Aims and objectives
The aim of this module is to provide a grounding in modern pharmacological and toxicological principles and a general philosophical approach to drug discovery and development.

Content
The students will have two things in common: an interest at the molecular level in the uses to which drugs are put, and the fact that they are embarking on the initial study of pharmacology and toxicology. The module describes two related but different disciplines, hence a series of topics are covered to indicate important modern concepts in this area with emphasis on the approach of the pharmaceutical industry. The lecture course can be divided into three components concerning aspects of pharmacology, toxicology and then illustrative selected topics related to modern molecular understanding of drug action, resistance and toxicity.

The first theme of the course centres on drug disposition and metabolism - what the body does to the drug as opposed to what the drug does to the body. The second theme concentrates on specific drug mode of actions in selected important diseases. Aspects of toxicology are then addressed including mechanisms of general toxicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity and teratogenicity and how they can be detected. The drug discovery process is described including modern developments allowing high-throughput evaluation of hundreds of thousands of chemicals in screens and the development of compounds to clinical use after the discovery of new chemical entities with pharmacological effect. Lastly different aspects of drug development are described including changes in anti-fungal therapy and combination therapy for AIDS. The molecular biology of important drug metabolizing systems will be outlined, particularly the cytochrome P450 superfamily.

Learning outcomes
On completion of the module, students

• should have an appreciation of the basic principles of pharmacology and toxicology
• be familiar with the scientific approaches used in drug discovery and development
• recognise a selection of British Pharmacopoeia Commission Approved names of drugs
• know the pharmacological properties of chosen drug groups that are relevant to therapeutic uses and adverse effects, with special emphasis on those which can be deduced from a knowledge of the site and mechanism of action
• understand general principles of toxicology and how toxic effect of organic chemicals can be detected
• know the metabolic conversions with which a drug may be transformed and the importance of such understanding
• understand the problems of drug resistance
• understand the molecular biology associated with selected topics of drug action and resistance.