Big challenges in health demand bold solutions—and that starts with research at ACPHS.
Research Isn’t Just Part of the Experience—It Is the Experience
At ACPHS, we’re not backing down from the fight against disease. From prevention to detection to treatment, we know the future of human health depends on what happens in the lab today. That’s why we’ve made research a cornerstone of the student experience—giving you the chance to work alongside expert faculty on projects that could change lives.
Students and faculty at ACPHS are driving discovery in some of today’s most pressing areas of health science—from combating infectious diseases and cancer to advancing research in kidney and blood disorders.
But it doesn’t stop in the lab. Our researchers are also investigating big-picture questions about health care itself, like how to improve patient-provider communication, boost medication adherence and make better use of outcomes data.
Recognized for Research Excellence by the Carnegie Foundation
ACPHS is proud to be classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a Research College or University—a designation that reflects our deep commitment to advancing knowledge and innovation through academic excellence, leadership and research in the biomedical and health sciences.
For students, this means access to hands-on research experiences, opportunities to work alongside faculty on groundbreaking projects and strong preparation for graduate school or careers in healthcare and science.
For faculty, it highlights a culture that supports scholarly achievement and competitive funding.
New Scholarly Archiving Initiative at ACPHS
We’re excited to launch a new initiative—co-led by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and the Library—that transforms how scholarly output is archived at ACPHS.
This effort is designed to streamline workflows, reduce duplication and ensure that research activity reporting is more efficient and accurate across the institution.
By leveraging automated data capture via Research Commons and implementing quarterly reviews, we’ll build a comprehensive, gold-standard repository of ACPHS scholarship that will efficiently populate Board of Trustees reports, simplify accreditation documentation, automatically update faculty profiles on the website and strengthen research communications with prospective students.
This initiative is a major step toward showcasing the full impact of research at ACPHS—and making it easier for faculty and students to contribute.
Student Research at ACPHS
Conduct Research
Because every academic program here is rooted in human health, you’ll be surrounded by opportunities to explore the topics that matter most to you. If there’s a health-related field you’re passionate about, chances are one of our expert faculty members is already researching it—and ready to mentor you.
Internships and Rotations Through Corporate Partnerships
Our strong corporate partnerships with the pharmaceutical industry open doors to research-based internships and rotations with major companies like Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis and Sanofi Genzyme—giving you hands-on experience in real-world settings.
CBET: Preparing the Next Generation of Scientists and Pharmacists
The Stack Family Center for Biopharmaceutical Education and Training (CBET) puts students at the forefront of biopharmaceutical research and innovation through access to cutting-edge technologies, real-world research and industry-driven training. In a field where workforce readiness is a key growth challenge, CBET equips the next generation of scientists and pharmacists to lead—from lab bench to breakthrough.
Faculty Research in Action
Shaping the Future of Health and Science
Chemistry Lab
CBET Lab
Pharmaceutical Sciences Lab
Faculty Research and Support
Faculty Research
Faculty research at ACPHS plays a critical role in advancing scientific knowledge, enriching student learning and driving innovation in health and pharmaceutical sciences. Through their scholarship, faculty contribute to real-world solutions, elevate the institution’s academic reputation and create new opportunities for collaboration, funding and student engagement.
Research Support
Research and Sponsored Programs supports faculty throughout the entire lifecycle of sponsored funding—from proposal development to project completion. The office includes the Office of Grants Administration and several key oversight committees: the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), Institutional Review Board (IRB), Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), Institutional Laboratory Safety Committee (ILSC) and the Research Committee.
Research Compliance
The Research Compliance Office ensures all research at ACPHS meets the highest ethical standards. It provides training and resources on topics including responsible conduct of research, human and animal research protections, conflict of interest and institutional policies. Researchers also have access to CITI training and clear channels for reporting concerns.
On-Campus and Regional Research Facilities
Access to a Leading Research Network
Our location in Albany’s medical and scientific hub gives students and faculty access to world-class research institutions. Through established partnerships, we collaborate and use lab space, specialized equipment and resources at places like UAlbany Cancer Center, Albany Stratton VA Medical Center, Albany Medical College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and Wadsworth Center – New York State’s Public Health Lab.
