Pharmacology and Toxicology

Ph.D. studium

  1. General Information
  2. Entrance Examination
  3. Framework Study Plan
  4. Human Resources
  5. Research Groups

1. General Information

  • Form of study:

full-time / combined

  • Language of study:

Czech / English

  • Standard length of study:

4 years

  • Form of entrance examination:

oral

  • Validity of accreditation:

until 22nd May 2029

  • Education field:

Pharmacy (100 %)

Study Program Characteristics

The Doctoral Program of Pharmacology and Toxicology is focused on the study of drug interactions with the organism in terms of pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and drug toxicity. Students of this program extend the basic theoretical knowledge of pharmacology and toxicology and gain expertise in experimental work with state-of-the-art methodologies of molecular and cellular pharmacology and genetics - in vitro, in situ, ex vivo and in vivo. Depending on the specialization of the study, graduates are experts in various aspects of pharmacology, including mechanisms of drug effects, drug interactions, metabolism and excretion. The Study Program of Pharmacology and Toxicology is suitable not only for those interested in experimental research but also for those who wish to continue in clinical practice. The standard length of study is four years.

Information on Graduate Employment

Graduate of the Doctoral Study Program of Pharmacology and Toxicology is a specialist in the field of theoretical, experimental and applied pharmacology and toxicology and shows the ability of independent creative work and thinking in the given field. Tutoring, as defined by an individual study plan, enables study from areas of molecular and cellular level, through the level of effects of substances on isolated organs or the whole organism. Areas of veterinary pharmacology and radiopharmaceuticals are also covered. It is obvious that the final expertise and experience vary among graduates depending on the individual study plan and their specialization during doctoral studies.

The graduate has acquired new knowledge and methodological approaches in relation to the scientific principles of drug development, assessing the properties and use of drugs in accordance with the principles of rational and individual therapy and evidence-based medicine. He/she is able to critically evaluate the latest knowledge in the biomedical field and respond to new technologies and trends. He/she is able to independently present the results of scientific work at international conferences and professional journals. He/she is able to communicate with biomedical specialists.

Graduates can find work in the laboratories of the pharmaceutical industry (e.g. preclinical/clinical research and development), hospitals (e.g. laboratories of molecular genetics), veterinary and nuclear medicine, academia/universities and research institutes.

By defending the dissertation thesis, the graduate demonstrates that he/she is capable of independent scientific work. Graduates will receive Ph.D. and meet the prerequisites for further career growth in the fields dealing with drugs and their therapeutic and toxic effects.

2. Entrance Examination

Framework Content of the Entrance Examination

Oral exam from the knowledge of the general and special pharmacology and pathobiochemistry.

English language exam for English language knowledge assessment (C1 at least).

Conditions of Admission

  1. Admission to Doctoral studies is conditioned by successful completion of a Master's study programme.
  2. Successful passed the entrance exam.

Additional Conditions for Bonus Points (e.g. Practice)

  • Successfully completed university studies in pharmacy, medicine or natural sciences (rated 2 points).
  • Previous professional experience (rated 3 points).
  • Indication of the supposed training center and the approval of a specific supervisor with the management of the planned doctoral project (rated max. 5 points).

Criteria for the Evaluation Exams

  1. Professional knowledge level -  reviewed on answers to questions stated in General content of entrance exam (max. up to 10 points)
  2. Submitted doctoral project – evaluation of project complexity, modern methodological approaches to solution, and the continuity of the project on topics already discussed by the Subject Area Board (max. up to 10 points)

The minimum admission limit is 20 points.

The Dean decides to accept the applicant(s) who have fulfilled the conditions of the admission procedure and, according to the number of points achieved, ranked in the order corresponding to the predetermined number of accepted applicants for the particular program.

Dates

3. Framework Study Plan

Study obligations

The studying plan will be prepared on the individual basis according to the focus of the planed experimental work and the previous education of the PhD student. It includes lectures, courses, workshops and consultations. Student must pass exam from the English language and at least three exams from specialized subjects in harmony with the studying plan.

