SMIMB1041U Pharmacology

Volume 2024/2025
Education

This course is a compulsory course for students at Copenhagen University's  Master of Industrial Drug Development (MIND) 

 

See course calendar for course dates on the webpage for  Master of Industrial Drug Development  

 

The course is intended for drug development professionals who need knowledge about basic pharmacological concepts or need a brush-up course on pharmacology for continuing professional development (CPD).

The course is open to single course students and students from other master's programmes.

Content

The pharmacological concepts, methodologies and techniques are fundamental for modern drug development. As a discipline it does not fit in for one particular part of the drug development process. Instead it is applied continuously throughout the lifespan of a drug candidate. Thus, basic pharmacological knowledge is important for those who want to possess an integrated view on the effects and behaviour of the drug candidate from discovery throughout clinical development. The classical disciplines of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics are addressed separately to be familiar with the theoretical background behind these disciplines. Pharmacology also bridges the preclinical phase with clinical trials and thus is central in the translation of animal data to the human situation.

The course will teach the basic concepts of general pharmacology. Emphasis is on pharmacokinetics with hands-on calculations. It runs over two days and is computer aided. There is focus on experimental in vitro and in vivo tools and on animal experimental models for various diseases including modern experimental techniques.

The course covers the following areas:

  • General pharmacology (pharmacodynamics)
  • Pharmacokinetics (basic concepts, extra vascular dosing using a one-compartment model, IV administration using 1- and 2 compartment models, elimination: metabolism and excretion, hands-on calculation in an Excel spreadsheet)
  • Exploratory pharmacology (measurement of pharmacological effect, safety pharmacology)
  • In vitro pharmacology, concepts and methodology (ADME; biomarkers; metabolism; transporters)
  • In vitro screening of cancer therapuetics
  • In vivo pharmacology, methodology (animal models for cardiovascular diseases, obesity, bone and joint diseases and pain; behavioural animal models.)
Learning Outcome

Upon completion of the course, participants are expected to be able to:

Knowledge

  • pin-point the role of pharmacology in the drug development process
  • demonstrate basic knowledge of pharmacology
    • its basic concepts regarding PD and PK
    • its in vitro models
    • its in vivo models
    • its experimental tools
  • identify basic pharmacokinetic parameters
  • identify ADMET and safety pharmacology aspects

 

Skills

  • interpret raw pharmacodynamic data sets
  • calculate and interpret raw pharmacokinetic data sets
  • rank compounds delivered from discovery for further handling in development
  • conduct validation applied in in vitro methods
  • conduct validation applied in in vivo methods

 

Competencies

  • integrate a pharmacology perspective in the planning of the various stages of the drug development process
  • handle translational aspects in a pharmacological perspective
  • communicate professionally using pharmacology terminology

The syllabus comprises collections of review papers, textbook chapters, case stories and hand-outs from course presentations, in total approximately 250 pages.

Applicants must meet the following criteria:
• A bachelor's degree, a professional bachelor’s degree, a diploma degree, a master’s degree or equivalent within chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacy, medicine, biomedicine, human biology, molecular biology, veterinary sciences, health sciences, nursing, engineering or equivalent.
• At least two years of relevant work experience related to development of medicines
• Proficiency in English
We recommend that applicants are familiar with linear and non-linear regression using MS Excel.
Lectures in the morning. Problem solving and cases (group work) in the afternoon. Afternoon sessions concern pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic problem solving, construction of own disease model and biomarker selection. Hands-on pharmacokinetics with computer simulation.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 35
  • Preparation
  • 23,75
  • Exam Preparation
  • 8
  • Exam
  • 2
  • Total
  • 68,75
Oral
Collective
Credit
2,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
On-site written exam, 2 hours under invigilation
Type of assessment details
Problems based on a case description, supplemented with multiple choice and short essay questions.
Aid
Written aids allowed

Find more information about written on-site exams in the exam rooms, incl. information about standard programs on the exam PCs at KUnet - Study Information - Exam types and rules - Written on-site exam (ITX). 

 

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
Exam period

To be announced at the MIND programme's webpage

Re-exam

The exam form for the reexam is the same as the ordinary exam. See dates in the exam schedule at the MIND programme's webpage

Criteria for exam assesment

The grade 12 is given when the examinee:

Knowledge

  • pin-point the role of pharmacology in the drug development process
  • demonstrate basic knowledge of pharmacology
    • its basic concepts regarding PD and PK
    • its in vitro models
    • its in vivo models
    • its experimental tools
  • identify basic pharmacokinetic parameters
  • identify ADMET and safety pharmacology aspects

 

Skills

  • interpret raw pharmacodynamic data sets
  • calculate and interpret raw pharmacokinetic data sets
  • rank compounds delivered from discovery for further handling in development
  • conduct validation applied in in vitro methods
  • conduct validation applied in in vivo methods

 

Competencies

  • integrate a pharmacology perspective in the planning of the various stages of the drug development process
  • handle translational aspects in a pharmacological perspective
  • communicate professionally using pharmacology terminology