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The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) is a 4,000-member international scientific society advancing the science of drugs and therapeutics. Founded in 1908 by John Jacob Abel, ASPET connects investigators across academia, government, biotech, pharmaceutical firms, and non-profit organizations studying chemical interactions with biological systems.
For researchers entering the discipline, the guide to what is pharmacology details core experimental domains and research competencies. The practical distinctions between pharmacy vs pharmacology highlight the divide between laboratory mechanism discovery and clinical dispensing.
What ASPET Is and Its Mission
ASPET serves as a professional home for pharmacologists, toxicologists, chemical biologists, and clinical translational scientists. The society’s vision is a world where there is a safe and effective therapeutic for every disease. ASPET promotes original research, establishes standards for pharmacological nomenclature, fosters trainee growth, and advocates for scientific funding.
The society operates across molecular mechanism discovery and therapeutic application. In experimental pipelines, investigators correlate functional biological screens with chemical databases such as the PubChem chemistry and bioassay repository, publishing findings in specialized literature like the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry or ASPET’s journal family.
Who Runs ASPET and What It Covers
ASPET is governed by an elected Council consisting of the President, Past President, President-Elect, Secretary-Treasurer, Past Secretary-Treasurer, and elected Councilors. The Council establishes policy, manages reserves, and oversees volunteer committees spanning scientific programs, publications, awards, science policy, and education. Administrative staff coordinate daily operations from headquarters in Rockville, Maryland.
ASPET organizes members into ten scientific divisions. Each division provides specialized programming, annual meeting symposia, and discipline-specific awards. Members select one primary division and may join secondary divisions without additional dues. The ten scientific divisions include:
- Division for Behavioral Pharmacology (BEH): Investigates behavioral manifestations of drug action and neural substrates of reinforcement.
- Division for Cancer Pharmacology (DCP): Focuses on antineoplastic agents, targeted oncological therapies, and tumor resistance mechanisms.
- Division for Cardiovascular Pharmacology (CVP): Studies hemodynamics, myocardial signaling pathways, and cardiovascular therapeutics.
- Division for Drug Discovery and Development (DDD): Bridges hit-to-lead chemistry, target validation, assay design, and preclinical translation.
- Division for Drug Metabolism and Disposition (DMDD): Analyzes drug-metabolizing enzymes, transport proteins, and pharmacokinetic modeling.
- Division for Molecular Pharmacology (MP): Investigates structural biology, receptor mechanisms, signal transduction, and allosteric modulation.
- Division for Neuropharmacology (NEU): Explores neurotransmitter systems, ion channels, and neurodegenerative disease interventions.
- Division for Pharmacology Education (DPE): Develops curricula, evidence-based pedagogy, and competencies for pharmacology instruction.
- Division for Toxicology (TOX): Assesses mechanisms of xenobiotic toxicity, adverse drug responses, and safety assessment methodologies.
- Division for Translational and Clinical Pharmacology (TCP): Focuses on human pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, biomarker qualification, and clinical trials.
ASPET Journals and Research Dissemination
Disseminating rigorous scientific research is central to ASPET’s mission. The society publishes a family of peer-reviewed journals in partnership with Elsevier, accessible through ScienceDirect and member access via ASPET. Journal submissions enforce strict standards for experimental reproducibility and peer-reviewed references. The journal portfolio includes:
- ASPET Discovery: Launched in 2025 as a fully open-access journal publishing original research articles, minireviews, and viewpoints across all areas of pharmacology.
- The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (JPET): Published continuously since 1909, JPET offers broad coverage of chemical interactions with biological systems.
- Drug Metabolism and Disposition (DMD): A specialized publication covering drug design, biotransformation pathways, and metabolizing enzyme kinetics.
- Molecular Pharmacology: Publishes mechanistic investigations applying structural biology, biochemistry, biophysics, and genetics to pharmacological problems.
- Pharmacological Reviews: ASPET’s review journal, presenting comprehensive reviews and publishing official receptor nomenclature reports from the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR).
- The Pharmacologist: The society’s quarterly publication providing member news, division developments, and policy updates.
ASPET Annual Meeting and Scientific Awards
The ASPET Annual Meeting convenes more than 1,000 international researchers annually. The conference features division-sponsored symposia, keynote lectures, trainee colloquia, poster presentations, and business meetings. Trainees receive targeted mentorship through specialized workshops.
ASPET coordinates a structured awards program to recognize excellence at all career levels:
- Scientific Achievement Awards: Honor major career breakthroughs in specific subdisciplines or general pharmacology.
