Bachelor of Science (Honours) - Pharmacology (B211)

Pharmacology is the study of how drugs work in the body. This includes any type of chemical or biological agent that produces an effect on the body including medicines, drugs of abuse, poisons, and chemicals in the food we eat and drink. There are two aspects to pharmacology: the effect of the drug on the body, and the effect of the body on the drug.

In this course the aim is to answer some of the biggest questions surrounding drugs and medicine today and for the future. In year one, students will study a number of core modules covering physiology, biochemistry, neuroscience and medicinal chemistry. In the second year, they will start to focus on the pharmacology of current drugs and drug targets, and in the third year they will learn about the recent advances in pharmacology, and the application of pharmacology in the drug discovery process.

Pharmacologists are at the center of developing medicines to revolutionize the treatment of diseases.

These include: • life-saving antibiotics • hypertension • asthma • depression • statins to reduce cardiovascular disease • revolutionary retroviral drugs to manage HIV • biologic based medicines (RNA, antibodies)

Pharmacology can lead to a fulfilling career in medicines research or an industry that improves the lives of people around the world in areas such as drug discovery, medicines development, medical writing, regulatory affairs and pharmaceutical marketing.