PMCOL - Pharmacology

Using examples of commonly used drugs (both therapeutic and illicit), we will explore what drugs do to the human body and in turn, what the body does to drugs. Recommended for students with an interest in pursuing medical science degrees and programs. Prerequisites: CHEM 101 and BIOL 107 or equivalent. Open to 2nd and 3rd year students only.

Lecture topics present principles of pharmacology including practical application of commonly used drugs to the treatment of disease. This course is available only to students registered in the Bachelor of Science (Dental Hygiene) program.

This course is designed to introduce students to pharmacological research. The student will carry out an individual research project in a laboratory under the supervision of a member of the Department of Pharmacology. Supervision by Professors from other Departments may be possible, provided that a sponsor from the Department of Pharmacology is identified and the project is relevant to the discipline of Pharmacology. Students must secure a supervisor before registration. There may be a limited number of spaces available. The course offers formal opportunity to gain hands-on experience and develop skills within a research laboratory setting. Students will have a chance to become familiar with good lab practices, develop critical thinking, evaluation and troubleshooting skills, while applying their knowledge to practical research questions. Completion of this course requires a written report of the project and a presentation to an examining committee. Restricted to Pharmacology Honors or Specialization students in the third year of their program. Registration must be approved by the Department of Pharmacology. Please contact the course coordinator for registration in the course.

This course is designed to introduce students to pharmacological research. The student will carry out an individual research project in a laboratory under the supervision of a member of the Department of Pharmacology. Supervision by Professors from other Departments may be possible, provided that a sponsor from the Department of Pharmacology is identified and the project is relevant to the discipline of Pharmacology. Students must secure a supervisor before registration. There may be a limited number of spaces available. The course offers formal opportunity to gain hands-on experience and develop skills within a research laboratory setting. Students will have a chance to become familiar with good lab practices, develop critical thinking, evaluation and troubleshooting skills, while applying their knowledge to practical research questions. Completion of this course requires a written report of the project and a presentation to an examining committee. Restricted to Pharmacology Honors or Specialization students in the third year of their program. Registration must be approved by the Department of Pharmacology. Please contact the course coordinator for registration in the course.

The adverse effects of xenobiotics on biological systems are discussed. Principles of toxicology are introduced. Responses of target organs to selected toxicants are described, with emphasis on molecular mechanisms. Special topics include chemical carcinogenesis, nanotoxicology, and endocrine disruptors. Prerequisites: PMCOL 200, BIOCH 200, PHYSL 210, or 212 and 214, or consent of Department.

An introduction to the complexities of drug abuse and the drugs of abuse. The student will be introduced to the psychological and social problems of drug abuse and their impact upon the abuser. Objectives of the course are to develop an understanding of addiction and a detailed knowledge of the nature of the commonly abused substances. Emphasis will be placed upon the pharmacology of drugs of abuse. Prerequisites: one of the following BIOCH 200, BIOL 201, CELL 201, PHYSL 210, PHSYL 212 and 214, PMCOL 200, PSYCH 275, ZOOL 241 and 242.

Study of factors that affect drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination (ADME). This includes an introduction to genetic factors that influence ADME of drugs, as well as practical exercises to illustrate pharmacokinetic principles and their relevance to therapeutic dosing. Drug-drug interactions and food-drug interactions will also be discussed. Prerequisites: PMCOL 200, BIOCH 200, PHYSL 210, or 212 and 214, or consent of Department.

Provides a hands-on experience in addressing basic pharmacological questions. The course will employ both in vitro techniques and behavioural models. Emphasis will be placed on experimental design and data collection, analysis and presentation. Normally restricted to third year Pharmacology Specialization or Honors students. Students not in these programs may be admitted via consent of the instructor if space is available.

This course, together with the subsequent PMCOL 344, provides a comprehensive study of the modern science of pharmacology. The objective of the course is to study how drugs act on physiological systems with an emphasis on therapeutic applications. This course may be especially useful to those students who wish to pursue a career in health sciences. Prerequisite: a 200-level PMCOL course or consent of instructor. Pre or corequisite: PHYSL 210, or 212 and 214, or consent of instructor. In the case of over subscription, preference will be given to students in the Pharmacology Specialization or Honors Programs.

A continuation of PMCOL 343, this course will examine the therapeutic application of a variety of drugs and the mechanism(s) by which they affect physiological systems. Pre or co-requisite: PHYSL 210, or 212 and 214, or consent of instructor. In the case of over subscription, preference will be given to students in the Pharmacology Specialization or Honors Programs.

Lectures presented by the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry and the Faculty of Science on nerve cell membranes, ion channels, neurotransmitters and their receptors, synaptic mechanisms and plasticity, gene regulation and development, the physiology of small neural networks and disorders involving basic mechanisms. Prerequisite: PHYSL 210, or 212 and 214, or 252, or ZOOL 242. Students who have taken ZOOL 342 may not receive credit in PMCOL 371.

The student will carry out an individual research project in a laboratory under the supervision of a member of the Department of Pharmacology. Supervision by Professors from other Departments may be possible, provided that a sponsor from the Department of Pharmacology is identified and the project is relevant to the discipline of Pharmacology. Students must secure a supervisor before registration. The course offers formal opportunity to gain hands-on experience and develop skills within a research laboratory setting. Students will have a chance to become familiar with good lab practices, develop critical thinking, evaluation and troubleshooting skills, while applying their knowledge to practical research questions. Completion of this course requires a written report of the project and a presentation to an examining committee. Restricted to Pharmacology Specialization students or Honor students in Stream B in the fourth year of their program. Registration must be approved by the Department of Pharmacology. Please contact the course coordinator for registration in the course.

The student will carry out an individual research project in a laboratory under the supervision of a member of the Department of Pharmacology. Supervision by Professors from other Departments may be possible, provided that a sponsor from the Department of Pharmacology is identified and the project is relevant to the discipline of Pharmacology. Students must secure a supervisor before registration. The course offers formal opportunity to gain hands-on experience and develop skills within a research laboratory setting. Students will have a chance to become familiar with good lab practices, develop critical thinking, evaluation and troubleshooting skills, while applying their knowledge to practical research questions. Completion of this course requires a written report of the project and a presentation to an examining committee. Restricted to Pharmacology Specialization students or Honor students in Stream B in the fourth year of their program. Registration must be approved by the Department of Pharmacology. Please contact the course coordinator for registration in the course.

This course is designed to allow students to explore current topics and issues in pharmacology via projects such as critical literature reviews, simulated grant applications, community outreach and service projects. Before registration students must secure a supervisor from the Department of Pharmacology who will guide them through the course. Supervision by Professors from other Departments may be possible, provided that a sponsor from the Department of Pharmacology is identified and the project is relevant to the discipline of Pharmacology. Successful completion of a written report and a presentation is required at the conclusion of the project. Restricted to Pharmacology Specialization students or Honor students in Stream B in the fourth year of their program. Honors students in Stream B should consider enrolling in this course if they wish to focus within a singular Pharmacology topic but without the hands-on/lab experience. Prerequisites: PMCOL 303, PMCOL 306, PMCOL 343, PMCOL 344 or consent of instructor. Please contact the course coordinator for registration in the course.

Topics will include the drug discovery process, advanced concepts in pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, the use of animal models of disease by the pharmaceutical industry, and therapeutic drug monitoring. Prerequisites: PMCOL 343 and PMCOL 344. In the case of over subscription, preference will be given to students in the Pharmacology Specialization or Honors Programs.

