Science Pharmacology Honours BSc course at University College Dublin, Ireland.

Contact: Dr. Kathy O'Boyle, Department of Pharmacology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. tel +353-1-7061558, fax +353-1-2692749; koboyle@macollamh.ucd.ie

The Pharmacology Course in U.C.D.

Students enter the Pharmacology Course in their Second Year in University having studied Maths, Chemistry, Biology and one from Geology, Experimental Physics or Computer Science in their First Year. Since drugs are chemicals and since the cellular processes which they modify are chemical/biochemical in nature, the pharmacologist requires some knowledge of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physiology as well as other areas such as Mathematics and Statistics.

Second Science students choose their subjects from 6 sets. Students take 3 subjects in second year. Appropriate subjects to combine with Pharmacology include Biochemistry, Chemistry, Physiology, Industrial Microbiology, Psychology, Zoology, Mathematics, Statistics
The department provides advice on the most appropriate combinations.

Students may qualify for admission to an honours course on the results of the Second Year Examination in Science. Students admitted to the honours course take 8 units in Pharmacology and 2 optional units in their Third Year. Honours students take only Pharmacology in Fourth Year. Some honours students may opt to do a joint honours degree in Pharmacology and Molecular Genetics. Students pursuing the General Degree course take either a 3 subject or a 2 subject B.Sc. General which they complete at the end of Third Year. These students may select from unit courses in a number of different subjects. Toxicology is one of these units and selected topics in Toxicology also form part of the Third Year Honours and Fourth Year Honours courses in Pharmacology. At present the intake into Second Science Pharmacology is limited to 52 because of restricted laboratory facilities. The total intake into Third Science Pharmacology is approximately 40. The intake into the honours stream is about 20-30 per annum. Laboratory classes introduce students to a range of experimental techniques used to investigate drug action: bioassay, enzyme studies, radioligand binding, chromatography, computer assisted learning.

Honours Pharmacology students in addition to taking lectures, tutorials and practical classes also carry out research projects and attend research seminars in the Department.

Degree Courses available: B.Sc. (General), B.Sc. (Honours), B.Sc. (Joint Honours; Pharmacology and Molecular Genetics), M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Pharmacology.

FIRST YEAR

Non-pharmacology modules and courses

SECOND YEAR


FIRST SEMESTER
Introduction to Pharmacological Principles
Introduction to Pharmacology; Mechanisms of Drug Action I + II; Drug Receptor Interaction; Agonist Concentration-Effect Curves; Antagonist Action I + II; Drug absorption; Routes of Drug Administration; Distribution and Excretion of Drugs; Drug Metabolism; Pharmacokinetic Principles; Membrane Potential; Action Potential; Drugs acting on the Skeletal Neuromuscular Junction; Chemical Transmission; Pharmacology of Ion Channels; Muscle Structure and Function; Muscle Spinal Reflexes

Neuropharmacology I
Introduction to Autonomic Nervous System; Autonomic Nervous System and Drug Action; Autonomic Adrenergic 1. Noradrenaline Synthesis Release, Reuptake, Metabolism; Autonomic Cholinergic 1. Ach Synthesis Storage, Release, Actions; Autonomic Cholinergic 2, Cholinomimetics; Autonomic cholinergic 3; (Muscarinic), Anticholinesterases; Autonomic Cholinergic 4. Atropine and Similar Agents, Ganglionic Stimulants and blockers; Autonomic Adrenergic 2. a-b-Adrenoceptor agonists; Autonomic Adrenergic 3. a-b-Adrenoceptor blockers; Structure and Function of the CNS I + II; Cellular Diversity in the CNS; Cellular Communication in the CNS; General Anaesthesia and General Anaesthetics; Epilepsy Antiepileptic Agents; TERM TEST EXAMINATION M.C.Q.

SECOND SEMESTER
Cardiovascular, Respiratory, Renal and Gut Pharmacology
Regulation of Cardiac Function; Regulation of the Circulation; Blood Pressure Regulation; and Hypertension; Vasodilators and the Endothelium; Antihypertensive Agents; Cardiotonic Drugs I + II; Anti-Anginal Drugs; Therapy of Strokes Myocardial Infarction; Drugs Affecting Renal Function, Fluid and electrolytes; Electrolyte Balance. I - Osmolarity and volume; Acid/Base Balance; Diuretics; Structure and Function of the Respiratory system; Bronchodilators and other Anti-Asthmatic Drugs; Structure and Organisation of the Gastro-Intestinal Tract/Muscle; Neuronal and Hormonal Control of the Gastro-Intestinal Tract Movements.

