Pharmacology I

Recommended Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Teaching Methods

The teaching methods in this curricular unit include:
• Lectures
• Presentation by the students of selected theoretical themes
• Problem solving-based practical classes; presentation and discussion of scientific articles
• Seminars.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course unit, the student will be able to:
•Understand the basic mechanisms of drug action at the cellular and molecular level and their relation with disease •Understand which molecular targets are suitable for the development of new drugs
•Understand the various levels and methods used to identify the potential pharmacologic activity of new molecules, characterize their mechanisms of action and evaluate their therapeutic potential
•Understand and integrate the steps and stages involved in the drug cycle in the organism to predict their influence on drug action
•Identify the major factors that determine the variability in drug response and understand the mechanisms, pharmacodynamic and/or pharmacokinetic, through which they act
•Apply the knowledge acquired to improve drug design.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1.General concepts in Pharmacology
2.Molecular targets of drug action. Receptors and signaling pathways as pharmacological targets. Quantification of drug-receptor interactions.
3.Levels and methods of analysis in Pharmacology: in silico assays,in vitro bioassays, ex vivo and in vivo assays and respective models. Proteomic and bioinformatics applications to drug screening and pharmacological characterization of new molecules. Methods for drug screening automation.
4.Drug cycle in the organism. Notion of drug biodisposition, bioavailability and bioequivalence.
5.General principles in Pharmacokinetics. Time/concentration curves and their interpretation. Apparent Volume of Distribution, Total Plasma Clearance, Elimination Constant and Plasma Half-life.
6.Factors that determine individual and interindividual variability in drug response. Pharmacological drug interactions. Concepts and applications of Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics.

Head Lecturer(s)

Maria Margarida Coutinho de Seabra Castel-Branco Caetano

Assessment Methods

Evaluation
Report of a seminar or field trip: 10.0%
Resolution Problems: 10.0%
Oral presentation and discussion of scientific papers and selected theoretical themes: 20.0%
Exam: 60.0%

Bibliography

• Rang, Dale, Ritter & Flower. Rang & Dale's, Pharmacology. Churchill Livingstone, Elsevier, 6th Edition, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-443-06911-6.
• Brunton LL, Lazo JS, Parker KL (eds.) Goodman & Gilman’s The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. McGraw-Hill, 11th Edition, 2006. ISBN 0-07-142280-3
• Welling P.G. and Balant L.P. (eds.) Pharmacokinetics of drugs. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, Vol. 110. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York, 1994. ISBN 3-540-57506-5
• Artigos científicos (a indicar anualmente) / scientific papers (to be indicated annually)