This is a core module for students studying Biochemistry, Nutrition and Pharmacology. It aims to develop the scientific, academic and research skills that were introduced at level 4, and to relate applications of these skills to study and research in pharmacology. Research methods and employability skills are taught within the context of pharmacological research and associated industries. You will be introduced to the basic concepts of pharmacodynamics (how drugs take their effect at given targets) and drug disposition/pharmacokinetics (the effect the body has on administered drugs), whilst considering the factors which influence such parameters and thus lead to individual variability in drug response. The module goes on to discuss the principles of toxicology, how drugs are discovered and developed, and the role of pharmaceutical sector / regulatory bodies in this process.
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
- Further statistics, experimental design & SPSS - review and develop knowledge of experimental design and basic statistics, factorial ANOVA, analysis of covariance, repeated measures ANOVA, regression and multiple regression, non-parametric statistics.
- Use of research literature databases, structure of research papers and reviews.
- Critical evaluation of research papers and literature reviews.
- Scientific communication and presentation - essays, reports, citation of references.
- Ethical issues in bioscientific research.
- Career options relevant to the pharmacology, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, biochemistry and nutrition fields.
- Investigation of a business/industry, including skills, attributes and requirements of employees.
- Self-reflection and articulation of skills developed.
- Pharmacodynamics: Basic pharmacological definitions. Targets for drug action.
Pharmacological definition of receptors and receptor superfamilies. Drugs acting at receptors both as agonists (full and partial) and antagonists (competitive and noncompetitive). Concept of the dose-response relationship. Phenomena of tachyphylaxis and desensitisation to drugs.
- Drug / toxicant disposition and kinetics: Routes of administration of drugs.
Mechanisms of, and factors influencing, drug / toxicant absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion. Pharmacokinetics: One compartment models; concept of volume of distribution, half-life, elimination, clearance and steady state. Differences between intravenous and oral dosing.
- Individual variability in drug and toxicant response: Classification of response variability (dynamic or kinetic). Effect of age, environment, diet, disease, genomics and differing physiological states on the response to drugs and toxicants. Adverse drug reactions.
- Drug development and clinical trials: Overview of the pharmaceutical industry. Drug design and identification of a target site. Animal usage and the law. Preliminary drug screening using in vitro and in vivo models. Concept of risk assessment and preclinical safety testing including the validity of using animal data. Clinical trials; phase I - IV trials, trial design and the information gained at each phase. The role of the ethics committee in the clinical trial process and the relevant regulatory bodies in product licensing and post-market monitoring.
This module has two 'strands' that deliver topics relating to pharmacology and toxicology as well as generic scientific and employability skills. The two strands interconnect so that the generic skills are delivered in the context of pharmacology and related topics. The scientific skills element focuses on interactive, research-informed teaching that covers a range of essential skills including scientific writing, locating and critically evaluating research papers, experimental design and statistics, and ethical issues relating to scientific research. An awareness of employability skills will be developed through the completion of a self-reflection log throughout the year and an investigation in to a relevant industry, including the knowledge and skills base required by employers. The self-reflection log requires students to reflect on their academic and personal development and is discussed periodically with personal tutors. Underlying theory and principles will be delivered through lectures, supported by workshops, meetings with personal tutors, guided independent study and materials supplied electronically on StudySpace. The scientific and employability skills will be inherently linked and associated with the pharmacology context of the module. Engagement in class discussions and completion of assignments facilitates the development of communication, numeracy, ICT and independent learning key skills.
The pharmacology element develops a broad understanding of the place of the subject within the Bioscience area and its contribution to the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology sectors. Students are introduced to a number of core concepts upon which a more in-depth understanding of drug therapy is based. Each area has a series of 'keystone' lectures that not only deliver subject knowledge but also allow students to see the methodological approaches used to understand such topics. Some lectures are enhanced by opportunities for students to practice manipulation of pharmacological and toxicological data, to consider case studies and practice examination style questions. To reinforce the material, extensive use is made of directed study sheets and computer-based packages which allow use of virtual experiments.
| Definitive UNISTATS Category | Indicative Description | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | Lectures (58h) Laboratory practical classes (9h) Tutorials/seminars (9h) Computer workshops (8h) | 84 |
| Guided independent study | 216 | |
| Total (number of credits x 10) | 300 | |
Summative assessments consist of (a) an essay to be assessed via the personal tutorial scheme (30%) which develops abilities in scientific writing and critical evaluation of published scientific literature that were introduced at level 4, (c) an on-line test on statistical analyses of scientific data (20%) and (d) an examination (50%) that assesses knowledge and understanding of the pharmacological and toxicological content. Formative assessment includes a self-reflection log on scientific, academic and employability skills developed throughout the year, with discussion and feedback provided by personal tutors, and an open-book essay that provides students an opportunity to practice essay technique in preparation for summative essay and the examination as well as exploring aspects of pharmacology. Practical laboratory classes will be formatively assessed by means of report proformas and feedback provided in preparation for summative assessment in the examination. Full guidance for all assessments will be provided in lectures and seminars.
| Learning Outcome | Assessment Strategy |
|---|---|
| Appreciate the importance of experimental design in pharmacological research, and select, apply and interpret appropriate statistical tests for data analysis. | Practical laboratory proformas (F); Statistics test (S); Essay (S) |
| Locate, analyse and critically evaluate research papers, and demonstrate an awareness of ethical issues relating to biological and pharmacological research. | Essay (S), Open book essay (F) |
| Present concise, analytical and objective scientific information relating to pharmacology in the form of essays and reports. | Essay (S), Open book essay (F), examination (S) |
| Reflect on their personal and academic skills, and to research potential employment opportunities in the pharmacological and related industries, demonstrating an awareness of the attributes and skills needed to achieve their aspirations. | Self-reflection log & discussions in personal tutorials (F) |
| Describe the general principles of pharmacology and toxicology, indicating the targets for drug and toxicant action, and the processes by which the body can affect the fate of such agents. | Examination (S), practical laboratory proformas (F), data handling exercises (F) |
| Discuss the factors leading to individual variability in drug / toxicant response altering therapy outcomes and adverse drug events. | Examination (S), practical laboratory proformas (F), data handling exercises (F) |
| Describe how pre-clinical and clinical evaluation of new drugs is conducted, including ethical considerations, and to be able to critically evaluate data from such studies. | Examination (S) |
| Description of Assessment | Definitive UNISTATS Categories | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Formal pharmacology examination | Written exam | 50% |
| On-line statistics test | Coursework | 20% |
| Essay | Coursework | 30% |
| Total (to equal 100%) | 100% | |
It IS NOT a requirement that any element of assessment is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module.
The most recent editions of:
Rang, H.P., Dale, M.M., Ritter, J.M., Flower, R.J. and Henderson, G. Rang and Dale's Pharmacology Churchill-Livingstone.
Timbrell, J. Introduction to Toxicology Informa Healthcare
Johnson S & Scott J. Study & Communication Skills for the Biosciences. Oxford University Press.
LS4003 Kingston University Book Pack available from Waterstone's, Bentall Centre, Kingston: Foundation Maths by Croft and Davison, plus Statistical and Data Handling Skills in Biology by Ennos
Boelsterli, U.A. Mechanistic Toxicology 2nd Edition. Informa Healthcare
Field, A. Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS Statistics. 4th Ed. SAGE Publications Ltd.
Rang, H.P. Drug Discovery and Development: Technology in Transition. Churchill-Livingstone.