PHA-30023 - Module Specification
School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering
Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2020/21

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2020/21

This module will bring together all of the concepts in pharmaceutical science that have been covered in earlier modules to deliver an integrated and in-depth examination of topics in pharmacology and pharmaceutics, representing current thinking and recent advances in drug therapy and formulation with aspects of medicinal chemistry providing appropriate linkages. The application of knowledge gained is key to success in this module.
The pharmacology strand will consider pharmacological therapies that are currently used to treat diseases in major body systems. The lectures will cover diseases and therapy associated with the cardiovascular system, the respiratory system, the central nervous system, the gastro-intestinal system, the immune system, the renal system hormones, skin, cancer and infection.
The pharmaceutics strand starts with a general introduction to advanced drug delivery and then will address various delivery systems including targeted drug delivery systems, polymeric drug delivery systems, parenteral emulsions (including total parenteral nutrition) and liposomes. This will then develop into a study of delivery systems based on the route of delivery in relation to the physiology of the patient, including oral delivery, ocular and nasal delivery and transdermal delivery, followed by wound dressing, angina and palliative care.
Students will be encouraged to engage with the primary and secondary literature throughout the module in order to advance skills in research. Students will research the literature describing two therapeutic areas of the their choice and two pharmaceutical approaches of their choice.

This module aims to explain the actions of drugs in the major body systems by providing descriptions of the pathophysiology of common disorders and using defined targets for pharmacological intervention to explain the actions and uses of drugs in therapy. In parallel, the various drug delivery systems which have either been used clinically or have shown promise for clinical application will be critically evaluated. The physicochemical properties of these drug delivery systems will be examined with emphasis on the relevance to their in vivo behaviour. The therapeutic benefits of these drug delivery systems will also be discussed.
This theme is extended beyond currently accepted therapeutic strategies to encourage students to evaluate current research in selected therapeutic areas.

Intended Learning Outcomes

demonstrate a systematic understanding of the actions of drugs in terms of their interactions with physiological systems: 1,2
demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the use of drugs to correct disorders of physiological systems: 1,2
describe and critically evaluate the role of pharmacotherapy in the management of disease: 1,2
demonstrate a systematic understanding of the relationship between in vitro properties of drug delivery systems to their in vivo behaviour: 1,2
select, with detailed rationale, appropriate drug delivery systems for specific patients to maximise the therapeutic benefits: 1,2
review, consolidate, and extend knowledge and understanding of the properties and applications of current and emerging drug delivery systems: 1,2
apply established techniques to acquire laboratory data and critically evaluate data from the literature about the properties of drug delivery systems: 1
interpret complex data obtained through experiments to formulate conclusions about the actions of drugs in physiological systems: 1
critically evaluate current research and advanced scholarship in pharmaceutical sciences relevant to the chosen research area
: 1
demonstrate an in-depth understanding of analytic and literature evaluation techniques
: 1
critically appraise published clinical and experimental data using a structured approach, in order to assess its quality and validity.: 1
demonstrate detailed knowledge of the physicochemical properties of advanced and cutting-edge drug delivery
systems
: 1,2

Study hours

Large- and small-group teaching sessions: 40 hours
Skills-based laboratory and practical skills activity: 20 hours
Directed private study, revision and assessment: 240 hours
Examinations: 4 hours

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment