Outline

Overview

Have you ever wanted to know how drugs work? Pharmacology is the study of the properties and biological actions of drugs and chemicals and the key roles they play in the prevention and treatment of human diseases. In this unit of study you will be introduced to the foundational concepts in pharmacology: a) principles of drug action, b) pharmacokinetics and precision medicine, c) drug design, and d) drug development and regulation. Additionally, you will learn the tools pharmacologists use in their investigations and develop skills in laboratory and problem-based enquiry. You will have the opportunity to explore and apply the core concepts in pharmacology through practicals, simulations and problem-based workshops. By undertaking this unit you will not only learn to view health and disease through the lens of a pharmacologist, you will further develop valuable skills in critical thinking and problem solving, communication, digital literacy, teamwork and interdisciplinary effectiveness. This unit of study is highly recommended for students interested in pursuing a career in medicine and allied health professions (e.g. nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy, dentistry) and medical research pathways.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	MEDS2002
Academic unit	Pharmacy
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	PCOL2555 or PCOL2011 or PCOL2021 or BMED2401 or BMED2801 or BMED2802 or BMED2804 or BMED2805 or BMED2806 or BMED2807 or BMED2808
Prerequisites ?	CHEM1XX1 or CHEM1903
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	[(BIOL1XX7 or MBLG1XX1) or (MEDS1X01 or BIOL1XX8 or BIOL1XX3)
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Tina Hinton, tina.hinton@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Han Chow Chua, chow.chua@sydney.edu.au
	Tina Hinton, tina.hinton@sydney.edu.au
	Robert Vandenberg, robert.vandenberg@sydney.edu.au
	Andrew McLachlan, andrew.mclachlan@sydney.edu.au
	Kellie Charles, kellie.charles@sydney.edu.au
	Slade Matthews, slade.matthews@sydney.edu.au
	Orin Chisholm, orin.chisholm@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Supervised exam ?	Final exam Closed book, supervised exam.	30%	Formal exam period	1.5 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Module Quizzes 4 quizzes - one at the end of each module	20%	Multiple weeks	20 mins to answer 15 questions
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Concentration-response curves practical exercises Group answers to questions based on practical and data workshop activities	15%	Week 06 Due date: 30 Mar 2024 at 23:59	N/A
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Cholinesterases and inhibitors practical report Individual practical report	20%	Week 09 Due date: 28 Apr 2024 at 23:59	1000-1500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Integrated assessment presentation Group oral presentation	10%	Week 12	2 minutes per person presentation
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Personal reflection Individual personal reflection on your learning in MEDS2002	5%	Week 13 Due date: 24 May 2024 at 23:59	500 words
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Module quizzes

This involves 4 individual quizzes, one at the end of each module containing 15 multiple choice questions that you will need to answer online within 20 minutes from starting each quiz. In total the quizzes are worth 20% of your overall unit of study mark. See your Canvas site for more information.

Concentration-response curves exercises

This involves group exercises comprised of short answer questions and calculations relating to theoretical bases, rationale, experimental design, experimental setup, measurement principles, graphs, calculations implications of results, and answers to questions related to the concentration-response curves practical and data workshop. The assignment is worth 15% of your overall unit of study mark. See your Canvas site for more information.

Integrated assessment

This involves a group presentation (10%) of your thinking around a major area of enquiry as part of your integrated assessment portfolio. This assignment is worth 10% of your overall unit of study mark. Your presentation is due during the scheduled session. See your Canvas site for more information.

Cholinesterases and inhibitors practical report

This involves an individual write up of your results and discussion based on your Cholinesterases and inhibitors practical and data workshop. This assignment is worth 20% of your overall unit of study mark. See your Canvas site for more information.

Personal reflection

This involves reflective practice resulting in an individual 500 word reflection on what and how you learnt in the course of this unit of study, how you developed graduate qualities in the process of your learning, and how your perspective has changed as a result. This personal reflection is worth 5% of your overall unit of study mark. See your Canvas site for more information.

End of semester exam

All material in the unit of study is examinable, but not all material can be examined within the constraints of the formal assessment process. There is one final examination lasting 1.5 hours containing short answer questions, worth 30% of your unit mark. Sample questions will be provided for you to familiarise yourself with the question types.

Assessment criteria

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85-100%	Work of exceptional standard: Mastery of topics showing extensive integration and ability to transfer knowledge to novel contexts; treatment of tasks shows an advanced synthesis of ideas; demonstration of initiative, complex understanding and analysis; work is very well presented; all criteria addressed and learning outcomes achieved to an outstanding level
Distinction	75-84%	Work of superior standard: Excellent achievement, consistent evidence of deep understanding and application of knowledge in medical science; treatment of tasks shows advanced understanding of topics; demonstration of initiative, complex understanding and analysis; work is well-presented; all criteria addressed and learning outcomes achieved to a superior level
Credit	65-74%	Competent work demonstrating potential for higher study: Confident in explaining medical science processes, with evidence of solid understanding and achievement; occasional lapses indicative of unresolved issues; treatment of tasks shows a good understanding of topic; work is well-presented with a minimum of errors; all criteria addressed and learning outcomes achieved to a high level
Pass	50-64%	Work of acceptable standard: Satisfactory level of engagement with and understanding of topic; some inconsistencies in understanding and knowledge of medical science; work is adequately presented, with some errors or omissions, most criteria addressed and learning outcomes achieved to an adequate level
Fail	49% or less	Work not of acceptable standard: Unsatisfactory achievement and engagement with the medical science discipline; inadequate understanding or fundamental misunderstanding of topics; most criteria and learning outcomes not clearly or adequately addressed or achieved; lack of effort/involvement in the unit