This course will present an overview of structure-based drug design, and delve into the molecular and structural factors that underlie drug affinity and efficacy. Concepts will be exemplified using receptor, ion channel, transporter, enzyme, and other protein families that represent important drug targets. Part of the course will be structured around the critical analysis of primary literature on related topics. Students will also have an opportunity to explore protein-drug interactions using molecular viewing software. Prerequisites: PMCOL 343, PMCOL 344, and PMCOL 306, BIOCH 320, or consent of Department.

This course will provide an overview of the pharmacotherapy of selected clinical conditions of interest, and the factors (e.g. age, weight, pregnancy, co-morbidities) than influence the clinical use of drugs. Assessment of clinical trials and clinical case reports will also be discussed. Prerequisites: PMCOL 343, PMCOL 344. or consent of the Department.

Pharmacogenomics is the study of how human genetic variation impacts drug response. The impact of genetic variability on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs will be discussed. Students will evaluate current literature in pharmacogenomics, and discuss clinical and societal issues in the implementation of pharmacogenomics in the therapeutic use of drugs. Prerequisites: PMCOL 343, PMCOL 344, and PMCOL 306, or consent of Department.

The goal of PMCOL 412 is to learn about the molecular basis of disorders of the nervous system, current therapies in use, as well as novel potential treatments that are in clinical trials or at the preclinical experimental stage. Research frontiers in pain and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer, Parkinson and Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis among others, will be explored. Novel therapeutic targets and the potential treatments of tomorrow will be discussed. Prerequisites: PMCOL 343 and 344 or 371 or ZOOL 342 or consent of instructor.

Critical discussion and analysis of current research papers in cardiovascular pharmacology, grouped into themes. Recent developments and use of the literature will be emphasized. In-class participation during roundtable discussion to critique assigned papers is essential. Each theme will be accompanied by the student's written analyses of papers assigned but not discussed in class, in the format of a condensation/critique. Prerequisites: PMCOL 343 and 344. In cases of limited space, preference will be given to students in the Pharmacology program.

This course examines in detail, drugs (including natural hormones) that are used for treatment of endocrine diseases (e.g. diabetes, infertility, and growth deficiency). The focus of the course is the action of drugs on hormone receptors and on the regulation of hormone synthesis and secretion. Prerequisite: PMCOL 343 or 344 or consent of instructor.

Students will be presented with problem cases involving patients with conditions, possibly needing drug therapy. They will identify the issues needing resolution, work collectively to find information to resolve them, and present these and their application to each patient to the group. The group will work to resolve outstanding issues after the presentations. Intended for senior undergraduate students. Prerequisites: PMCOL 343 and 344 and consent of Instructor.

This course will provide an overview of the current understanding of blood glucose homeostasis, insulin secretion and action, the actions of other important blood sugar-regulating hormones and the pathology of diabetes. Current pharmacological approaches for lowering blood glucose will be discussed, as will the latest experimental approaches in identifying potential drug targets and new treatments for diabetes. At the end of the course, students should have an appreciation for the mechanisms that control glucose homeostasis in health and diabetes, the diversity of drug targets and mechanisms by which diabetes drugs promote glucose control, and current rationale and lines of research leading to potential new treatments. Prerequisites: PMCOL 343 and 344 or consent of instructor.

Regulation of various aspects of cell regulation, including proliferation, differentiation, metabolism, survival, motility, and gene transcription takes place via an array of well-organized signal transduction pathways. This course will cover topics related to the investigation of cellular transduction systems, and how pharmacological manipulation of these signaling pathways may be useful in the treatment of a diverse range of neurologic, neurodegenerative, inflammatory, immune, and metabolic diseases .Prerequisites: PMCOL 343 and 344 or PMCOL 371 or ZOOL 342 or consent of the instructor.