The list of specialized subjects:

  • Mechanism of drug cardiotoxicity
  • Pharmacology of cardiovascular systém
  • Veterinary pharmacology of selected groups of pharmacodynamic drugs
  • Selected chapters of general pathophysiology
  • Molecular basis of pharmacology and toxikology
  • Pharmacokinetics and pharmacokinetic modeling
  • The use of radiopharmaceuticals in clinical practice and its prospects

After passing all individual exams, the mandatory doctoral state exam follows. The correct fulfilling of the individual studying plan is continuously monitored by the supervisor and at least once a year, it is also checked by the subject area board (Pharmacology and toxicology). The evaluation report is compiled each year and let to be approved by the subject area board. The study is accomplished by mandatory defense of the dissertation thesis.

Publication activity requirements

At the beginning of the study, student prepares, ordinarily in collaboration with the supervisor, a research project in the form of grant application for the Grant Agency of the Charles University. During doctoral study, the student elaborates the current knowledge of the research topic in a form of a review and carries out experiments in the area of pharmacology and toxicology under control of the supervisor and/or the assistant-supervisor (consultant). The achieved results must be critically assessed by the student, analyzed by appropriate statistical methods and treated in order to prepare final version(s) suitable for 1) presentations on meetings (congresses including doctoral student congresses, seminars) and 2) publications in international scientific journals with IF.

It is required that student must be a co-author on 2 publications with IF and the first authors on at least one of them. Alternatively, it is possible to publish only 1 article where the student is the first author and the IF of the journal is above 5 or in the first decile.

Requirements for completing internships

Inseparable part of each studying plan is at least one scientific fellowship abroad in a duration of 3 months during the doctoral study. It should be linked with experimental activity in the field of the dissertation thesis. 

Other study obligations

Participation on professional courses and workshops suitable for completing necessary knowledge (e.g. statistical evaluation, bioinformatics, work with laboratory animals, etc.).

Participation of doctoral students in teaching of the Master students, mostly in a form of practical classes. This activity is another possible task for doctoral students.

Dissertation themes

  • Examples of successfully defended dissertations
    • Effect of antidepressants on placental monoamine homeostasis
    • Modulation of cholesterol and bile acid metabolism via soluble endoglin and pharmacotherapy
    • Bioinformatic aspects of nuclear receptors in pharmacotherapy
    • Physiological and pharmacological aspects of tryptophan and serotonin homeostasis in the fetoplacental unit
    • Interactions of antiretroviral drugs with membrane transporters
  • Themes of defended dissertations - Thesis repository
  • List of current doctoral dissertation themes

State Doctoral Examination

Oral state exam is hold under the examining committee composed from members of the subject area board of Pharmacology and toxicology encompassing full and associate professors and alternatively as well experts from real (clinical) practice. All areas necessary for the exam are at disposal to all students and the members of the examining committee. They cover basic issues of general and special pharmacology and toxicology. The doctoral student has to answer 1-2 questions from general pharmacology and 2-3 questions from special pharmacology during this state doctoral exam.

GENERAL PHARMACOLOGY

  • Mechanisms of drug transport in the organism
  • Absorption of drugs, influencing factors
  • Distribution of drugs in organism, influencing factors
  • Metabolism of drugs, influencing factors
  • Mechanisms of drugs excretion, influencing factors
  • Basic pharmacokinetic parameters, calculation, practical significance in pharmacotherapy
  • Overview of factors influencing pharmacokinetics
  • Mechanisms of drugs action
  • Dose (concentration)-response relationships, therapeutic index
  • Drugs interactions
  • Adverse and toxic effects of drugs

SPECIAL PHARMACOLOGY

  • Drugs affecting the autonomic nervous system 
  • parasympathomimetics (muscarinic agonists), cholinomimetics including inhibitors of cholinesterase
  • parasympatholytics (muscarinic antagonists)
  • sympathomimetics (adrenoceptor agonists)
  • sympatholytics (adrenoceptor antagonists)
  • Local anaesthetics
  • Anxiolytic and hypnotic drugs
  • Antipsychotic drugs
  • Antidepressant drugs
  • Antiepileptic drugs
  • Neurodegenerative disorders: drugs in Parkinson´s disease, Alzheimer´s dementia
  • Opioid analgesics and antagonist at opioid receptors
  • Pharmacotherapy of chronic heart failure
  • Antidysrhythmic drugs
  • Therapy and prevention of coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis – risk factors and possible treatment modalities
  • Pharmacotherapy of arterial hypertension
  • Pharmacotherapy of dyslipidaemias
  • Drugs influencing haemostasis and fibrinolysis
  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
  • Immunomodulators: immunosuppressants, immunostimulants
  • Thyroid hormones. Treatment of hypo- and hyperthyroidism
  • Diabetes mellitus, treatment with insulin, treatment with oral antidiabetics
  • Hormones of adrenal cortex: glucocorticoids
  • Bone metabolism: pharmacotherapy of osteoporosis
  • Pharmacotherapy of bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cough
  • Diuretics
  • Treatment of peptic ulcer disease and gastroesophageal reflux
  • Therapy of obstipation and acute diarrhoea: laxatives and antidiarrhoeal agents
  • Female sex hormones
  • Drugs acting on the uterus
  • Male sex hormones. Anabolic steroids. Treatment of erectile dysfunction
  • Overview of bacterial antibiotics including antituberculotics
  • Overview of antiviral agents
  • Antifungal agents
  • Overview of antiparasitic drugs
  • Overview of antineoplastic drugs, principles of the treatment of cancer

