Saint Joseph's University Uses Industry Connections to Build a New Drug Development Masters

As the first school of pharmacy in the nation, the impact of Saint Joseph’s Philadelphia College of Pharmacy (PCP) is well known. Its alumni include founders of some of the top pharmaceutical companies in the world, renowned scientific educators, researchers and clinicians. Recent graduates of the pharmaceutical sciences department program are pursuing careers at companies at the forefront of innovation, like Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, AmerisourceBergen and Merck.

So when building a master’s in Drug Development & Industrial Pharmacy, the faculty at Saint Joseph’s PCP looked to their alumni for guidance.

“As we were putting this program together, a big part of it was hearing what our alumni in the industry are saying is needed and what students need on day one of their jobs,” says Isabelle Mercier, PhD, associate professor and chair of pharmaceutical sciences at Saint Joseph’s University. “Feedback from alumni really helped shape the curriculum and format of the master’s program.” 

And so far, feedback has been positive.

“It really reflects the university’s commitment to continuous improvement,” says Isaac Hutchinson ‘19, a graduate of PCP’s bachelor’s in pharmaceutical sciences program. “There’s a great opportunity to address a growing talent gap in the industry and I think PCP can do it.” 

Filling that gap is the goal of the new master’s, according to Mercier, who notes that the University's location offers a unique advantage to students. 

“Philadelphia is the frontyard of the pharmaceutical industry – we’re the leaders, forming the pipeline for the major pharma companies.”

The MS in Drug Development & Industrial Pharmacy will build on the existing pharmaceutical sciences bachelor’s program and offer a 4+1 option for current University students, though it will also enroll post-baccs.

A Tech Transfer Specialist for Johnson & Johnson, Hutchinson says PCP prepared him well for his career.“I could demonstrate [research] techniques right in my interviews that drew employers’ attention,” says Hutchinson. “I did that at my first job interview and got an offer from that employer before I even graduated.”

Like the undergraduate program, the DDIP MS curriculum is heavily experiential, which distinguishes it from more thesis-driven master’s programs in the field. Students will work in the University’s Industrial Pharmacy Laboratory, a GLP-compliant pharmaceutical research facility equipped for complete drug delivery research services.

Pardeep K. Gupta, PhD, Saint Joseph’s Burroughs Wellcome Professor of Pharmaceutics and director of the laboratory, notes that it is unique for master’s students to have access to a lab with this full capability. Aside from allowing them to complete each stage of their research, the lab will also provide an opportunity for students to participate in a rich scientific community of fellow master’s students, PhD students and faculty.

Both Gupta and Mercier hope that the students they shaped in the pharmaceutical sciences programs will continue to help shape this new master’s program. They plan to launch a pharmaceutical sciences alumni advisory board in the near future. 

“The field of R&D is continuously evolving,” says Mahima Singh, PhD ‘20, Senior Scientist at the Drug Product Development and Delivery division of Janssen R&D who was pleased to hear about the program’s launch.

With advances in monoclonal antibodies, gene therapy and cell based therapies, colleges and universities need to be at the forefront of adapting to these changes.”

- Mahima Singh, PhD ’20, Senior Scientist at the Drug Product Development and Delivery division of Janssen R&D

 

“An MS degree focused on Drug Development & Industrial Pharmacy program is an applied degree well suited to train students and develop the skills necessary to excel in the growing biotechnology world.”