGS Graduates
A Seminar Series of lunchtime conversations on career options. These seminars are open to PGG students along with all BGS students and postdocs.
Journal Club
During the academic year, students attend weekly meetings of the Journal Club to read, discuss, and analyze scientific literature. Each week, a different student chooses the paper to be discussed, enlists a faculty adviser, and serves as moderator for the meeting. The Journal Club is a student-run activity accompanied by free food to stimulate conversation and cerebral activity.
Outreach
Pharm4GOOD: Pharmacology Graduate Opportunities for Outreach and Development
Pharm4Good is a graduate student-led organization that upholds values of scientific outreach, scholarship, and leadership. Our goal is to foster generations of scientists from underrepresented communities by encouraging science education and communication. Their vision is to create long-lasting relationships with local students and educators by encouraging Penn graduate students to be active members of the Philadelphia community.
Pharm4GOOD partners with Upward Bound two Saturdays each month (during the school year) to teach interactive Pharmacology-themed lessons and activities. **The opportunity to volunteer is open to all Penn graduate students**
PGG Student Symposium
At the Pharmacology Graduate Group Student Symposium, an all-day, off-campus "retreat" held early in the fall semester and highlight of the academic year, students have the opportunity to give slide presentations or posters on their research projects. It is a time to welcome new students and to talk with PGG members and guests including featured speakers – renown scientists of international caliber.
The 37th Annual PGG Student Symposium, presented by the University of Pennsylvania Pharmacology Graduate Group, was held on Wednesday, Oct. 11th @ The College of Physicians. The keynote address was delivered by Yasmin Hurd, Ph.D., titled “High times for cannabis and its neurodevelopmental trajectory.” The institutional affiliations including the Addiction Institute, Pharmacological Sciences, Neuroscience and Psychiatry, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
