Divisions
ASPET has Divisions to facilitate interaction among members with similar research interests. Members of ASPET are asked to choose one primary Division and as many secondary Divisions as they like. Members have the opportunity to change their Divisional affiliation at any time. No dues are charged to belong to a Division. Visit the web sites for each Division to learn more.
The Division for Behavioral Pharmacology serves members with interests in behavioral pharmacology from the molecular basis of behavior through the clinical pharmacology of treating behavioral disorders. This includes, but is not limited to: design of new pharmacological agents to treat behavioral disorders, pharmacologically relevant studies on the genetics of behavioral disorders, and the study of drug and alcohol abuse and pharmacological treatments.
The Division for Cardiovascular Pharmacology serves members with interests in all aspects of cardiovascular pharmacology research from the molecular level to whole animal studies. Specific areas include, but are not limited to, mechanisms of cardiovascular drug action, cell signaling, autonomic pharmacology, cardiac pharmacology, endothelial and smooth muscle cell pharmacology, thrombosis, blood - vessel wall interactions, and mechanism involved in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of cardiac, renal pulmonary and cerebral vascular disease, including hypertension, coronary artery disease and stroke.
The Division for Drug Discovery, Drug Development and Regulatory Affairs will impact pharmacologists in industry, government and academia with interests in all phases of the drug development process. The goal of the Division is to promote interaction between discovery scientists, physicians and regulators as we attempt to integrate the broad expanse of skills required to translate the identification of a novel molecular target into a clinically useful therapeutic entity. The DDDRA will serve to help its members teach, present and discuss the critical role of pharmacology in all phases of the drug discovery, development and registration process. The process encompasses, but is not limited to; target discovery and validation, medicinal chemistry, combinatorial chemistry, molecular modeling and drug design, structure-pharmacological function relationships, functional genomics and proteomics, high throughput screening, identification and development of natural products, nutraceuticals, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, clinical testing and drug regulation/registration, clinical contracting and pharmacoepidemiology and pharmacoeconomics. Furthermore, the Division plans to provide special venues at annual meetings to Pharmacology graduatestudents and post-doctoral fellows involved in scientific activities of interest to the DDDRA membership as well as sponsor symposia and/or colloquia.
The Division for Drug Metabolism serves members with interests in all aspects of drug metabolism from the molecular through the phenotypic expression of polymorphisms in humans. Specific areas include, but are not limited to, pharmacogenetics of metabolism, regulation of the drug metabolizing and conjugating enzymes, pharmacokinetics, metabolite identification, role of drug metabolism in drug discovery and development, structure-function relationships of relevant enzyme systems, free radicals and reactive intermediates, studies focusing on all drug-metabolizing enzymes.
The Division for Integrative Systems, Translational and Clinical Pharmacology is ASPET's newest division, formed by the merger of the Division for Systems and Integrative Pharmacology and the Division for Clincial Pharmacology, Pharmacogenomics, and Translational medicine. The new division is intended to bring together scientists who work in physiological systems and share a common perspective of pharmacology as an integrated discipline within the organism. Individuals working in GI pharmacology, pulmonary pharmacology, reproductive pharmacology, Immunopharmacology, ocular pharmacology, smooth muscle pharmacology, dermatopharmacology, or across several of these systems, whether in animals or man, might be expected to find a home in the Division. While there are separate Divisions for Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Neuropharmacology for scientists working in those systems, many members of those divisions will also be interested in the Division for Integrative Systems, Translational and Clinical Pharmacology and ASPET members are encouraged to join as many divisions as they find appropriate.
The Division for Molecular Pharmacology serves members applying approaches of biochemistry, biophysics, genetics, and molecular biology to study molecular mechanisms of drug action, regardless of the class of drug. Areas of interest include (but are not limited to): drug receptor-effector coupling and its regulation (e.g. receptor-structure/function, G proteins, kinases, phosphatases, and second messenger synthesis and degradation), voltage- and ligand-gated ion channels, antimicrobial and antineoplastic drug action, steroid and growth factor receptors, gene regulation, and identification of molecular targets for drugs.
The Division for Neuropharmacology serves members with interests in all aspects of neuropharmacology research from studies in the central nervous system to peripheral autonomic pharmacology. Specific areas include, but are not limited to, neurochemistry, neurotransmission, neurotoxicity of drugs, neural receptor pharmacology, signal transduction in neural tissue, mechanisms of nervous system disorders, treatment of nervous system disorders, the pharmacology of drugs acting on the central nervous system (anesthetics, analgesics, antipsychotic drugs, antianxiety drugs, antiepileptic drugs, drugs for migraine, drugs for degenerative disorders), the pharmacology of drugs acting on the peripheral nervous system (sympathomimetics, antihypertensive drugs, cholinergic agents, nitric oxide synthase inhibitors), alcohol and drug addiction, drugs of abuse, and behavioral pharmacology.
The Division for Pharmacology Education serves members with interests in all aspects of education related to drug development and action. This group brings together scientists who have an interest in the teaching of pharmacology to undergraduate through professional, graduate and postgraduate learners. The Division serves as a format to discuss and disseminate innovations in teaching, promote the scholarship of education, explore new paradigms in education such as distance learning and standardized materials, and increase communication between pharmacology educators in Society meetings and throughout the year. The DPE will foster linkages between other divisions of ASPET and with educational components of other FASEB societies.
The Division for Toxicology serves members with interests in all aspects of toxicology, including (but not limited to) neurotoxicology, teratology, molecular and cellular mechanisms of drug and chemical toxicity, immunotoxicology, organ toxicities, risk assessment, environmental toxicology, models of toxic injury, toxic intermediates, and mechanisms of chemical interactions.
Information for ASPET Divisions
ASPET has four regional Chapters. The Regional Chapter meetings provide opportunities, particularly for students, to meet at regional venues to discuss their research. Poster competitions for students and postdoctoral fellows are a feature of the regional Chapter meetings. The Regional Chapters are distinct entities from from ASPET and members of a regional chapter are not necessarily members of ASPET.
A regional Chapter of ASPET serving the upper mid-West surrounding the Chicago area.
A regional Chapter of ASPET serving the mid-Atlantic area surrounding Philadelphia.
A regional Chapter of ASPET serving New England.
A regional Chapter of ASPET serving the greater Southeastern area.
Information for ASPET Chapters