Unit information: Mechanisms of Drug Action 2B: Pharmacology of Body Systems in 2020/21

Unit name	Mechanisms of Drug Action 2B: Pharmacology of Body Systems
Unit code	PHPH20014
Credit points	20
Level of study	I/5
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Professor. Poole
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience
Faculty	Faculty of Life Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

This unit addresses how drugs are handled by the body at the molecular, cellular and systems level. Major topics include: administration of drugs and their fate in the body; cellular signal transduction mechanisms; systematic pharmacology.

Aims:

At the end of this unit students should be able to explain the basic principles of pharmacokinetics (how the body handles drugs), describe a wide range of signalling processes and how they operate, understand the processes involved in inflammation and allergy and the drug treatment for inflammatory diseases, describe the rationale for pharmacological treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, nausea and vomiting, understand the mechanisms of action, clinical uses and adverse effects of drugs affecting the renal and cardiovascular systems. The unit focuses on developing skills around data handling and interpretation in the context of the principles of pharmacology of body systems.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the unit, students will be able to:

1. Explain the function and pharmacology of known receptor subtypes;
2. Describe the composition and pharmacology of cell signalling pathways;
3. Differentiate drug use in exemplar disease states;
4. Appraise modern electrophysiological, biochemical and molecular biological techniques;
5. Explain how drugs are handled by the body (pharmacokinetics);
6. Synthesise information from a variety of sources (textbooks, lectures and tutorials, practical classes, original and review scientific papers, databases);
7. Interpret and manipulate experimental data, and draw logical conclusions from the results;
8. Plan and design projects.
9. Communicate clearly both orally and in writing;
10. Work effectively as part of a team, demonstrating organisation, leadership, decision-making and time management;
11. Retrieve and manage information, making appropriate use of library and web-based facilities;
12. Utilise appropriate computer / keyboard skills;

Teaching Information

Lectures (31)

Online practicals (6)

Tutorials (3)

e-learning (eBiolabs pre- and post-practical assignments; CALs)

Assessment Information

• Summer Exam online (22.5%)
• Timed Assessment (52.5%)
• Practical assessment (eBiolabs) 15%
• Tutorial work 10%

Reading and References

Reading and References

The recommended textbook for this course is :

Pharmacology, (Seventh Edition) including Student Consult Online Access H.P. Rang, M.M. Dale, J. Ritter & P.K. Moore Churchill Livingstone.

Other books you may wish to consult are :

Instant Pharmacology, K Saeb-Parsy, RG Assomull, FZ Khan, K Saeb-Parsy & E Kelly. A textbook partly written by Eamonn Kelly, containing concise descriptions of the different drug classes as well as an extensive dictionary of drugs which you may find useful.

The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics (Ninth Edition). L.S. Goodman & A. Gilman. Pergamon. You can consult this book in the library.

Basic & Clinical Pharmacology (Seventh Edition) B.G. Katzung. Appleton & Lange. (has a lot of clinically-orientated material).

Integrated Pharmacology, CP Page, MJ Curtis, MC Sutter, MJA Walker & BB Hoffman. (has a lot of clinically-orientated material).

Medical Pharmacology at a Glance (Third edition) M. Neal, Blackwell Scientific Press (a revision aide, not a complete textbook).

Multiple copies of most of the above are present in the Medical library. You may come across other textbooks in the library or bookshops - ask one of the staff for their opinion about these, since not all books are good books.