Individual research project open to undergraduate Pharmacology Honor students (Stream A) who have identified a supervisor in the Department of Pharmacology. Normally taken in conjunction with PMCOL 499, this 6-credit course is the first part of a 12-credit program in two terms resulting in an honors research thesis in Pharmacology. During PMCOL 497 students will develop background knowledge in an area of pharmacology research within the supervisor's expertise, design an experimental plan (in conjunction with their supervisor) to investigate a particular research question, learn the methodologies to be used ,and begin experiments to answer this research question. Complete of this course requires a written proposal summarizing background information and experimental design and methods for the project, as well as an oral presentation to an examining committee. Students aiming for Graduate School should consider taking this course as it embraces the research process from developing the research question, to planning the experimental design, collecting and analyzing data, writing a final paper, and presenting research findings. Prerequisite: PMCOL 303, PMCOL 306, PMCOL 343, PMCOL 344, and PMCOL 301 or PMCOL 302 or documented summer student research experience. Please contact the course coordinator for registration in the course.

During their fourth year all Honors candidates are required to carry out a program of directed research under the supervision of a staff member. This program will be related to the special interest of the student and will involve experimental work as well as two presentations and a written report on the part of the student. Students are encouraged to make arrangements with a supervisor of their choice before the fall term begins. Prerequisite: consent of Department. Normally available to fourth-year Honors students only.

During their fourth year all Honors candidates are required to carry out a program of directed research under the supervision of a staff member. This program will be related to the special interest of the student and will involve experimental work as well as two presentations and a written report on the part of the student. Students are encouraged to make arrangements with a supervisor of their choice before the fall term begins. Prerequisite: consent of Department. Normally available to fourth-year Honors students only.

Individual research project open to undergraduate Pharmacology Honor students (Stream A) who have identified a supervisor in the Department of Pharmacology. Taken in conjunction with PMCOL 497, this 6-credit course is the second part of a 12-credit program in two terms resulting in an honors research thesis in Pharmacology. Upon satisfactory progress in the first term, PMCOL 499 students will continue their research and produce a written honors thesis on their project. An oral presentation and thesis defense will occur at the end of term and be evaluated. Registration must be approved by the Department of Pharmacology. Prerequisite: PMCOL 497 and consent of the Department of Pharmacology.

This course is similar to PMCOL 401 except that the course material and student performance will be at a level suitable for graduate students.

This course is similar to PMCOL 401 except that the course material and student performance will be at a level suitable for graduate students.

This course aims to provide an understanding of the general mechanisms of drug action at the molecular level. Theoretical aspects of drug-receptor interaction are presented in detail followed by a consideration of the mechanisms of signal transduction that have been associated with different receptor types. Prerequisite: consent of Department.

Current concepts of neurotransmitters, neuromodulators and trophic factors are discussed in the context of the normal, diseased and developing nervous systems. Students should have some biological background either in physiology, pharmacology, zoology, or the neurosciences. Prerequisite: consent of Department.

A comprehensive examination of ion channels and their pharmacology. Topics to be covered include: molecular pharmacology, fundamental principles of bioelectricity, ion channel recording, analysis, classification, molecular biology, structure, pathophysiology and hereditary disease. Prerequisite: consent of the Department

Critical discussion and analysis of current research papers in cardiovascular pharmacology, grouped into themes. Recent developments and use of the literature will be emphasized. In-class participation during round table discussion to critique assigned papers is essential. Each theme will be accompanied by the student's written analyses of papers assigned but not discussed in class, in the format of a condensation/critique. Prerequisite: consent of the Department.

Students will be presented with problem cases involving patients with conditions, possibly needing drug therapy. They will identify the issues needing resolution, work collectively to find information to resolve them, and present these and their application to each patient to the group. The group will work to resolve outstanding issues after the presentations. Intended for graduate students. Prerequisites: PMCOL 343 and 344 and consent of Instructor.

This three-credit course will focus on neuropsychopharmacology - the interdisciplinary science related to psychopharmacology (the study of the effects of drugs on the mind) and fundamental neuroscience. Topics covered will include: pain, sleep, anesthetics, hallucinogens, mood disorders, and substance use disorders. The focus will be on understanding drug mechanisms within the context of the cell, circuit, and whole organism. Lectures will be delivered by leaders in the area of neuropsychopharmacology, and will include both basic and clinical scientists across faculties at the University of Alberta. Prerequisite: Consent of the Department.

