SU803: Pharmacology B (5 ECTS)

STADS: 29004401

Level
Master's level course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the autumn semester.

Teacher responsible
Email: jdemey@health.sdu.dk

Timetable
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Prerequisites:
A bachelor degree in “biomedical sciences” (or the like).

Academic preconditions:
Students taking the course are expected to have basic knowledge of molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology and neurobiology.

Course introduction
The aim of the course is to enable the student to understand rational pharmacotherapy and modern drug discovery.

The course builds on the knowledge acquired in the courses SU502 Medical Physiology and SU503 Pharmacology A (or the like), and gives an academic basis for studying pharmacology in relationship to modern technology and health and apply this in future biomedical research (internships).

In relation to the competence profile of the degree it is the explicit focus of the course to:

• Give the competence to critically, summarise and present scientific “review” articles
• Give skills to design and interpret pharmacological research experiments
• Give knowledge and understanding of the interrelationship between pathophysiological mechanisms and drug actions.

Expected learning outcome
The learning objectives of the course are that the student demonstrates the ability to:

• understand and apply basic and novel mechanisms of action of drugs and their primary and secondary targets in relation to treatment and prevention of major diseases.
• design experimental approaches and interpret experimental observations of pharmacological problems in particular and biomedical subjects in general.
• apply pharmacological knowledge to cardiovascular, renal, pulmonary and central nervous system diseases and their drug treatment.
• apply knowledge of risk factors to rational drug discovery, development and treatment.

Subject overview
The following main topics are contained in the course:

• Functional aspects of drug receptors as main drug targets in relationship to acute and chronic drug treatment.
• Relationships between pathophysiological mechanisms and drug discovery and applications.
• Mechanisms leading to dysfunction of the heart, the blood, the vessels, the kidneys, the lungs, the central nervous system. Disruption of homeostasis.
• Anti-arrhythmic-, lipid lowering-, anti-platelet and thrombolytic-, antihypertensive, broncho-dilator and anti-inflammatory-, anti-epileptic-, anxiolytic-, anti-psychotic-, anti-depresant-, anti-biotic and chemotherapeutic drugs, as well as local and general anesthetic agents and analgesic compounds. Restoration of homeostasis.

Literature

• Rang&Dale’s Pharmacology, 8th edition.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam

1. Oral presentation. Pass/fail, internal marking by teacher.
2. Written report. Pass/fail, internal marking by teacher.

Both a) and b) must be passed in order to take part in the exam part a).

Assessment and marking:

1. Written exam, 4 hours. Danish 7-mark scale, external marking. No exam aids allowed. A closer description of the exam rules will be posted under 'Course Information' on Blackboard. (5 ECTS). (29004402).

Reexamination in the same exam period or immediately thereafter.

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.
Intro phase: 35 hours
Skills training phase: 15 hours, hereof:
 - Tutorials: 15 hours

Educational activities

Educational form
To strengthen social, scientific and experimental skills in relation to general and specific objectives of the course and stimulate integration of progressive knowledge (“red threat”) the course will make use of an experimental PBL (Problem Based Learning) activity (experimental seven jump). It consists of small group work, with occasional supervision by instructors, comprising critical reading, problem definitions, protocol designs, experimentation (computer simulations), data analyses and interpretations, scientific writing and presentation.

Activities during the study phase:

• Study of the textbook and review articles
• Read, interpret, summarise, present and discuss scientific (pharmacological) review articles
• Review old exam questions
• Progressively understand the interrelationships between (i.e. integrate) the elements of the introduction and training phases
• Repetition for the exam

Language
This course is taught in Danish or English, depending on the lecturer. However, if international students participate, the teaching language will always be English.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.