PAC2182 - Basis of drug action II

Leader(s): Dr Paul White

Offered

Parkville Second semester 2009 (Day)

Synopsis

This unit builds on the previous unit Basis of Drug Action II to provide students with an understanding of the basis of drug action - affinity, efficacy and potency. The consequences of drug binding to cell-surface receptors and enzymes will be considered at a structural level. The aim of this unit is to provide students with an understanding of affinity, efficacy and potency as properties of drug molecules. To be able to analyse the likely effects of drugs on biological systems based on data relating to affinity, efficacy and potency.

Objectives

At the completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. List and describe the categories of biological molecules with which drugs interact;
2. List and explain the properties of a drug that determine whether the drug is an agonist or antagonist;
3. Describe the changes in protein conformation that occur during drug binding for an agonist and antagonist drug;
4. Explain the interaction between drug and receptor that determine efficacy;
5. Calculate drug affinity, potency and efficacy based on model data, and make comparisons between drugs based on such data.

Assessment

CAL Tutorial assessment: 10%; two practical class reports (10% each): 20%; final exam: 70%

Contact hours

30 1 hour lectures, two 3 hour tutorials, one 3 hour problem based / case based learning session, three 1 hour whole class introductions to practical class and one three hour practical class

Prerequisites

attempted PAC2171 Basis of drug action I

Additional information on this unit is available from the faculty at:

http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/