Doctoral study

Research in Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology takes an integrative approach from the identification of disease processes that may be potential drug targets, through design of drugs to interact with these targets, investigation of molecular interactions between drugs and selected targets, leading to preclinical evaluation of pharmacological activity and toxicity, through to the assessment of effectiveness and safety of medicines in humans.

This requires an integrative approach to the cellular and sub-microscopic aspects of disease using a range of biochemical, proteomic and genomic techniques.

Our research is often performed in collaboration with other departments and schools in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences or the Faculty of Science. Our doctoral research topics relate to the following themes:

• Target identification
• Drug discovery
• Lead generation
• Pre-clinical evaluation of activity and metabolism
• Clinical effectiveness, pharmacokinetics and drug safety

Our research themes are led by staff who are internationally recognised experts and highly regarded researchers.

• When you join us for your doctorate in Pharmacology, you'll join a high-calibre research community.
• Pharmacy and Pharmacology at the University of Auckland ranks 77th worldwide, and 6th in Australasia (QS World University Rankings 2025).
• The Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences is New Zealand’s leading provider of tertiary education in the health field and the country’s largest centre for medical and biomedical research.· You will have access to high-quality modern research and laboratory facilities.
• As well as undertaking high-quality research in a well-supported environment, the Department provides opportunities to publish papers, attend international conferences, and develop your networks in academia and industry.

Areas of research interest include fundamental research on diseases to identify potential drug targets, computer modelling for hit discovery, preclinical models for drug activity and toxicity, and work with patients.

• Molecular basis of disease (Poulsen) and human neurodegeneration (Dragunow, Connor, Smith, Rustenhoven)
• Neural reprogramming and repair (Connor, McCaughey-Chapman)
• Protein structure and the molecular basis of drug action (Flanagan, Grimsey)
• New therapies for brain diseases (Connor, Dragunow, Young, Park, McCaughey-Chapman, Rustenhoven)
• Receptor signalling and disease (Grimsey)
• Preclinical pharmacology for anticancer drugs (Flanagan, Jamieson, Tingle, Park)
• Drug metabolism and toxicology (Tingle)
• Clinical pharmacology including cancer clinical trials, paediatric pharmacology and drugs used during surgery (Hannam, Burns, Tingle)
• Disease progression and drug action (Hannam)
• Neurodegenerative blood biomarkers (Cawston)

Pursue your topic with us and benefit from exceptional standards of support and supervision from internationally recognised researchers.

Professor Bronwen Connor, Head of Department
Novel therapies for neurodevelopmental and neurological disease using cell reprogramming, gene delivery and cell replacement strategies.

Professor Malcolm Tingle
The role of metabolism in drug toxicity and the development of in vitro and in vivo models to assess toxicity.

Professor Michael Dragunow
Molecular mechanisms of human brain neurodegeneration and repair, developing treatments for brain diseases.

Associate Professor Deborah Young
Development of new therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases using gene therapy and immunotherapeutic approaches.

Associate Professor Jack Flanagan
Molecular basis of drug action and the application of protein structure and computer-based methods in discovering new chemical tools.

Associate Professor Jacqueline Hannam
Pharmacometrics and developing models that facilitate the safe and rationale use of medicines in paediatrics, especially in anaesthesiology.

Associate Professor Stephen Jamieson
Preclinical development of novel anticancer drugs using clinically-relevant models; identification of biomarkers and therapeutic targets using CRISPR/Cas9 functional genomics screens.

Dr Raewyn Poulsen, Senior Lecturer
Molecular mechanisms leading to aberrant cell activity in degenerative diseases such as arthritis, and identification of novel drug targets for treating disease.

Dr Katie Burns, Senior Lecturer
Understanding the molecular basis of drug disposition and its impact on the clinical effectiveness and safety of medicines.

Dr Natasha Grimsey, Senior Research Fellow
Receptor-drug interactions, signalling, and downstream cellular responses in both normal and disease states to develop new therapeutic strategies.

Dr Amy Smith, Senior Research Fellow
Discovering new human glia disease phenotypes, identifying the function of Alzheimer’s disease-associated proteins in human microglia, studying immune cross-talk across the blood-brain barrier.

Dr Justin Rustenhoven, Senior Research Fellow
Studying interactions between the immune system and the central nervous system and their contributions to health and neurological disease.

Dr Erin Cawston, Research Fellow
Fluid biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of Alzheimer’s disease and other Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Dr Amy McCaughey-Chapman, Research Fellow
Utilising direct cell reprogramming to understand and develop novel therapies for treating neurological diseases, in particular demyelinating disorders.

• University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarships
• University of Auckland Health Research Doctoral Scholarships
• University of Auckland Senior Health Research Scholarships

Find a scholarship

If you are interested in conducting a research project with us, please contact the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology’s doctoral adviser.

Associate Professor Jack Flanagan

Department Doctoral Adviser

Email: j.flanagan@auckland.ac.nz
Phone: +64 9 923 3193

Please contact a Student Hub if you have general queries about the programme.  

General postgraduate enquiries:

In New Zealand: 0800 61 62 65
International: +64 9 923 1535
Email: postgraduate@auckland.ac.nz