Graduate Portfolio Program in Pharmacoengineering

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Designed to prepare the next generation of innovative “pharmacoengineers,” this program empowers graduate students to lead the development of pharmaceutical therapeutics and diagnostics. Leveraging unparalleled cross-disciplinary training, the program provides you with a unique educational experience that goes beyond what is available in traditional graduate programs at The University of Texas at Austin or any academic institution across the country. 

With this comprehensive, interdisciplinary education you will be equipped to drive innovation in pharmacoengineering by:

  • Enhancing medication efficacy
  • Improving targeted drug delivery for optimal bioavailability
  • Accelerating drug discovery beyond traditional methods.

Pharmacoengineering Portfolio Program Overview

You will develop a range of skills and knowledge in:

  1. Data driven and machine learning approaches to drug design and delivery
  2. Modeling of drug-target interactions across the molecular, cellular and tissue-level scales
  3. Novel drug delivery strategies
  4. Methods for monitoring delivery and/or mapping distribution of the therapeutic agent as well as assessing its activity and efficacy against a targeted medical condition

What is a Portfolio Program?

Graduate portfolio programs provide opportunities for enrolled graduate students to obtain transcriptable credentials in cross-disciplinary academic areas of inquiry while they are completing the requirements for a graduate degree in a particular discipline. Portfolio programs promote cross-disciplinary scholarship and study by bringing together faculty and students from a variety of disciplines whose interests transcend boundaries of traditional academic disciplines. The Office of Graduate Studies provides an overview of the university’s general portfolio program requirements.

Eligibility

The program is open to graduate students across UT Austin but is especially suited for those with backgrounds in drug discovery and delivery, biomolecular and biochemical modeling, molecular and cellular biology, and pharmaceutical sciences. It is particularly designed for students in the following disciplines:

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Biochemistry
  • Chemical Engineering 

Course Requirements

  1. Students will normally apply to enter the program during their first or second year in their doctoral studies. Students will submit their applications during either of two admissions cycles per year (two weeks before the first day of class for the fall and spring semesters)

  2. Students will complete four thematically related graduate courses, each with at least 3 credit hours. The four courses will include three courses (9 credit hours) offered by at least two graduate programs outside of the student's primary degree major. Additionally, the following requirements need to be satisfied:
    • One course at molecular or cellular level and one at system (larger than cell) level
    • One computational course
    • Achieve a 3.0 GPA or better within portfolio program courses

  3. Students must complete one independent study/project and/or one internship. Doctoral Dissertations may be used to satisfy the independent study requirement of a portfolio program

  4. Students must fill out the Graduate School’s Portfolio Completion Reporting Form and send it to the Program Director

Application Information

Submit application materials to the committee: pharmeng-adm@utlists.utexas.edu 

  • A letter of intent with Name, EID, and degree program, signed by the student’s PhD advisor and co-signed by the student’s Graduate Advisor of the primary degree program.
  • One page statement describing applicant’s interest and motivation
  • A list of completed graduate courses with grades
  • Proposed coursework and project/internship for completing the portfolio

Application Deadlines:

July 1: Fall 2025 semester

Dec 1: Spring 2026 semester

Contacts:

Program Director & Professor Pengyu Ren

Graduate Program Administrator Jenny Kondo

Steering Committee:

Become a UT Austin Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student

You have a unique opportunity to join one of the highest-impact public biomedical engineering graduate programs.

100% of Ph.D. Students                  Top 20 Graduate Biomedical                       2,000+ Alumni
            Fully Funded                              Engineering Program in U.S.                     Around The World

It is time to seize this opportunity to and work with some of the world’s best and brightest minds to push the boundaries of what is possible in medicine to help people live longer while feeling better.

