Drug Development Pharmacology

*Please note that applicants to this short course should go via King's Apply (click red 'Apply' button on the right of this page) and select the following programme*:

Pharmaceutical Medicine Non-Award (Part-time)

Module code 7BBM0013

Defining the manner in which an active molecule or pharmaceutical intervention interacts with a receptor or biological process is usually the basis from which the medicine development process is initiated. It is essential that a shared set of pharmacological principles are used from medicine discovery through to medicine development and beyond. This allows multidisciplinary teams, often comprising chemists, pharmacologists, regulators and clinicians to work effectively. The focus of this module is to clarify the basic pharmacological principles that underpin drug development and apply them to a range of therapeutic areas in order to give participants a sound working knowledge of drug action. A series of case studies will be used in the module to highlight different aspects of drug pharmacology and provide an up-to-date context in which to examine the principles of drug-receptor interactions.

By the end of this module participants will be able to:

• Understand the fundamental principles of pharmacology.
• Be familiar with clear definitions of pharmacological concepts in a pharmaceutical science context and be able to define key pharmacological terms.
• Understand the role of pharmacology in the drug discovery/development process and be able to apply these principles to address complex problems in specific therapeutic areas.
• Evaluate the major stages in the drug development process where pharmacology can add value and apply this knowledge to gain an in-depth appreciation of pharmaceutical development.
• Outline possible pharmacological interventions in key clinical settings and appreciate the current state-of-the-art across a number of disease areas.

Minimum entry requirements are either a medical degree (such as an MBBS) or a 2:1 first degree in pharmacy, pharmacology, biology, biochemistry, chemistry or related subject.

The course will suit individuals seeking to develop a practical understanding of clinical pharmacology e.g. pharmaceutical industry physicians, medical affairs and regulatory affairs personnel.