Pharmacokinetics and Mechanistic Modeling Graduate Certificate

Form expertise in basic pharmacokinetics and modeling to meet demand for professionals in the industry with the Graduate Certificate in Pharmacokinetics and Mechanistic Modeling in the School of Pharmacy at Temple University.  

The program is designed for current professionals in the field and pharmacy students who wish to enhance their credentials and skills. Industry employers actively seek candidates who have specific backgrounds in the development and interpretation of pharmacokinetic (mathematical) models that can predict drug disposition in humans. 

The 12-credit Pharmacokinetics and Mechanistic Modeling Certificate is fully online and is a combination of asynchronous and synchronous course content. 

What sets apart the Pharmacokinetics and Mechanistic Modeling Certificate at Temple’s School of Pharmacy? 

Pharmacokinetics is a specialized field focused on the disposition (absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination [or ADME]) of therapeutic drugs in the body. How drug levels change in the body over time after dosing is critical to inform drug dosing, therapeutic regimen design, and to ensure drug safety and efficacy.  

Pharmacokinetic studies are initiated at the start of drug discovery and are critical throughout the lifetime of a drug from early discovery to development, marketing and post-marketing safety evaluations. The pharmaceutical industry typically invests significantly in multiple departments responsible for in vitro/preclinical pharmacokinetics as well as clinical pharmacokinetics. Expertise in pharmacokinetics requires a strong background in mammalian anatomy and physiology, enzymology of drug metabolizing enzymes, and mathematical derivations involving calculus. Additionally, the exponential growth in large molecule and new modality drugs (e.g., antibodies, other biologics, gene and cell therapies) requires expertise in large-molecule cellular mechanisms of drug action.

Faculty experts and guest lecturers who are highly regarded and well-published scientific leaders in the pharmaceutical industry design and deliver the curriculum.

Program Format & Curriculum  

The Pharmacokinetics and Mechanistic Modeling Certificate is a 12-credit program consisting of a series of four three-credit courses tailored to provide students with highly specialized skills and competencies. Courses are offered online, with a combination of asynchronous and synchronous elements.  

The course sequence is designed to introduce the basic principles of in vitro ADME and in vivo pharmacokinetics that guide modeling and simulation to predict human drug safety and efficacy, which together inform and support the development of regulatory guidance for drug development. Two courses covering basic principles are offered every fall semester. 

• Pharmacokinetic Principles in Drug Discovery and Development: Small and Large Molecules

• In Vitro-In Vivo Extrapolation in Pharmacokinetics 

​The following courses are offered every spring semester. 

• Mechanism Based Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Modeling

• Pharmacokinetic Principles to Meet Regulatory Guidance Requirements 

​Assessment in each course is designed to strengthen critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and real-world communication skills. Thus, weekly assignments and discussion board engagement will hone problem-solving and written communication, assignments based on topical original research articles aimed at strengthening critical thinking skills. Culminating individual and team-based projects requiring oral presentations to the group will mimic cross-disciplinary project team meetings that are similar to industry.

Program Faculty

Pharmacokinetics is a highly specialized field of study. The program is taught by pharmacokinetics experts who draw on their expertise in the field as well as their connection to the vast network of industry scientists. 

• Patrick Glassman, PhD, assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences
• Ken Korzekwa, PhD, professor of pharmaceutical sciences
• Swati Nagar, PhD, professor of pharmaceutical sciences