Home Career Advice
Career in Pharmacogenomics – A Complete Guide
Pharmacogenomics is a swiftly advancing field of biomedical sciences concerning the study of the genome and its impact on the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficiency, and safety of a medicine. This article explains the Career opportunities in Pharmacogenomics.
The term pharmacogenomics unites the study of pharmacology that stresses the study of the use and impact of drugs along with genomics or study of gene functions. Pharmacogenomics is the study of genes and deals with genetic mutations in charge of differences in medicine impact. Genetic mutations in metabolism might lead to high concentration or sluggish metabolism of medicines and the enhanced threat of unfavorable effects. These genetic differences can predict the efficiency of a drug and further avoid adverse consequences or adverse drug responses.
Pharmacogenomics is the precision medication that entails the study of data with respect to the prediction of disease risk and development illustrated from an individual patient or group of patients based on genetic variations and the response of the individual patient or group of patients to medications. This field of study also includes research studies carried out to identify the impact of genes and response to drugs with long-lasting objectives to aid medical professionals or physicians to choose ideal drugs and dosages. Targeted genetic treatments intend to treat every patient independently for certain diseases with optimal therapeutic impact. The advantages might include the ability and potential to improve therapeutic therapy by raising efficiency and reducing the dangers of unfavorable impact.
This domain studies how a patient’s genes impact how they respond to drugs. This domain’s aim is to assist doctors to select the medications as well as dosages best matched for every person’s special requirements. Pharmacogenomics is an interdisciplinary area of accuracy medicine, which aims to deal with each individual independently.
How will pharmacogenomics modify the quality of healthcare?
Pharmacogenomics will significantly allow medical professionals and other medical professionals to prescribe the right drug at the correct time for every patient. This would certainly imply that people would get drugs that are much safer as well as efficient, resulting in better health care. Additionally, if researchers can recognize the genetic basis for unfavorable medication response, drugs can be prescribed only to those who are not genetically at risk for those reactions. This could maintain the availability of possibly life-saving medicines that could otherwise be taken off the market.
Educational Qualifications
- A pharmacogeneticist typically requires at least a bachelor’s degree in pharmacogenetics or biomedical science, stratified medicine, genetics or pharmaceutics clinical pharmacology, or a relevant field.
- One can also pursue a Master’s degree for better job opportunities.
- According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, pharmacogenetics professions usually need a Ph.D. or professional degree.
Skills Required
- Genetics Competencies
- Ethical, Social, and Economics Competencies
- Collaborating with external partners
- Integrating genomics into the development process
- Capable to work individually and in a team
- Communication skills
- Presentation skills
- Outstanding organizational skills with a great focus on detail
- Critical thinking
- Skills to solve complex genetic problems
- Multitasking skills, versatility, and adaptability to a dynamic and challenging environment are required
Role
A Pharmacogenomics Scientist is – partly a Pharmacologist, and partly a Geneticist – who counts on “customized drugs.” Since individuals respond differently to drugs based upon their specific genetic make-up, the Pharmacogeneticist is dedicated to the research and development of personalized medicine treatments that maximize the health benefits of pharmaceuticals by customizing them to a person’s individual biology.
Responsibilities of a Pharmacogenomics Scientist are listed below:
- Advocating for the reasonable and regular use of pharmacogenomic screening.
- Giving test result analysis and scientific assistance for return of results to providers and patients in cooperation with other health care specialists including doctors, lab experts, and also genetic therapists.
- Optimizing medication therapy on basis of pharmacogenomic test outcomes.
- Educating and providing data on the clinical application of pharmacogenomics to health experts, patients, and members of the general public.
- Supporting and taking part in the study, consortia, and networks that lead and speed up the application of pharmacogenomics to scientific practice.
- Respond to pharmacogenomic questions from medical professionals and provide pharmacogenomic counseling solutions for individuals through phone, mail, or directly.
- Provide clinical pharmacy supervision on the development of services and products based on market and regulatory advancements in the pharmacogenomic industry.
- Give scientific expertise on sales/marketing materials and presentations.
- Contribute to the development of the drug management clinical decision support programs.
Salary
| Initial Salary | Rs 6.50 lakhs |
| Mid-level salary | Rs 8.00 Lakhs p.a |
| High-level salary | Rs 12.00 Lakhs p.a |
Job profiles
- Pharmacogenomics Specialist
- Genetic Sales Consultant
- Geneticist
- Medical Scientist
- Research Project Manager
- Data Scientist
- Clinical Genomics Curator
- Field Application Scientist
- Clinical Implementation Scientist
- Clinical Development Scientist
- Genetic Data Analyst
- Molecular Sales Consultant
- Genomics Lab Technician
- Molecular Scientist
- Sales
Scope
Future job opportunities are abundant for students graduating with an MS in Pharmaceutical Sciences: Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Healthcare. Ph.D. graduates can expect to be eligible for a wide range of leadership roles and career-advancing opportunities.
As with various other extremely technological careers, a higher level leads to enhanced opportunities, income, and responsibility. Since this is a relatively new area, the process of entering the area can differ for different people, and a degree in a relevant topic like genetics or medications may be enough to start or excel in a career.
Global recruiters
- Hudson Alpha
- Myriad Genetics
- Transgenomic
- 23andMe
- Pathway Genomics
- Genentech
- GeneDX
- Dynamic DNA Laboratories
- Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society
- Centre for Human Genetics
- Cancer Genetics Incorporation
Companies In India
Colleges For Pharmacogenomics In India
- Manipal School of Life Sciences
- Poona College of Pharmacy
- JSS College of Pharmacy
- Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University
- Amity University
International Colleges For Pharmacogenomics
- Manchester University
- University of Pittsburgh
- Harvard University
- University of North Carolina
- University of California
- Monash University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Stanford University
Employment sector
- Research institutes
- Educational institutes
- Industries
- Government agencies
- Private companies
- Healthcare
- Laboratories
Career In Pharmacogenomics; Pharmacogenomics Career