Endocrine Pharmacology and Immunopharmacology
Introduction to Chemotherapy; Antimicrobial Agents/Antiviral Drugs; Anticancer Drugs/Special Topic; Immune Responses 1. Cells; Immune Responses 2. Mediators; Immune Responses 3. Immunosuppression; Inflammation; Histamine and other Chemical Mediators; Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and antiinflammatory agents; Cytokines; Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis; Natural and Synthetic Corticosteroids; Carbohydrate Metabolism; Insulin; Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone System; Insulin and Oral Hypoglycaemic Agents; Growth Hormone

PRACTICAL CLASSES
Introduction to Pharmacology
Frog Rectus Abdominis
Routes of Administration
Computer Simulation
Functional Histology
Tutorial: Introduction to Data Acquisition I
Tutorial: Data Acquisition II
Rat Phrenic Nerve I
Tutorial; Anaesthetics and Red Blood Cells:
Protein Release During Cell Lysis
Dose-Response Relationship I
Anaesthetics and Red Blood Cells:
Drug Metabolism
Pharmacokinetics - Tutorial
Finkleman Preparation
Rabbit Jejenum
Glutamine Synthetase:Product Estimation
Human Blood Pressure
Guinea Pig Ileum & Rat Heart
Rat Atria I
Renal Excretion of Drugs
Microbiology I
Guinea Pig Tracheal Chain
Rat Atria II
Rat B.P.
Electrolyte Excretion
Diuretics I
Immune Response I
Blood Glucose
Isolated Heart

THIRD YEAR


FIRST SEMESTER Chemotherapeutic Agents
Microbial Cell Structure and Biology; Basic Principles of Chemotherapy I + II; Inhibitors of Cell Wall Synthesis - Penicillins and Cephalosporins; Drugs which affect Membrane Permeability; Inhibitors of Protein Synthesis I - Chloramphenicol and Tetracyclines; Inhibitors of Protein Synthesis II - Aminoglycosides; Folate Anti-Metabolites; Inhibitors of Nucleic Acid; Synthesis - Sulfonamides and Trimethoprim; Mycobacterial Drugs; Clinical Use of Antimicrobials Basic Principles of Anti-Parasitic Chemotherapy; Anti Fungal Drugs; Disinfectants and Antiseptics; Antibiotic Resistance; Anti Viral Drugs I; Viral Drugs II - AIDS; Cancer Chemotherapy I + II; Cancer Chemotherapy - New Approaches; MCQ exam

Neuropharmacology
Introduction to Thought Disorders; Anxiolytics I + II; Neuroleptics; Neuroleptics/Antidepressants; Antidepressants; Neuropeptidergic Transmission; Review of Autonomic Pharmacology I + II; Drug Design; Design of Autonomic Drugs I + II; Design of Dopaminergic Agonists; Neurobiology of Memory; Neurodegenerative States; Alzheimer's Disease; ParkinsonŐs Disease; Narcotic Analgesics; Psychotomimetics; Stimulants; MCQ exam

Chemical Mediators
Drugs which Act on the Uterus; Thyroid Hormone; Anti-Thyroid Drugs; Parathyroid Hormone, Calcitonin and Vitamin D; ACTH and Glucocorticoid Pharmacology; Anti-Anaemic Drugs; Prostaglandins; Bradykinin and 5-HT; Cytokines; Antihistamines; Anti-inflammatory and Uricosuric Agents; Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ovarian Axis; Hormones and the Menstrual Cycle; Oestrogens and Progestins; Fertility Promoting and Inhibitory Drugs; Male Sex Hormones; Control of lipoprotein metabolism; Coagulation and Anticoagulants; Atherosclerosis and thromboxanes; The Nitric Oxide System as a Therapeutic Drug Target; Prolactin; Hormone Dependent Cancers; M.C.Q. Examination

