This course encompasses the pharmacology and toxicology of a range of substances utilised as modern drugs. Compounds of natural origin are discussed along with synthetic drugs. Students will gain an understanding of the drug design and development pipeline.
Pharmacokinetics, or the effects the body has on drugs, will be explored e.g. drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination. The consequences of varying drug dose on biological response shall be explored. An introduction to the basic concepts of Toxicology will also be provided.
An introduction to human physiology will be provided including: the nervous, endocrine, circulatory and respiratory systems. Lectures will focus on the basic principles of drug action and pharmacodynamics.
Case studies will explore the development of ‘first world’ drugs and will be used to explore ethical issues including ‘first world’ disease targets, clinical trials etc.
For pharmacy technician students, this module complements the clinical pharmacology and therapeutics delivered in Module TFPG2003.
An introduction to pharmacology
Introduction to drug design and development
Pharmacokinetics e.g. drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination
Dose response curves and associated calculations
Toxicology
Pharmacodynamics
Drug action at enzymes
Drug action at receptors
Natural Products
Ethics
Course material is delivered in lecture format with appropriate audiovisual aids. Students are encouraged to play an active role in these lectures, predicting compounds' actions, uses, toxicity and patient care implications based on their existing knowledge as the course progresses and drawing upon material from other subjects.
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Formal Examination | 70 |
| Other Assessment(s) | 30 |