PMCOL501/502 … PMCOL508 … PMCOL512 … PMCOL515 … PMCOL525 … PMCOL575
PMCOL 501/502
Pharmacology Tutorials, Research and Reading Course
Coordinator: Dr. E. Posse de Chaves
This is the graduate level equivalent of PMCOL 401 and 402. The performance of students and the material in the course will be at a level consistent with expectations of students in the graduate program.
Note: this course is intended for graduate students in the Pharmacology program.
Prerequisites: Permission of the Department.
PMCOL 508
Molecular Pharmacology
Fall term only, M, W, F 11:00
Coordinator: Dr. E. Posse de Chaves
Grading: The final grade will be based on a midterm and final in written format as well as a paper and a short presentation.
This is a graduate-level course that focuses on the an understanding of general mechanisms of drug action at the molecular level. Theoretical aspects of drug-receptor interactions will be discussed, as will some of the common techniques used to quantify them.
PMCOL 512
Pharmacology of the Synapse
Fall term only: T, R 9.30 - 11:00
Coordinator: Dr. P.A. Smith
Grading: Grading is based on a brief midterm exam and on 2 oral reports and 2 term papers
This graduate course gets right down to the nuts and bolts of how drugs affect nerve cells. The emphasis is on electrophysiology and imaging techniques. Much of the course involves evaluation of contemporary scientific literature and thus provides an ideal background for graduate students in pharmacology, physiology and neuroscience.
PMCOL 514
Biophysical Aspects of Ion Channel Pharmacology
Either term: T, R 2:00 - 3:20
Coordinator: Dr. P.E. Light
Grading: TBA
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, moledular biology, structure, pathophysiology and hereditary disease.
Prerequisites: Consent of Department.
PMCOL 515
Cardiovascular Pharmacology
Winter term only, alternating years: M W F 10:00
Coordinator:Dr. A.S. Clanachan
Grading: There are no formal examinations. Instead, student performance will be based on quality of class participation, performance as discussion leader during student-led discussions, and the written "Chemtrac-style" reports.
Pmcol 515 is a graduate-level course in cardiovascular pharmacology. Course topics are selected to reflect activities in on-going cardiovascular research and cardiovascular drug investigation and development, with particular emphasis on the use of drugs 1) to dissect physiological and pathophysiological processes, and 2) to discover and validate novel targets for pharmacological exploitation in the management of cardiovascular diseases.
Following two introductory lectures on 'How to Critically Review the Literature', the course consists of seven discrete blocks. Each block has a similar format and consists of an Introductory Lecture presented by the instructor that is intended to provide an overview and essential background information of each topic. This is followed by four sessions in which research publications is discussed by the class. A fifth paper will also be identified and this paper will be used by the students to prepare a short "Chemtrac-style" report that provides a written summary of key features of the paper, as well as a critical evaluation of the work.
Registration requires Departmental consent.
PMCOL 525
Problem Solving in Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Winter term only, T, R 14:00 - 15:30
Coordinator: Dr. M. Davies
Grading: There is no midterm or final examination. Marks are based on the following: a midterm paper based on one of the problems covered in class; a final paper in which the student must construct and solve a therapeutic problem; participation in the group discussions.
This is a course in which graduate students use their knowledge of pharmacology to solve problems in therapeutics. These problems typically focus on identifying the kinds of drugs used to treat certain medical conditions, identifying their mechanisms of action and determining their potential to cause side-effects. Each problem is covered in two sessions: in the first, the students discuss the problem and identify any gaps in knowledge. In the second session, they share their research on the problem and arrive at a consensus on how the problem is best solved.
Note: this course is intended for graduate students in the Pharmacology program.
Prerequisites: Permission of the Department.
PMCOL 575
Signal Transduction Systems as Pharmacological Targets
Winter term, M W F 10:00
Coordinator: Dr. E. Posse-DeChaves
Grading: Please contact the course coordinator
Do you want to learn about the most advanced therapeutic approaches in development for cancer, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, autoimmune and other diseases while overcoming the fear of complicated signaling pathways? In this course we analyze the main signaling pathways, their roles in health and disease and the therapeutic approaches targeting them.