BIO6035 - Pharmacology

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

LO1 - Apply an understanding of a range of drug groups available in therapy.

LO2 - Evaluate individual variation in drug pharmacodynamics, drug pharmacokinetics and toxicity; including but not limited to, the effects of ethnicity, gender, age, pregnancy, genetic factors, disease and drug-drug interactions.

LO3 - Assess the principles and application of clinical trials. Appraise the avoidance of bias, effect of sample size, placebo effect and the concept of therapeutic index plus the ethical issues surrounding the use of human study participants and human tissues.

LO4 - Demonstrate a range of laboratory-based competencies applied to the evaluation and understanding of the actions of drugs.

Content:

This module introduces the key concepts of pharmacology relevant to practicing Biomedical Scientists. It considers the mechanisms of drug action to produce both therapeutic and adverse effects. The effects of routes of administration on drug absorption, distribution and elimination are considered. Metabolism of drugs and the effects of metabolites on body function are also taught. Drug discovery and the application to personalised medicine/precision medical science are also covered.

The content of this module has been mapped to the IBMS QAA Benchmark requirements for:
- Pharmacology (Further content) including importance of drug actions in the living organism for prevention and treatment of disease; principles of drug-receptor interactions and the relationship between dose and response; routes of administration and types of drugs; how drugs are metabolised and eliminated from the body and toxic effects; approaches for drug discovery and personalised medicine/precision medical science.

Learning and Teaching Information:

A series of 10 x 2 hr Lectures (1 per week) covering the key concepts of Pharmacology will be delivered.
A total of 4 x 2 hr Laboratory Practical sessions and 1 x 2h Computer Laboratory session will be given to introduce you to key Pharmacological techniques.
A total of 10 x 1 hr Tutorials (1 per week) will be provided to support the lecture and practical content, assessments, and general wellbeing.

Lectures
Hours: 20
Intended Group Size: Full Cohort (40)

Laboratory practical sessions
Hours: 8
Intended Group Size: Full Cohort (40)

Computer practical
Hours: 2
Intended Group Size: Full Cohort (40)

Tutorials
Hours: 10
Intended Group Size: Max 20

Guided independent study
Hours: 110

Further detail relating to assessment

Assessment tasks are designed to measure the extent to which you have satisfied the Level Learning Outcomes for your programme. Some modules, for example where there are professional body (PSRB) requirements, will also test for module-specific skills and knowledge.

Further details of assessment are available in the Assessment Handbook for your programme and in Assessment Briefs provided by Module Tutors.

Post lecture, tutorial and practical session activities submitted through Moodle will facilitate ongoing formative assessment opportunities via lecturer or peer feedback.

The Integrated Data Analysis will be assigned at the beginning of semester 1. You will be informed as to which practical sessions and corresponding subject areas to include in the report. The assessment is based on you answering questions and analysing data generated during each of the selected practical sessions. You will be expected to respond to the questions through self-guided independent study and compile a report for submission in the middle of semester 1.

The Drug Appraisal assessment will take the form of an appraisal of a given drug from a choice of five provided at the start of the module. Each of the five drugs will be a member of a class of drugs covered in the lecture and tutorial sessions. Specific tutorial sessions linked to the assessment will cover the key areas of the appraisal, such as routes and frequency of administration, side effects, therapeutic monitoring, effectiveness and comparison with other treatments. The assessment will be submitted end of semester 1.

The Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) professional body requires students to achieve a pass mark in all assessment components for modules that cover the clinical laboratory sciences subject areas including this one. Since laboratory practical sessions contribute towards assessments these sessions should be considered compulsory. Condonement/compensation will not be permitted for this module, which contributes significantly to the benchmark statement and has learning outcomes that cannot be evidenced elsewhere for the accreditation of the degree.

Assessment:

Fact File

Module Coordinator - PRS_CODE=
Level - 6
Credit Value - 15
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered -

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