The opportunity to take your knowledge and experience to the next level and improve health care with an interdisciplinary approach across the Cockrell School of Engineering with other renowned departments:

Mechanical Engineering

Computational and Electrical Engineering

Chemical Engineering

The opportunity to propel your passion for advancing health care and health care delivery into a new era with virtually no limitations:

1. Applications from all backgrounds related to biomedical engineering are welcomed

2. Hollistic admissions withn no cut-off or minimum scores

3. Full finanacial support with a competitive stipend, paid tuition and fees

4. Eight areas of discovery and innovation that positively impact biomedical sciences and health care.

5. Partnerships with the world-renowned Dell Medical School for clinical experience

6. Access to the fastest academic super computer in the United States

7. Collaborations with Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning experts across the UT Austin campus

8. Unique career pathway opportunities through externally funded fellowships

APPLY AND START CHANGING LIVES TODAY

The PULSE of UT Austin Biomedical Engineering

More Information about our program:

Final Oral Defense

   Before your defense

  1. Review the Graduate School website. The Graduate School has critical information regarding deadlines, paperwork, and scheduling. Try to review this at least a semester before your defense.
  2. Meet with your supervisor. Discuss your plan to defend and any important requirements/expectations for your defense.
  3. File to graduate. At the beginning of the semester, you must file to graduate to let the Graduate School know you will finish your degree.
  4. Schedule your defense. Contact your committee members to let them know when you hope to defend and ask them for their availability. When you've determined a date, you must submit a Request for Final Oral form to the Graduate School at least two weeks in advance of the date of your defense.
  5. Send your dissertation to your committee. Once your supervisor approves, send your dissertation to the rest of your committee. This should be done approximately four weeks in advance of the date your defense.
  6. Contact the Graduate Coordinator. Send the date, time, and location of the defense and the title of your dissertation. This will be distributed to the department.
  7. Prepare your presentation. Most students will use Powerpoint or a similar program to present. Discuss format and style with your supervisor.
  8. Prepare paperwork. A number of documents must be prepared for and signed at your defense. Also, print a Learning Outcomes form for each committee member.
  9. Confirm with your committee. Be sure to confirm your committee's attendance and send a reminder at least a few days in advance.

    At your defense

  10. Arrive early. Set up the room and media, and greet your committee and attendees.
  11. Distribute forms and paperwork from step 8. Have the appropriate documents to acquire all of the necessary signatures. Note, a "gold" form will be sent directly to your supervisor. Please check with your supervisor to ensure this is brought to your defense and all original signatures are acquired. Distribute a Learning Outcomes form to each committee member. This must be completed and returned to the Graduate Coordinator after the defense.
  12. Conduct your defense. The process can take up to a few hours. Including the presentation, questions, and deliberation.
  13. Acquire signatures. If you have success fully defended, acquire original signatures for your forms and make sure your supervisor has done the same for the "gold" form. Collect Learning Outcomes forms in sealed envelopes or have your committee members submit them to the Graduate Coordinator.

    Immediately after your proposal

  14. Check in with the Graduate Coordinator. Bring your signed paperwork to the Graduate Coordinator so copies may be made for yours and the department's records. Your supervisor may give the "gold" form to Graduate Coordinator to submit to the Graduate School.
  15. Submit your paperwork. Turn your paperwork in to the Graduate School in person. DO NOT SEND YOUR PAPERWORK THROUGH CAMPUS MAIL. All documents must be received by the Graduate School by their established deadline. Late paperwork will prevent you from graduating.
  16. Upload your dissertation. You must upload your dissertation by the Graduate School's deadline.

Department Hosts SFB Biomaterials Day

SFB_LOGOBME Hosts SFB Biomaterials Day
The University of Texas at Austin's Department of Biomedical Engineering will host the Society for Biomaterials' Biomaterials Day, "Translational Research in Texas," on Friday, May 31, 2013.

Read more …

Contact the Graduate Program

Biomedical Engineering Building (BME) Room 3.308AF
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 am–5:00 pm

Andrea Davis, Graduate Coordinator
512.475.7500

Dr. Laura Suggs, Graduate Advisor
512.232.1671

  1. Admissions Criteria
  2. Copyright Requirement

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