ACPHS and RPI Research Partnership
ACPHS and RPI have joined forces to expand research opportunities. The partnership gives faculty and researchers from both institutions access to each other’s high-end core facilities—sharing advanced equipment, expert support and technical services. This collaboration opens the door to new discoveries across basic, clinical and translational research.
On-Campus Research Facilities and Equipment
The O’Brien Building houses most classrooms and teaching labs where students and faculty collaborate on research. The Biosciences Research Building (BRB) is home to advanced research labs and a fully licensed animal facility accredited by the New York State Department of Health—supporting vital breakthroughs in health science. Explore the state-of-the-art resources available in the O’Brien Building and the BRB below.
Biosciences Research Building
Most of ACPHS’s research laboratories are located in the BRB. The BRB also houses a fully licensed animal research facility, accredited by the New York State Department of Health’s Laboratory Animal Welfare Program.
Standard equipment such as refrigerated centrifuges, refrigerators, bacteriological and CO2 incubators, -80°C and -20°C freezers, liquid-nitrogen storage, power supplies, balances, pH meter, water baths, shaking incubator, hot air ovens, fume hoods, autoclaves, ultrapure water purification systems, absorbance and fluorescence plate readers, water baths, shakers, balances, and in-house air and water are available throughout the laboratories.
Molecular and microbiological laboratory resources supporting research in cell signaling, infectious disease, DNA, RNA and protein function at the BRB include: Class II A2 biosafety cabinets, tissue culture hoods and bacteriological and CO2 incubators, inverted tissue culture microscopes, Quantitative Real-time and traditional PCR machines, gel imaging systems, Western Blot apparatus, an Olympus IX71 Fluorescence Microscope for live cell imaging, a Microm HM 505E cryostat, facilities for Drosophila research, including dissection microscopes and fly husbandry, and a Sorvall 6000 super speed centrifuge.
Physiology study resources include: rat-specific Kopf stereotaxic instruments and microinjection equipment for brain studies, an isolated-perfused lung system with a Bio-Pac digital data acquisition module, and a BioPac Hemodynamic systemic monitoring systems for blood pressure studies.
The Organic and Medicinal Chemistry laboratory resources support topical and transdermal drug delivery research as well as chemical synthesis and analysis. The main chemistry lab is equipped with two large fume hoods and adequate bench space to accommodate five or six researchers working simultaneously. Sample preparation equipment includes a Centrivap concentrator with -84°C cold trap and a high-vacuum pump, shakers and incubators. There is a dedicated ventilated hood for photochemical reactions equipped to eliminate escape of UV radiation that is protected from incident light. Glassware, stirrers, heating apparatus and other appropriate equipment for chemical synthesis are available. There are multiple chemical and solvent storage units. There is a six-cell Franz diffusion cell unit equipped with Nicolet FT-IR spectrophotometer and a Shimadzu HPLC system.
The BRB analytical facility houses a Waters ACQUITY-TQD UPLC-MS/MS system, Waters 600 HPLC system, Hitachi LaChrom Elite HPLC system with PDA detector, analytical balance and benchtop refrigerated centrifuge. There is also a sample preparation area equipped with pH meter, stirrer, etc. Also available are DLS / zeta potential instrument, a FT-IR spectrometer, Centrivap concentrator with a -84°C cold trap and a high-vacuum pump, dissolution testing apparatus and large shared -80° C freezers.
O’Brien Building
The O’Brien Building is home to most ACPHS classrooms and teaching labs. From general and organic chemistry to microbiology, this is where groundbreaking research happens every day. You’ll find students and faculty investigating everything from infectious diseases to neuro and cardiac toxicity, and exploring big questions in medicinal chemistry, molecular biology and physiology.
Chemistry resources include a 400 MHz NMR spectrometer, Waters HPLC system with PDA detector and refrigerated autosampler, a MicroCal VP-ITC Isothermal Titration Calorimetry system, and high capacity concentrators.
Molecular Microbiology resources include a BD FACS Verse flow cytometer, conventional and real time PCR systems, gel documentation systems for PCR and western blot, tissue culture and biosafety cabinets, and super speed centrifuges.
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