Western New England University Offers New MS Program in Pharmacogenomics
SPRINGFIELD — The College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Western New England University (WNE) announced a new master of science degree in pharmacogenomics degree starting in the fall of 2022.
Pharmacogenomics is a fast-growing field that helps medical practitioners prescribe personalized treatment plans to patients based on how they may respond to medications due to their DNA sequence. Pharmacogenomics supports personalized or precision medicine, which explores a patient’s genetics, environment, and lifestyle as a way to craft a treatment plan that will best suit the patient. The goal of this modern approach to medication therapy is to limit adverse effects while optimizing response and beneficial outcomes.
The master of science in pharmacogenomics degree from WNE — the only degree of this type in New England — prepares graduates for careers that will revolutionize the delivery of healthcare and make the most of emerging opportunities from basic laboratory research to clinical implementation of personalized healthcare.
“Students will work directly with pharmaceutical scientists in our state-of-the-art laboratories and clinical practitioners at healthcare facilities that utilize genetic testing, which will allow for students to develop skills and expertise necessary for a variety of careers in research or at medical institutions,” said Dr. Shannon Kinney, asssociate professor of Pharmacology and coordinator of the new program.
This new master’s degree program joins the doctor of pharmacy program, whose class of 2020 scored an impressively high pass rate (93.2%) on the NAPLEX (North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination) — the third consecutive year the college’s pass rate has exceeded the national average.
As future scientists, students will benefit from mentorship and research opportunities with WNE faculty who are not only outstanding classroom teachers, but actively engaged in a wide range of research. Dean John Pezzuto has recently been named by Stanford University among the top 2% of the world’s most-cited scholars, ranking him #21 among 80,622 researchers in the medicinal and biomolecular chemistry field. WNE graduates possess skill sets prized by employers and essential to careers in discovery and innovation: divergent thinking, communication, teamwork, leadership, and an entrepreneurial mindset.
To learn more about the MS in pharmacogenomics and the admissions process, click here or call (413) 796-2073 to speak with an admissions counselor. The application deadline for fall 2022 is May 1.
