Department of Pharmacology and Physiology
Message from the Chair
The disciplines of pharmacology and physiology touch on virtually every field of the biomedical sciences, presenting endless opportunities to discover disease mechanisms and develop new treatments. This translational approach is at the basis of our work, firmly rooted in the concept of promoting a seamless and continuous transition between the basic and the clinical sciences.
Our faculty pursue a variety of scientific interests in the areas of neurological disorders, cancer therapeutics, pain, cardiovascular physiology, metabolism, substance abuse, HIV neuropathology and comorbidities. We invite you to visit their laboratory pages and learn more about ongoing research projects and available openings. Feel free to inquire if you have any questions!
Our training programs provide students with a wealth of advantages in considering career opportunities within academic and biopharmaceutical settings. We offer both traditional, research-intensive graduate programs in Pharmacology and Physiology (MS and PhD) and a professional program in Drug Discovery and Development (MS).
Positions Available
New Faculty Positions Available
The Department of Pharmacology & Physiology at Drexel University College of Medicine announces the opening of tenure-track faculty positions. Read more. [PDF]
Tenure-track Faculty Educators
· Pharmacology
Upcoming Seminar
February 24, 2026
Three-Dimensional Spatial Analysis of the Nucleus Accumbens
Lauren Wills, PhD – Research Assistant Professor, Department of Neurosciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Download seminar flyer
Johnson & Johnson 4D Fellowship Program
The Drexel Drug Discovery and Development (4D) Fellowship program is a joint effort between Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine and Drexel’s Pharmacology and Physiology Department to support master’s students (in drug discovery and development or pharmacology and physiology) who have experienced challenges that limited their access to academic training and career opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry. Learn more.
"Not only do I enjoy the scientific research process, but I genuinely love the educational aspect of it. I love cultivating talents and contributing to the development of the scientists and health professionals of the future." Read more.
News and Announcements
Romano Lab Publishes High-Impact Work on HIV and Cancer
The Romano Lab recently published a new study on unique clinical and immunological features of people living with HIV and melanoma in the journal Clinical Cancer Research. The study, “Population Analysis and Immunologic Landscape of Melanoma in People Living with HIV,” features first author Lindsay Barger, PhD student in the Romano Lab, and collaborations with researchers in five additional universities/cancer centers.
Dr. Wickman Earns Cotswold Fellowship
Congratulations to Dr. Jason Wickman, postdoctoral fellow in the Ajit Lab, for earning the Cotswold Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship! The fellowship supports postdoctoral researchers who are pursuing a career in academic research and will support Dr. Wickman’s research over the next year.
New W.W. Smith Grants
The W.W. Smith Charitable Trust awarded two new grants to department faculty this year.
Dr. Gabriele Romano (Pharmacology and Physiology) earned a grant for his project "Novel Immunotherapeutic Approaches for Melanoma in PLWH.”
Dr. Liang Oscar Qiang (Neurobiology & Anatomy) and co-investigator Dr. Peter Gaskill (Pharmacology & Physiology) earned another grant for their project "Next-Generation Human Brain Organoids Uncover Mechanisms and Therapeutic Targets for Glutamate Dysregulation and Vascular Injury in HIV-Associated Neurodegeneration."
Ajit Lab Student Earns Undergraduate Mini-Grant
Ajit Lab undergraduate student Faith Clark was awarded a Winter Undergraduate Research Mini-Grant from Drexel’s Pennoni Honors College. The award will support her ongoing research project: “Contribution of Xist and RNF139 to Sex Differences in Inflammatory Response and Pain.”
Department Trainees Secure Awards at Discovery Day
Trainees from several labs in the department were honored for their outstanding work at the college of medicine’s annual Discovery Day. Our trainees took home Discovery Day’s top prize, the Amadeo Bondi Fellowship, and earned several awards for poster and platform presentations:
- Bondi Fellowship
Deepa Reddy, Ajit Lab
- Second place, platform presentation
Lindsay Barger, Romano Lab
- First place, senior graduate student poster
Isaac Turkson, Ajit Lab
- Third place, senior graduate student poster
Tofunmi Oteju, Gaskill Lab
- First place, junior graduate student poster
Amanda Modica, Gaskill/Matt Lab
- First place, undergraduate student poster
Jaden Drumm, Fatatis Lab
- Honorable mention, undergraduate student poster
Faith Clark, Ajit Lab
Deepa Reddy Earned First Place in MAPS Poster Competition
Congratulations to Deepa Reddy, graduate student in the Ajit Lab, for earning first place in the graduate student poster competition at the 2025 Mid Atlantic Pharmacology Society meeting! Deepa presented her thesis work in a poster titled “Macrophage Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles as a Therapeutic for Postoperative Pain and Inflammation”.
Dr. White Quoted in WHYY Article
Michael White, PhD, was interviewed for a WHYY story about recent government directives to teach nutrition in medical education, and Drexel’s longstanding nutrition curriculum in the College of Medicine.
Dr. Gaskill’s R61 Grant Renewed for R33 Phase
Dr. Peter Gaskill successfully earned a renewal of his NIH-NIDA R61/R33 project “Defining Molecular Mechanisms by Which Stimulant Evoked Dopamine Drives Inflammation and Neuronal Dysfunction in NeuroHIV” for the R33 phase, which provides three additional years of funding to further develop the project.
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Pharmacology and Physiology Department Annual Retreats
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