Note:
Basic knowledge of the above mentioned areas of pharmacology and toxicology is necessary for successful passing the state doctoral exam. It is also possible to ask questions in direct relation to the topic of dissertation thesis. In this latter case, the expected knowledge should be more profound.

4. Human Resources

Subject Area Board

Subject Area Board Chair and study program guarantor

  • prof. PharmDr. František Štaud, Ph.D.

Members of Subject Area Board

  • doc. PharmDr. Martina Čečková, Ph.D.
  • doc. PhamrDr. Lukáš Červený, Ph.D.
  • prof. MUDr. Josef Fusek, DrSc.
  • doc. PharmDr. Daniel Jun, Ph.D.
  • doc. PharmDr. Peter Kollár, Ph.D.
  • prof. PharmDr. Ing. Milan Lázníček, CSc.
  • MUDr. Karel Macek, CSc.
  • prof. MUDr. Stanislav Mičuda, Ph.D.
  • prof. PharmDr. Přemysl Mladěnka, Ph.D.
  • prof. PharmDr. Petr Nachtigal, Ph.D.
  • prof. PharmDr. Petr Pávek, Ph.D.
  • doc. RNDr. Vladimír Semecký, CSc.
  • prof. PharmDr. Tomáš Šimůnek, Ph.D.
  • doc. PharmDr. Martin Štěrba, Ph.D.
  • prof. PharmDr. František Trejtnar, CSc.

Other supervisors other than the members of the Subject Are Board

  • PharmDr. Miroslav Kovařík, Ph.D.
  • doc. PharmDr. Miloslav Hronek, Ph.D.
  • PharmDr. Eduard Jirkovský, Ph.D.
  • doc. RNDr. Jakub Hofman, Ph.D.
  • PharmDr. Ivan Vokřál, Ph.D.
  • PharmDr. Eva Doleželová, Ph.D.
  • doc. RNDr. Jiří Lamka, CSc.

5. Research Groups

Research groups lead by supervisors of doctoral study program Pharmacology and Toxicology

Study of drug effects in experimentally induced pathological conditions

Research group of Cardiovascular and respirator pharmacology and toxicology
Group leader: prof. PharmDr. Přemysl Mladěnka, Ph.D.
Laboratory of cardiovascular pharmacology | Laboratory of respiratory pharmacology

Workgroup of biological and medical sciences
Group leader: prof. PharmDr. Petr Nachtigal, Ph.D.
Group of pathology and pharmacology of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders | Group of clinical physiology of nutrition and metabolism | Group of microbiology and immunology

Study of the pharmacokinetic profile of drugs, especially with regard to interactions with transport and biotransformation proteins and their significance in drug interactions

Placenta in Health and Disease
Group leader: prof. PharmDr. František Štaud, Ph.D.

Group of Clinical and Molecular Pharmacotherapy
Group leader: prof. PharmDr. Petr Pávek, Ph.D.

Research Group of Cancer Pharmacology
Group leader: doc. RNDr. Jakub Hofman, Ph.D.

Research Group Of Cellular Pharmacology & Oncology
Group leader: doc. PharmDr. Martina Čečková, Ph.D.

In silico models, statistics and other mathematical procedures for pharmaceutical and biomedical sciences

Research Group of Mathematical Pharmacy
Group leader: doc. Dipl.-Math. Erik Jurjen Duintjer Tebbens, Ph.D

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