Pharmacology

The functioning of the (diseased) human body can be affected by medicines, which act through a variety of molecular mechanisms. This course illustrates the various ways of drug action through an in-depth study of a drug, a disease or pharmacological principle (to be determined). These three approaches have been chosen because they demonstrate drug effects at a variety of the organizational levels (molecule, cell, whole organism) of animals and man. We also review the recent advances in rational drug design. 
Although the course only treats limited amount of diseases, it highlights the underlying physiological and pharmacological principles of rational drug use and development. It stresses the importance of neuronal/hormonal (whole body) and biochemical regulation (whole cell) for proper physiological and cellular functioning, as well as homeostatic control and dysfunction during pathological processes. The identification of potential drug targets and the interaction of drugs with macromolecules (enzymes, cell surface receptors, signaling molecules) as a main pharmacological principle is another topic central to our study, and one that requires quantitative pharmacological and statistical methods.

Format
During the course, students are required to learn the basic pharmacological models that describe concentration-response, time-concentration, and time-response relationships of drugs by using available literature and several simulation applications. They may refer to spreadsheet programs and course lectures for assistance.