| Unit name | Concepts and Skills (pharmacology) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PHPH30005 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Usowicz |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
PHAR20001 Principles of Pharmacology 2A PHAR20002 Principles of Pharmacology 2B |
| Co-requisites |
20 cp Pharmacology of ion channels and synaptic transmission 20 cp Receptor signalling and non-drug therapies 20 cp Pharmacology of the nervous system 40 cp Pharmacology Introduction to Industrial study (MSci) 80 cp Pharmacology Industrial Study (MSci) 40 cp Pharmacology Research project (BSc/BSc with SiI) 40 cp Pharmacology Research project (MSci) |
| School/department | School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience |
| Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
Much of the teaching in the first part of the unit is common to the Concepts and Skills unit that forms part of the Physiology programmes and Neuroscience programmes, run by the same department. The first part of the unit aims to provide training in core skills and techniques that are vital to effectively, read, interpret and criticise the scientific literature, as well as to analyse and communicate scientific findings. It includes: statistics; data quantitation; limits of scientific understanding; critical reading of research literature; scientific writing and presentation; public engagement with science; ethics of animal and human experimentation.
The second part is pharmacology-specific and contains lectures about practical techniques used in pharmacological research and 2-4 practicals. Also, students choose to attend two advanced technical workshops in individual research labs, where they are shown latest techniques and gain hands-on experience of these techniques. (Only a maximum of 6-10 students may attend a given workshop. If any are oversubscribed, students are allocated alternative workshops. The unit aims to develop key research and analytical skills that are transferable between research in the life sciences, such as reading scientific literature, experimental design, statistical analysis and data handling. It also aims to give students practical experience of pharmacological research.
Lectures, practicals, technical workshops
The statistical understanding of the students will be assessed by Experimental Design and Statistics formative and a summative exams (3 hours each; summative comprising 60%). Assessment will also include two additional components, comprising data analysis (20%) and data/paper interpretation questions (20%).
Reviews and primary articles from the current scientific literature.
