Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Pharmacists require a detailed understanding of the physiochemical properties of drugs and a strong appreciation of the discipline of pharmacology which examines the interaction of chemical substances with biological systems, which is fundamental to the understanding of the molecular actions of pharmaceutical products. It is also important that pharmacy students have a qualitative understanding of the modern analytical chemistry techniques that are used to elucidate the structure of new drugs and to quantitate the concentrations of active compounds in pharmaceutical formulations and biological samples. Furthermore, this unit will introduce you to the processes of drug discovery which provides a context to facilitate an understanding of how the current range of pharmaceutical drugs have been developed and the process that are being employed by the pharmaceutical industry to identify future drugs.

This unit is horizontally integrated with CSB430 Pharmacy Practice 1 and provides the pathophysiology of the disease states and the mechanism of action of drugs used in their treatment.

Aims

The aims of this unit are to:

1. Develop an understanding of the physiochemical properties of drugs and how these properties determine biological activity.
2. Introduce key pharmacological concepts that define the interaction of drugs with biological systems.
3. Review the endogenous molecular targets for pharmaceutical compounds.
4. Introduce the autonomic nervous system and provide a detailed understanding of the physiological effects of drugs acting on the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
5. Review the history of drug discovery and examine the techniques that identify biologically active compounds.
6. Develop an understanding of modern analytical chemistry techniques used in the pharmaceutical industry.
7. Introduce students to the scientific literature and provide practical experience in searching and retrieving literature using electronic search engines.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of
· Chemical nomenclature, including polycyclic and heterocyclic aromatic moieties.
· Concepts of pH and ionization of drug and their relation to the partitioning, absorption and efficacy of drugs.
· The relationship between the stereochemical structure of drugs and their pharmacological activity.

2. Possess an awareness of the how current pharmaceutical products were developed and the modern processes that will discover and develop new drugs.

3. Competently discuss the scope and role of analytical chemistry techniques used in the discovery of new drugs and in the quantitation of the active ingredients in pharmaceutical formulations.

4. Demonstrate knowledge of fundamental pharmacological principles and understand how this relates to the actions of drugs in biological systems.

5. Clearly explain the different types of molecular targets in the human body that mediate the physiological and pharmacological effects of pharmaceutical compounds.

6. Competently discuss the physiological effects of drugs which act on the autonomic nervous system.

7. Display expertise in the searching and retrieving of scientific literature using conventional and electronic approaches.

Content

Principles of Pharmacology: Introduction to fundamental concepts in pharmacology such as agonists, partial and inverse agonists, competitive and non-competitive antagonism, the structure and function of endogenous molecular targets including, G-protein coupled receptors, ion channels, enzymes, regulatory proteins, nuclear receptors, DNA and RNA. Principles of signal transduction. The principles of drug-receptor interactions, including receptor affinity, efficacy and intrinsic activity. Dose response relationships for different types of receptor agonists and antagonists. Selectivity of drugs for molecular targets.

Chemical mediators and neurotransmitters: The role of endogenous chemical compounds that mediate physiological and pharmacological processes such as noradrenaline, acetylcholine, dopamine and serotonin.

Autonomic Nervous System: Basic anatomy and physiology of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. Physiological effects at target organs following adrenergic and cholinergic modulation of the autonomic nervous system.

Pathophysiology: A description of the disease states relating to autonomic nervous system, allergies, pain, inflammation and gastrointestinal tract.

Pharmacology: Mechanism of action of drugs working on the GIT including antacids, H2 receptor antagonists, proton pump inhibitors, antidiarrheals, antiemetics, stool softeners and worm treatments. Drugs for the treatment of obesity. Anti-inflammatory and weak opioid drugs for headaches, sports injuries.

Structural features of drugs: Advanced organic chemistry nomenclature, review of functional groups, acid base chemistry, ionization of drugs at physiological pH, stereochemistry of drugs and their molecular targets.

Analytical Chemistry: A review of the application of modern analytical techniques such as UV-vis, fluorescence, mass and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy that are used to elucidate structural information of newly discovered chemical compounds. An introduction to current instrumentation used to quantitate drugs, either in pharmaceutical formulations or biological fluids, including HPLC, GC, LC-MS, GCMS, and LC-MS/MS.

Drug Discovery: A look at the history of natural products as medicinal compounds, screening processes for the identification of new biologically active compounds, rational drug design, combinatorial chemistry approaches to drug discovery. Preclinical testing of lead compounds. The process of IND applications and drug development phases that lead to new medicines.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This didactic content of this unit will be presented as lectures (2 hours/week). Tutorial session (2 hours/ week) will provide a forum to perform problem solving exercises that will reinforce the lecture content.

Assessment

A satisfactory performance (greater than 50%) in all assessment tasks, (ie theory exams, practical reports and the assignment) is required to obtain a passing grade for this unit.

In addition to submitting hard copies of your assessment you may be required to electronically submit all written assignments for content matching checks.

Assessment name: Tutorial Quizzes
Description: Two (2) short exams based on tutorial content before the progress and end of semester theory exams. Formative and summative (Weighting 5% each).
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Weight: 10%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: See Blackboard Site

Assessment name: Assignment and Prac Reports
Description: A written assignment to be described in the week 1 document (Weighting 15%) and three (3) analytical chemistry practical reports (Weighting 15%). Formative and summative.
Relates to objectives: 2, 3, 4 and 7.
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: See Blackboard Site

Assessment name: Final Exam
Description: There are two theory exams throughout the semester. There is a mid-semester progress theory exam. Formative and summative (Weighting 20%). There is also an end of semester theory exam. Summative (Weighting 40%).
Relates to objectives: 4, 5 and 6.
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End Semester

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

1. Golan DE (2011) Principles of Pharmacology. The Pathophysiologic Basis of Drug Therapy, 3rd edition, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
2. Lemke TL, Williams DA (editors) (2013) Foye's Principles of Medicinal Chemistry, 7th edition, Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
3. Watson DG (2005) Pharmaceutical analysis: A textbook for pharmacy students and pharmaceutical chemists, 2nd edition, Elsevier/Churchill Livingstone.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit. You will be made aware of evacuation procedures and assembly areas in the first few lectures. In the event of a fire alarm sounding, or on a lecturer's instruction, you should leave the room and assemble in the designated area which will be indicated to you. You should be conscious of your health and safety at all times whilst on campus. More information on health and safety can be obtained from http://www.hrd.qut.edu.au/healthsafety/healthsafe/index.jsp

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 19-Feb-2013