This course is intended for graduate students and will provide an overview of the current understanding of blood glucose homeostasis, insulin secretion and action, the actions of other important blood sugar-regulating hormones and the pathology of diabetes. Current pharmacological approaches for lowering blood glucose will be discussed, as will the latest experimental approaches in identifying potential drug targets and new treatments for diabetes. At the end of the course, students should have an appreciation for the mechanisms that control glucose homeostasis in health and diabetes, the diversity of drug targets and mechanisms by which diabetes drugs promote glucose control, and current rationale and lines of research leading to potential new treatments. Prerequisites: PMCOL 343 and 344 or consent of Department.

Regulation of various aspects of cell regulation, including proliferation, differentiation, metabolism, survival, motility, and gene transcription, occur mainly via protein phosphorylation in a complex array of well-organized signal transduction pathways. This course will cover topics related to the pharmacological investigation of cellular transduction systems, the discovery of small molecules that alter cell signaling, and how pharmacological manipulation of these signaling pathways may be useful in the drug treatment of a diverse range of diseases, including metastatic, cardiovascular, inflammatory, immune, metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. Prerequisites: Consent of Department.

All graduate students are required to participate in this credit/no-credit graduate course every year by attending the weekly sessions and giving one presentation per year. The course consists of presentations by graduate students, University of Alberta faculty members and external speakers, and workshops and information sessions relevant to graduate studies. Note: Open only to Graduate students in Pharmacology.

All graduate students are required to participate in this credit/no-credit graduate course every year by attending the weekly sessions and giving one presentation per year. The course consists of presentations by graduate students, University of Alberta faculty members and external speakers, and workshops and information sessions relevant to graduate studies. Note: Open only to Graduate students in Pharmacology.

Pharmacological management of disease in the central nervous system is presented in the context of current knowledge of neuroscience and neurochemistry. Prerequisites: consent of the Department.

A credit/no-credit course for graduate students who are actively participating in the mentorship of undergraduate students in a half term research course (e.g. PMCOL 301, PMCOL 302, PMCOL 401, PMCOL 402, PMCOL 497, PMCOL 499, other one-term research courses taken by the undergraduate student in the supervisor's laboratory, or summer students from their supervisor's laboratory). Mentorship includes activities such as in-lab supervision, training, and help with reports and presentations. Can be taken in any year and Spring/Summer session. Credit may be obtained more than once. Requires the submission of an initial project summary with student learning objectives, monthly progress, and final reports. This course cannot be used to satisfy course requirements of the Pharmacology Graduate Program. Prerequisite: Consent of the Department of and the student's supervisor.

A credit/no-credit course for graduate students who are actively participating in the mentorship of undergraduate students in a full - term research course (e.g. two-terms research courses taken by the undergraduate student in the supervisor's laboratory). Mentorship includes activities such as in-lab supervision, training, and help with reports and presentations. Can be taken in any year. Credit may be obtained more than once. Requires the submission of an initial project summary with student learning objectives, monthly progress and final reports. This course cannot be used to satisfy course requirements of the Pharmacology Graduate Program. Prerequisite: Consent of the Department and the student's supervisor.

A credit/no-credit course for graduate students who are actively participating in the mentorship of undergraduate students in a full - term research course (e.g. two-terms research courses taken by the undergraduate student in the supervisor's laboratory). Mentorship includes activities such as in-lab supervision, training, and help with reports and presentations. Can be taken in any year. Credit may be obtained more than once. Requires the submission of an initial project summary with student learning objectives, monthly progress and final reports. This course cannot be used to satisfy course requirements of the Pharmacology Graduate Program. Prerequisite: Consent of the Department and the student's supervisor.