Pharmacogenomics courses and certificates
PGNI's research education is built around three courses, each earning a pharmacogenomics certificate: Intro to Pharmacogenomics for beginners, the IRB & Ethics Course, and Pharmacogenomics Research Methods. Join the interest list for any course; PGNI schedules each cohort and announces dates to everyone on the list. The courses are also the foundation of the fellowship program.
Learn the science, the ethics, and the research.
Three PGNI certificates
01. PGNI Certificate — Intro to Pharmacogenomics
A foundational course for newcomers with no prior research or IRB background.
02. PGNI Certificate — IRB & Ethics
For researchers preparing for IRB review, and prospective IRB reviewers.
03. PGNI Certificate — Pharmacogenomics Research Methods
A 6-week, project-based program for building pharmacogenomics research experience.
Start here: Intro to Pharmacogenomics, for anyone new to the field
Early joiners help shape the course — your background and interests directly inform its final format and schedule.
A foundational course for newcomers — clinicians, scientists, students, and faculty — covering the core concepts of pharmacogenomics before moving into research or clinical application. No research or IRB background required.
Genes, drugs, and clinical relevance
How genetic variation affects drug metabolism and response, and why it matters at the point of prescribing.
Short, self-contained sessions
Structured around core concepts you can complete at your own pace.
A foundation for what's next
Enough grounding to move into Pharmacogenomics Research Methods, clinical application, or further coursework.
PGNI Certificate — Intro to Pharmacogenomics
A PGNI Certificate of Completion is awarded upon successful completion of the course. Enrollment opens when a cohort is announced.
Tuition for each course is listed on the tuition page.
Learn how ethical review works in the IRB & Ethics course
Specialized regulatory and ethics training with case-based application to human-subjects research and IRB review. Built primarily for pharmacists, researchers, faculty, and health care professionals — including those preparing to submit for IRB review, and those considering becoming an IRB reviewer.
The Common Rule & FDA regulations
45 CFR 46 and 21 CFR 50, 56, applied directly to pharmacogenomics research scenarios rather than taught in the abstract.
Real protocol scenarios
Worked examples of how an IRB actually evaluates risk, consent, and data governance in genomic research.
A route onto the Reviewers Committee
Completion is a natural on-ramp for anyone interested in joining PGNI's IRB Reviewers Committee.
PGNI Certificate — IRB & Ethics
A PGNI Certificate of Completion is awarded upon successful completion of the course. Enrollment opens when a cohort is announced.
Tuition for each course is listed on the tuition page.
Learn how to conduct pharmacogenomics research in the Research Methods course
A 6-week, project-based cohort with mandatory live sessions and small research teams.
6-week course
One live, 2-hour interactive session each week, plus team project work between sessions.
Cohort of 20 students in 5 teams of 4
Each team completes its own pharmacogenomics research project, with faculty and research-mentor guidance throughout.
A completed research project
Each team presents its finished work in a final session and receives a PGNI Certificate of Completion.
Six-week course structure
Each week pairs a topic with a concrete team deliverable, so the project builds week over week rather than arriving all at once at the end.
- Week 1. Finding a good pharmacogenomics research question
Team deliverable: Research question & hypothesis - Week 2. Study design & protocol development
Team deliverable: Study protocol - Week 3. Pharmacogenomic data & variables
Team deliverable: Data / research plan - Week 4. Statistical analysis & AI tools
Team deliverable: Analysis plan / preliminary analysis - Week 5. Interpreting results & translating findings
Team deliverable: Results & discussion - Week 6. Scientific communication & publication
Team deliverable: Final team presentation
Live, mandatory course sessions
This is an interactive, discussion-based format. Completion — and the certificate that comes with it — requires attending the live sessions, not just reviewing a recording.
PGNI Certificate — Pharmacogenomics Research Methods
A PGNI Certificate of Completion is awarded upon successful completion of the six-week live curriculum and team research project. Enrollment opens when a cohort is announced.
Tuition for each course is listed on the tuition page.