PHA3011

Principles of drug action ( 6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL)

Leader: Associate Professor Wayne Hodgson

Offered:
Clayton First semester 2005 (Day)

Synopsis: Principles of drug action - drug receptor interactions, receptors, signalling pathways, enzymes, ion channels, neurotransmitter mechanisms; mediators including histamine, 5HT, eicosanoids, peptides including renin angiotensin system, endothelial derived factors; pharmacokinetic principles, drug absorption, drug distribution, pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism. Data acquisition, analysis and interpretation.

Objectives: On completion of this unit, students will: be aware of the basic principles of drug action; be equipped to study qualitative and quantitative aspects of drug interactions with living systems; have an understanding of humoral mechanisms, and of the sites and mechanisms of actions of drugs affecting neurotransmission; have developed a framework for the understanding of the actions and therapeutic applications of major groups of drugs used in modern medicine; be able to present results and interpret scientific experiments clearly and concisely in written form; be able to conduct searches to access relevant scientific literature, and show evidence of critical thought and analysis in addressing a topic which is not part of the lecture stream; be able to work in a team environment; have mastered the use of state-of-the-art computer-based data acquisition systems used to obtain data from pharmacological experiments; be able to carry out basic procedures for the statistical analysis of data.

Assessment: Examination (2 hours): 60% + Written assignment (1000 words): 20% + Laboratory work and practical test: 20%

Contact Hours: Four 1-hour lectures and three hours of laboratory or self-directed learning/ tutorial per week during weeks 1-6

Prerequisites: Two of PHA2022, PHY2011, PHY2021 or PHY2032 or BMS2031

Corequisites: PHA3021