- Division-Sponsored Achievement Awards: Conferred by individual divisions recognizing contributions within their scientific domain.
- Travel Awards: Competitive funding awards for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to defray travel costs for the Annual Meeting.
- Poster Awards: Competitive honors presented by divisions to undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, graduate, and postdoctoral presenters during annual meeting poster sessions.
Federal research funding from institutions such as the NIH Intramural Research Program supports projects presented across ASPET symposia.
How to Search or Access ASPET Resources
Navigating ASPET’s resources involves five key steps for researchers:
- Access Journal Articles: Visit ASPET’s journals portal or Elsevier ScienceDirect. ASPET members log in for complimentary access to subscription content, while ASPET Discovery is open access.
- Select Membership Category: Investigators choose between Regular, Postdoctoral, Graduate Student, Undergraduate, or Affiliate categories based on degree and publication credentials.
- Affiliate with Scientific Divisions: Upon joining or renewing via the member portal, select one primary division and optional secondary divisions to participate in division committees.
- Submit Meeting Abstracts: Review annual meeting submission deadlines, format research abstracts to society specifications, and indicate eligibility for trainee travel awards.
- Apply for Society Awards: Check the awards directory during open nomination windows, ensuring recommendation letters and candidate CVs satisfy division criteria.
Strengths and Limits
ASPET offers significant institutional advantages for experimental pharmacologists alongside operational boundaries:
- Strengths: Focused divisional communities supporting specialized subdisciplines; ownership of premier journal titles with high peer-review standards; dedicated trainee funding and travel support; and integration of nomenclature through IUPHAR review articles.
- Limits: Primarily centered around North American academic and pharmaceutical infrastructure; annual membership dues required for full voting rights and journal access; and clinical pharmacology practice often interfaces directly with medical-specialty societies for prescribing guidelines.
Alternatives to ASPET
Researchers evaluating professional society affiliations in pharmacology and drug discovery compare ASPET with other international bodies and chemical societies:
| Organization | Geographic Focus | Primary Journals | Key Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASPET | United States & International | JPET, DMD, Molecular Pharmacology, Pharmacological Reviews, ASPET Discovery | Deep divisional structure spanning 10 basic and translational pharmacology subspecialties. |
| British Pharmacological Society (BPS) | United Kingdom & Europe | British Journal of Pharmacology, British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, PR&P | Educational resources including Prescribing Safety Assessment and European regulatory linkages. |
| IUPHAR | Global Federation | Official reports in Pharmacological Reviews; IUPHAR/BPS Guide to Pharmacology | International consensus body setting standardized receptor and ion channel nomenclature. |
| ACS Division of Medicinal Chemistry (MEDI) | United States & International | Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters | Primary focus on synthetic chemistry, structure-activity relationships, and hit-to-lead design. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ASPET stand for?
ASPET stands for the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, an international scientific society founded in 1908 to advance pharmacological research and drug discovery.
What journals are published by ASPET?
ASPET publishes The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (JPET), Drug Metabolism and Disposition (DMD), Molecular Pharmacology, Pharmacological Reviews, and the open-access journal ASPET Discovery, in partnership with Elsevier.
How many divisions does ASPET have?
ASPET has ten scientific divisions covering behavioral pharmacology, cancer pharmacology, cardiovascular pharmacology, drug discovery and development, drug metabolism and disposition, molecular pharmacology, neuropharmacology, pharmacology education, toxicology, and translational/clinical pharmacology.
How do researchers join ASPET divisions?
ASPET members choose one primary division and can join multiple secondary divisions through the online membership portal. There are no additional fees or dues required to join divisions.
Sources
- American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). “Who We Are.” Official website, https://www.aspet.org/aspet/about-us/who-we-are (Read 2026-11-07).
- American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). “Divisions.” Official website, https://www.aspet.org/aspet/membership-community/divisions (Read 2026-11-07).
- American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). “Journals.” Official website, https://www.aspet.org/aspet/journals (Read 2026-11-07).
- American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). “Membership Types and Dues.” Official website, https://www.aspet.org/aspet/membership-community/aspet-membership/membership-types-and-dues (Read 2026-11-07).
- American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). “ASPET Awards.” Official website, https://www.aspet.org/aspet/meetings-awards/aspet-awards (Read 2026-11-07).
- American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). “ASPET Annual Meeting.” Official website, https://www.aspet.org/aspet/meetings-awards/meetingsannual-meeting (Read 2026-11-07).
