Beginning in fall 2025, an online master’s degree in model-informed drug development presents a new opportunity for pharmacy students and working professionals alike to gain insights into a rapidly growing field.
Thomas Schmittgen, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Pharmaceutics in the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, said this online master’s degree offers participants hands-on experience with the cutting-edge, industry-standard software used in pharmacometrics research and model-informed drug development, or MIDD. Building upon the college’s existing online graduate certificate program in MIDD, the master’s degree can be completed in about two years, and from any location in the world.
“About five years ago, we saw a need for students and working professionals to learn the principles of MIDD, so we developed an online certificate. Based on the success of that certificate, we decided to expand the program to include an online master’s degree,” Schmittgen said. “This is an important program because the field of MIDD is still very specialized and nearly exclusively taught in colleges of pharmacy. UF is one of the global leaders in this field, so there are some real advantages for students to obtain a master’s in MIDD from our college.”
Tatiana Iakovleva, Pharm.D., a research assistant professor of pharmaceutics in the UF College of Pharmacy, said in addition to pre-recorded lectures and synchronized, hands-on learning sessions, the master’s program also engages students in a series of guest lectures and case studies given by leaders in industry and the Food and Drug Administration.
“Our courses cover the key methodologies and the regulatory frameworks that guide drug discovery and development, showing how mathematical modeling supports every step, from hypothesis generation and preclinical studies to clinical testing and regulatory submission. All the faculty members who teach the classes are researchers who apply these mathematical modeling methodologies in real projects every day, so students gain this cutting-edge point of view and learn how this methodology evolved with time,” she said.
The online MIDD master’s degree program accepts applications year-round. To apply, visit: https://go.ufl.edu/MIDD