PP2150 - Introduction to Medical Pharmacology

The general principles of drug action, focussing on the major targets for drug action, drug-receptor interactions, chemotherapy, drug design, pharmacognosy and drug screening, toxicology and measurements in pharmacology.

Learning Outcomes

• describe the approaches to the development of new pharmaceutical agents, including drug design, drug screening and natural product pharmacology;
• understand how drug treatments may be aimed at specific targets, increasing the efficacy of treatment and reducing side effects;
• describe how drugs are able to affect the functioning of living systems;
• describe the principles of selective toxicity and the development of antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and cancer chemotherapy agents;
• explore the rationale behind drug formulations and different routes of administration, the time course of drug action, drug metabolism and toxicology.

Subject Assessment

• Written > Examination (centrally administered) - (60%) - Individual
• Written > Critical appraisal/review - (40%) - Individual.

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.