Pharmacologist

You'd do research to discover and develop new drugs and medicines, and to make sure they are used safely.

You’d study the effects of drugs and other chemical substances on cells, animals, humans and the environment. You would work in a research team with scientists and other staff.

You might specialise in:

• clinical pharmacology, looking at the effects of medicine on people in clinical trials

• neuropharmacology, examining the effects of drugs on the nervous system

You would:

• design, set up and carry out experiments

• analyse data using complex equipment and measuring systems

• test drugs on cells in labs and through clinical trials on humans

• write reports and make recommendations based on the results of experiments and research

• use the results of research to develop new products and manufacturing processes

• study the unwanted or harmful effects of drugs

• test the safety of manufactured products

Some of your duties may involve animal research.

You'd share the results of your work with colleagues, for example by presenting at meetings and conferences, and publishing reports.

You might also supervise support staff and manage and co-ordinate projects.

Green job

In this job you could be doing work to help the environment. You could:

• do environmental impact assessments for drugs

• follow green chemistry principles in drug synthesis to reduce waste, energy consumption and the use of hazardous chemicals

Find out more about green jobs.

• Not Just Lab Coats - Helps you explore different career options in science, manufacturing, and technology

• Medical Research Council – About careers in research in biomedical, clinical and health disciplines