MSci Genetics / Course details

To introduce the major concepts underpinning pharmacology. To describe the main molecular mechanisms of action of some important classes of drugs acting on the cardiorespiratory system and relate these mechanisms to their cellular, tissue, organ and whole animal effects.

To introduce the major concepts underpinning pharmacology. To describe the main molecular mechanisms of action of some important classes of drugs acting on the cardiorespiratory system and relate these mechanisms to their cellular, tissue, organ and whole animal effects.

To understand: the molecular targets for drugs and examples of drugs acting at several target types; the basic concepts of drug receptor interactions; the importance of drug structure in their ability to interact with their targets; the mechanisms of the major drug classes used to treat hypertension, angina, cardiac failure, cardiac dysrhythmias and asthma.

Introduction to pharmacology: History and scope of pharmacology. How drugs are discovered.

Introduction to drug targets: Structure, function and cellular location of ligand-gated channels, voltage gated channels, enzymes, nuclear hormone receptors, transporters and pumps, G-protein coupled receptors.

Nature of drug receptor interactions: Agonists, antagonists and partial agonists, efficacy, drug structures, pharmacophores and selectivity. Concentration-response relationships. Gaddum equation

Drugs acting on the cardiovascular/respiratory systems: Antihypertensive drugs, antidysrhythmic drugs, drugs used to treat angina, acute coronary syndromes and cardiac failure, lipid lowering drugs, drug used to treat and prevent thrombosis, stroke and “brain killers”, drugs used to treat asthma.

Special topics in pharmacology:  Students will study at least two “STIPs” from the following choices: cholinergic toxins; drug discovery and development; pharmacokinetics; biologic drugs.

95% of the unit mark derives from 4, equally waited online assessments taken during the teaching period. The question types include data handling and multiple choice questions. A further 5% derives from online assessments on two “special topics in pharmacology” that students select from a choice of 4.

Feedback will be provided after the e-assessments close. Feedback will also be available on formative assessments in the e-learning modules ; 
Employability Skills – Handling complex data, time management
Analytical skills - Data handling e-assessments
Problem solving - Data handling e-assessments

Title below is also available as an eBook via JRUL website.

Recommended Reading

Ritter et al., Rang & Dale's Pharmacology (9th Edition) 2019 Churchill Livingstone Available as an eBook via JRUL website.

Scheduled activity hours

Introductory lecture

1 

ELMS containing approximately 2h

of pre-recorded content per week

22 

Independent study hours

(Optional question and answer sessions)

77  hours

(11 hours)