Course syllabus for Pharmacology and Toxicology

Farmakologi och toxikologi

Specific entry requirements

At least grade pass (G) at the courses Introduction to biomedical science; General and organic chemistry; Cell-, stem cell and developmental biology; Biochemistry; Genetics, genomics and functional genomics; Chemical biology; and Tissue biology, and at least grade pass (G) at the parts Laboratory work and seminars (4 credits) and Project work (2 credits) of the course in Immunology and microbiology, and the part Practical features (4 credits) of the course Neuroscience, at the Bachelor's programme in Biomedicine.

Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to:

Regarding knowledge and understanding

• describe basic pharmacological principles within the field of pharmacokinetics,
• describe interindividual differences in drug metabolism as well as interactions between different drugs,
• describe different classes of receptors which interact with drugs, and describe intracellular transduction mechanisms coupled to some of these receptors,
• explain principles for central and peripheral neurotransmission,
• discuss and explain toxicological principles,
• discuss and reflect upon the mechanisms of action of different drugs,
• explain fundamental principles of preclinical and clinical drug development.

Regarding competence and skills

• discussand interpret laboratory results,
• perform laboratory work according to a specified protocol.

Regarding judgement and approach

• reason around how to identify and select the appropriate family of drugs to develop against a specific target.

Content

The course equips students with a basic knowledge of how drugs affect cells, organs and entire organisms. The pharmacological part focuses on general pharmacological principles. Mechanisms of action of drugs within the following fields are discussed: neuropsychopharmacology, neurology, general anaesthesia, local anaesthesia, analgesia, cardiovascular pharmacology, diuretic drugs, respiratory pharmacology, and gastrointestinal pharmacology. Preclinical and clinical aspects of drug development are covered. The toxicology part gives students knowledge of toxicological principles such as dose response, and how bioactivation and toxicity of xenobiotic substances are studied. Standard practical laboratory skills are assessed.

The course is divided in the following parts:

Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, 2.0 hp

Grading scale: GU

This component of the course contains pharmacokinetics as well as effects of pharmaceuticals on different diseases.

Laboratory work in pharmacology, 1.5 hp

Grading scale: GU

Practical laboratory work.

Group assignments in pharmacology and toxicology, 2.5 hp

Grading scale: GU

This component consists of three group seminars and a PBL task in toxicology.

Integration of pharmacology and toxicology, 4.0 hp

Grading scale: VU

Integration of the content of the course.

Teaching methods

Teaching will be in the form of lectures, supervised laboratory practicals, and supervised group seminars. The group seminars will review and substantially expand upon the material provided in the lecture series. These seminars train the students to independently search for and assess relevant information, and provide an opportunity to discuss problems and theoretical concepts with faculty members that are actively involved in research in the fields above. The course also includes a seminar task which will be solved by using the pedagogical approach "Problem based learning".

Examination

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (2 credits). The examination consists of an oral exam. Graded Fail/Pass.

Laboratory work in pharmacology (1.5 credits). Graded Fail/Pass. The exam consists of an individual oral exam, and individual assessment of practical work. Graded Fail/Pass.

Group assignment in pharmacology and toxicology (2.5 credits). Graded Fail/Pass. The exam consists of an oral group exam. Graded Fail/Pass.

Integration of pharmacology and toxicology (4 credits). The examination consists of a written exam. Graded Fail/Pass/Pass with distinction.

The grade of the entire course is based on the grade of the part Integration of pharmacology and toxicology.

Compulsory participation
The examiner assesses if and, in that case, how absence from compulsory components can be compensated. The student must participate in all compulsory parts or compensate for absence in accordance with the examiner's instructions, in order to pass the course. Absence from a compulsory activity may result in the student not being able to compensate the absence until the next time the course is given.

Limited number of examinations or practical training sessions:
A student who does not pass an examination at their first attempt is entitled to participate in five additional examination sessions. If the student does not pass after four examinations, he/she is recommended to retake the course at the next regular course occasion, and may, after that, participate in two more examination sessions. If the student has failed six examinations, no additional examination sessions are provided.

Physically attending or otherwise commencing an examination is regarded as an examination session. Handing in a blank exam is considered taking part in an examination session. An examination, for which the student registered but did not participate, is not counted as an examination session.

Adaption of examination
If there are special grounds, or a need for adaptation for a student with a disability, the examiner may decide to deviate from the syllabus's regulations on the examination form, the number of examination opportunities, the possibility of supplementation or exemptions from the compulsory section/s of the course etc. Content and learning outcomes as well as the level of expected skills, knowledge and abilities may not be changed, removed or reduced.

Other directives

The course language is English.

Course evaluation is carried out in accordance with the guidelines established by the Board of Higher Education.

Oral evaluation in the form of course council meetings will be carried out during the course.