Toxicology
Principles of Toxicology I + II; Toxicokinetics I + II; Toxicity Testing I + II; Toxicity I + II; Hepatic Toxicity II; Genetic Toxicology; Blood Toxicity; Carcinogens I + II; Renal Toxicity; Reproductive Toxicity (including antioestrogens); Neurotoxicology and Heavy Metals; Teratogenesis; Immunotoxicity; Lung Toxicity I + II; Pesticides; Ecotoxicology; Role of Toxicology in Drug Registration; Legislation Pertaining to Chemicals; M.C.Q. Examination

2ND SEMESTER

Lectures
Intracellular Signalling; Heterotrimeric G Proteins; Protein-Effector Coupling; Adenylyl Cyclases; Phosphoinositide Turover; Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; Tutorial; Introduction to the Estrogen Receptor; The Estrogen Receptor and Uterine Growth; Responses to Estrogen Stimulation I + II; The Estrogen Receptor and Uterine Growth; Oviduct Ovalbumen Synthesis, A Model of Estrogenic Response I; Estrogenic Response II; Tutorial;
Overview of Intracellular Signalling; Signal Transduction by Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; The MAP-Kinase and Related Pathways; Signal Transduction by Nonreceptor Protein; Tyrosine Kinases; Regulation of Transcription Factor Activity; Tutorial
Peptide Pharmacology; Peptide Messenger Molecules; Immunoglobulins; Enzymes as Drug Targets; Excitation-Contraction Coupling; Pharmaceutical Biotechnology; Barriers to the Use of Peptides as Drugs; Tutorial

Advanced CNS Pharmacology
Ischaemia and Anti-Ischaemic Agents; Neurodegeneration I + II; Substances of Abuse I + II; Tutorial
Advanced Renal Pharmacology and Toxicology; Overview of Renal Function, Drug Action and toxicity; In Vivo Renal Techniques I + II; Tutorial
Advanced CNS: Dopamine Receptors; Overview of Dopamine in the CNS; D2-like Receptor I + II; D1-like Receptor I + II; Tutorial
Muscle Pharmacology; Muscle Types and Function; Molecular Myology Techniques; Disorders of Muscle; Tutorial

PRACTICAL CLASSES
Antibiotic Sensitivity
Glutamine Synthetase
Inhibition of RNA and Protein Synthesis
Tricyclic Antidepressants
Sulphonamides
Behavioural Neuropharmacology I + II
Bacteriostatic and Bactericidal Effects of Antibiotics
Lipophilicity and Antimicrobial Activity
Structure-Activity Relationships / Receptor Structure and Function


Actions of Drugs on Tracheal Smooth Muscle from Sensitised guinea-pigs
Cholinesterase Inhibition by Pesticides
Receptors - Assessment of the Number of Estrogen Receptors
Detection of Carcinogens and Mutagens (The Ames Test)and their Kd in Rat Uterus
Action of Drugs on Mammalian Uterus
Carbon Tetrachloride Hepatotoxicity and Destruction of Cytochrome P450
I-Uptake into Rat Thyroid Tissue
Paracetamol Toxicity Dose Response and Glutathione Depletion
Reproductive Tract Histology
Paraquat - Pathology and Uptake into Lung Slices
Blood Coagulation and Anaemia
Metal Toxicity and Determination of LD50 in an Aquatic Species

FOURTH YEAR

(including M.MED.SCI.) FIRST SEMESTER

LECTURES
Genetics (9); Computing; Cancer studies (2); Neuropharmacology (4); Drug Development (2)
Then each week: Cancer Studies, Neuropharmacology or Cytokine Receptors, Neuropharmacology or Muscle Pharmacology, Drug Development or CNS Dopamine Receptors

GENETICS PRACTICAL CLASSES
Eukaryotic Genome Practical (ONE WEEK)

RESEARCH PROJECT
Potential project supervisors will give short talks on their research areas. Students should nominate 10 project areas of interest to them and submit a list to the Departmental Secretary. Students will be assigned to a Project Supervisor; Experimental work will begin on Tuesday, October 27; students should conclude their experiments on February 12, 1999 and submit a concise report on their work on or before March 12. Students will be required to give two 15 minute oral presentations on their project: the first to cover background and literature,

SECOND SEMESTER
LECTURES EACH WEEK: Statistics of Laboratory Assays; Immunopharmacology; Steroid Hormone Receptors; Renal Pharmacology and Toxicology; The Pharmacology of Thrombotic Disorders; Biology of Nitric Oxide.

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