Dr. Niamh Higgins

Assistant Professor

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Biography

Niamh Higgins is an Assistant Professor at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of California, San Diego. She joined the faculty in January 2025 and focuses her research on the impact of opioid exposure on quality of life, particularly for individuals with life-shortening illnesses. Dr. Higgins has considerable experience in developing compassion training programs for caregivers and utilizes wearable technology to assess the outcomes of compassion and mindfulness-based interventions. Her educational background includes a PharmD from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences and a Master of Science in Epidemiology from McGill University. Dr. Higgins is deeply committed to advancing knowledge in her field and strives to foster research that benefits a diverse community. Her affiliations include involvement with various committees and roles in educational initiatives at UCSD.

Research Interests

Experience

Assistant Professor

2025-01-01 — Present

Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences • La Jolla, CA

Joined faculty to advance research on opioid exposure and quality of life.

Awards

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Master’s Thesis Award

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CANOC Collaboration Scholar

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Innovation in Clinical Practice

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Excellence in Pharmaceutical Practice: Client Satisfaction

Requirements for University of California, San Diego

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Total
Required:85
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Duolingo
Overall Score
Required:120
Overall
Required:120
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in physical, biological, or earth sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Differential and integral calculus. One year of calculus-based physics with laboratory. One year of chemistry with laboratory.
Application Checklist
  • Statement of Purpose (max 2 pages)
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Application fee ($135 domestic / $155 international)
Specialization Notes

Administered by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Curricular groups include Climate-Ocean-Atmosphere (COAP), Geosciences (GEO), and Ocean Biosciences (OBP).