Pharmacology

The working of the brain and nervous system is an important frontier of modern medicine and nerves are the target for many important drugs. This subject will address how drugs modulate the processes of neuronal communication and survival in the context of the management of mood and emotional disorders, addictive behaviours, neuro-degenerative diseases, pain and epilepsy. This subject will also discuss strategies for the development of future therapeutics. Students will gain an appreciation of how a detailed understanding of pathophysiological processes is important for the rational development of new therapeutics.

Cancer, disorders of the immune system, cardiovascular diseases and acute and chronic lung disorders are the most common types of afflictions affecting people worldwide. This subject will examine the medicines that have been developed, or are currently being researched, to treat these diverse conditions.
This subject will present the scientific basis of present and likely future treatments of cancer, allergy, acute and chronic inflammation, infection, autoimmunity and transplant rejection, as well as of hypertension, heart failure, cardiovascular atheromatous disease and metabolic syndrome.
You will examine current knowledge of the aetiology of these disorders. The mechanisms of action of the major classes of drugs used to treat immune disorders, cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases will be considered in the context of these systems and processes.
Core concepts in pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics and their importance to safe and effective therapy will be exemplified throughout. The importance of biotechnology to these therapeutic areas will also be considered.

This subject will provide an overview of modern drug discovery and development, with an emphasis on the pharmacology that underpins the endeavour. The social, economic and scientific challenges facing contemporary drug discovery and development with respect to choice of suitable drug targets will be discussed; current drug targets, including receptors and enzymes, will be highlighted. Strategies – contrasting the complementary chemical-to-target and target-to-chemical approaches – to identify and optimise lead compounds will be presented. The material will include a discussion of small molecules as well as “biologicals”, such as antibodies and nucleotides. A description of how these lead compounds become drug candidates and are characterised with regards to their pharmacodynamic (receptor binding and activation), pharmacokinetic (ability to reach their site of action) and toxicological/safety pharmacology properties will be provided. Finally the approaches to bring an identified drug candidate to the market will be examined. This part of the subject will consider the necessary human clinical trials, regulatory requirements and ongoing monitoring of approved drugs. The subject material will be presented via a combination of lectures, associated online learning materials, and “hot topic” tutorials. The latter will focus on recent innovations in drug discovery, and will serve to highlight the close relationship between basic science and actual therapeutic agents.

In this subject students participate in an individual program of supervised research within the School of Biomedical Sciences, or elsewhere within the faculty, at a research institute or overseas institution in which the student contributes to the design of a research project, in consultation with a supervisor; conducts the research; and presents the findings of the project. The project may be self contained or form a component of a larger research program. Each student will receive feedback on their progress through ongoing consultation with their supervisor.

Where a student is conducting the research external to the School of Biomedical Sciences, a School of Biomedical Sciences academic staff member who has allied research expertise co-supervises the project and coordinates the assessment requirements. Detailed assessment requirements, including due dates of individual assessment items, are determined through consultation between the supervisor, the co-supervisor and the Biomedical Science Research Project Coordinator(s) in the relevant department.

The subject may incur additional costs such as travel and accommodation. Students may be eligible for University funding. Where the host institution is located in the IndoPacific, Australian citizens for whom this subject is part of a full time semester of study may consider applications through the New Colombo Plan scholarship funding.