BIO3313 Pharmacology

Contents

• Staffing
• Requisites
• Rationale
• Synopsis
• Objectives
• Topics
• Texts
• Reference materials
• Student workload
• Assessment details
• Important assessment information
• Assessment notes
• Production date
• PDF version

STAFFING

REQUISITES

RATIONALE

The aim of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the principles of pharmacology. The ways that drugs work and affect the human body at the molecular, cellular, organ and organism level is important clinically as well as in research that seeks to develop new and better drugs to treat diseases.

SYNOPSIS

This course builds on the foundations of human physiology obtained in the course BIO2203 (Systems Physiology). It provides students with an understanding of how drugs act on the body in both health and disease. The processes of drug absorption, metabolism and excretion; methods and measurements in pharmacology; various drug classes and use of drugs in specific clinical cases or diseases will be presented.

OBJECTIVES

On completion of this course students will be able to:

1.

describe the pharmacokinetic processes of drug delivery, metabolism and excretion (Exam, Essay and Oral);

2.

discuss the application of pharmacological principles to molecular biology (Exam, Essay and Oral);

3.

describe the various classes of receptors and the transduction mechanisms they use to influence cellular function (Exam, Essay & Oral);

4.

demonstrate an understanding of the range of methods and measurements used in pharmacology to determine the function of receptors and drugs that act on those receptors (Exam, Essay and Oral);

5.

discuss the physiological effects of various neurotransmitters and drugs selective for their various receptor families (Exam, Essay and Oral);

6.

discuss the use of specific drugs in altering reproductive physiology and for the treatment of certain disease states (Exam, Essay and Oral);

7.

demonstrate skills and knowledge required to perform laboratory experiments safely with appropriate equipment.

TOPICS

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

Rang, HP, Dale, MM, Ritter, JM & Moore, PK 2007, Pharmacology, 6th edn, Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, New York.

REFERENCE MATERIALS

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.

Brody, TM, Larner, J & Minneman, KP 2005, Human pharmacology: molecular to clinical, 4th edn, Elsevier Mosby, St Louis, Mo.

Bryant, B, Knights, K & Salerno, E 2003, Pharmacology for health professionals, Elsevier Science, Marrickville, NSW.

Galbraith, A, Bullock, S & Manias, E 2004, Fundamentals of pharmacology: a text for nurses and allied health professionals, 4th edn, Frenchs Forest, New South Wales.

Hardman, JG, Gilman, GA, Goodman, LS & Limbird, LE 2001, Goodman & Gilman's: the pharmacological basis of therapeutics, 10th edn, McGraw Hill, New York.

Page, CP, Curtis, MJ, Sutter, MC, Walker, MJA & Hoffman, BB 2006, Integrated pharmacology, 3rd edn, Mosby, London.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

NOTES

1.

Examiner to advise due date of essay.

2.

Examiner to advise date for oral presentation

3.

Examination dates will be available during the Semester. Please refer to the examination timetable when published.

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

1. Attendance requirements:
   It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories and practical work) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration. To maximize their chances of satisfying the objectives of the practical component of the course, students should attend and actively participate in the laboratory sessions in the course.
2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
   To complete each of the assignments satisfactorily, students must obtain at least 50% of the marks available for each assignment. To complete the examination satisfactorily, students must obtain at least 50% of the marks available for the examination.
3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
   If students submit assignments after the due date without (prior) approval of the examiner then a penalty of 5% of the total marks gained by the student for the assignment may apply for each working day late up to ten working days at which time a mark of zero may be recorded.. No assignments will be accepted after model answers have been posted.
4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
   To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.
5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
   The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the weighted aggregate of the marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
6. Examination information:
   In a Restricted Examination, candidates are allowed access to specific materials during the examination. The only materials that candidates may use in the restricted examination for this course are: writing materials (non-electronic and free from material which could give the student an unfair advantage in the examination); calculators which cannot hold textual information (students must indicate on their examination paper the make and model of any calculator(s) they use during the examination; English translation dictionaries (but not technical dictionaries); Translation dictionary. With the Examiner's approval, candidates may, take an appropriate non- electronic translation dictionary into the examination. This will be subject to perusal and, if it is found to contain annotations or markings that could give the candidate an unfair advantage, it may be removed from the candidate's possession until the appropriate disciplinary action is completed. In a Closed Examination, candidates are allowed to bring only writing and drawing instruments into the examination.
7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
   Any Deferred or Supplementary examinations for this course will be held during the examination period in Semester 3 of the current academic year.
8. University Regulations:
   Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6. Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm or in the current USQ Handbook.

ASSESSMENT NOTES

This version produced 28 Aug 2009.