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

All assignments must be submitted by the due date and quizzes and exams attended when they are scheduled. Students are expected to manage their time and to prioritise tasks to meet deadlines. Assessment items submitted after the due date without an approved extension using a special consideration or special arrangement request will incur penalties. Simple extensions are only available for submitted written work where assessment type is indicated as "Assignment". Failure to meet assessment deadlines will incur mark deductions of 5% of the maximum awardable mark available for every day past the due date (for electronic submissions, days late includes Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays). These deductions will continue for 10 calendar days, until the solutions for the assignment are released, or marked assignments are returned to other students. At that point the mark awarded will be zero. For example, on an assignment given a mark of 70/100, the penalty would be 5 marks if submitted up to 24 hours late, resulting in a final mark of 65/100. If the assignment is submitted 6 days late, the penalty would be 30 marks and the final mark would be 40/100. If the assignment is more than 10 days late, submitted after the solutions for the assignment are released, or marked assignments are returned to other students, the final mark will be 0/100.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	1. Introduction to MEDS2002 and PCOL2021	Lecture (1 hr)
	2. Introduction to Pharmacology	Lecture (1 hr)
	X- Lab Orientation	Practical (2 hr)
Week 02	3. Introduction to pharmacodynamics, definitions and nomenclature	Lecture (1 hr)
	4. Autonomic pharmacology	Lecture (1 hr)
	Workshop 1: Experimental Design and Statistical Analysis	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 03	5. Receptor theory and targets of drug action	Lecture (1 hr)
	6. Responses to agonists	Lecture (1 hr)
	Concentration-response curves	Practical (4 hr)
Week 04	7. Responses to antagonists	Lecture (1 hr)
	8. Research-led seminar: TBA	Lecture (1 hr)
	Workshop 2: Integrated Assessment Workshop 1	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 05	9. Introduction to molecular pharmacology and drug discovery	Lecture (1 hr)
	10. The shape and properties of drugs	Lecture (1 hr)
	Concentration-response curves data workshop	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 06	11. How drugs interact with their targets 1	Lecture (1 hr)
	12. How drugs interact with their targets 2	Lecture (1 hr)
	Cholinesterases and inhibitors	Practical (4 hr)
Week 07	13. Allosteric modulation of drug targets	Lecture (1 hr)
	14. Research-led seminar: Discovery and development of new drugs to treat pain	Lecture (1 hr)
	Cholinesterases and inhibitors data workshop	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 08	15. Absorption and distribution	Lecture (1 hr)
	16. Metabolism and pharmacogenomics	Lecture (1 hr)
	Molecular modelling of cholinergic compounds	Practical (4 hr)
Week 09	17. Excretion	Lecture (1 hr)
	18. Pharmacokinetics	Lecture (1 hr)
	Pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenomics	Practical (4 hr)
Week 10	19. The importance of log P in drugability	Lecture (1 hr)
	20. Research-led seminar: From molecule to precision medicine: Understanding variability in response	Lecture (1 hr)
	Workshop 3: Integrated Assessment Workshop 2	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 11	21. Introduction to drug development and regulation	Lecture (1 hr)
	22. Preclinical pharmacology	Lecture (1 hr)
	Workshop 4: Personal Reflection and Exam Preparation	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 12	23. Toxicology	Lecture (1 hr)
	24. Clinical trials	Lecture (1 hr)
	Integrated assessment oral presentation	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 13	25. The who, the how, and the why of product regulation	Lecture (1 hr)
	26. Research-led seminar: Drug development case studies - the good, the bad and the ugly	Lecture (1 hr)
	Drug development	Practical (4 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

The University of Sydney Coursework Policy 2014 states:

55 (2) A student enrolled in a unit of study must comply with the requirements set out in the faculty resolutions, award course resolutions or unit of study outline about undertaking the unit of study, including on matters such as: (a) attendance at and participation in lectures, seminars and tutorials; and (b) participation in practical work.

The Faculty of Science resolutions states:

9(1). Students are expected to attend a minimum of 80% of timetabled activities for a unit of study, unless granted exemption by the Associate Dean.

Thus, attendance at a minimum of 80% of all timetabled classes is compulsory for successful completion of the course. Attendance will be recorded. If you do not show sufficient cause for absence from any part of the course you may not be allowed to sit the final examination. Absences from scheduled practical, workshop or tutorial sessions must be supported by appropriate documentation (also see Guidelines for Special Consideration/Arrangements for important information relating to absence from scheduled classes in the Policy and Additional Information document in Canvas). It may be possible to attend a different practical or workshop session by special arrangement with the UoS coordinator.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Prescribed readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library’s reading list system Leganto, available on Canvas.

Recommended Textbook

J.M. Ritter, R.J. Flower, G. Henderson, Y.K. Loke, D.J. MacEwan and H.P. Rang: Rang and Dale’s Pharmacology, 9th ed (Churchill Livingstone, 2020)

S. Bullock and E. Manias: Fundamentals of Pharmacology, 9th ed (Pearson, 2022)

Study Aid

M.J. Neal: Medical Pharmacology at a Glance 7th ed (Blackwell Scientific Publications, 2012)

For general reading see Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, Trends in Neuroscience, Australian Prescriber, Current Therapeutics

Web Resources

Links to appropriate web resources can be found under the Resources tab on Canvas.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. describe important drug targets and drug actions at the cellular and molecular levels
LO2. explain the relationship between concentration and effect and derive important drug parameters from concentration-effect curves
LO3. discuss how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolised and excreted and the factors affecting their deposition in the body
LO4. explain the relationship between molecular structure and drug activity
LO5. outline the processes involved in drug discovery, development and regulation
LO6. integrate pharmacology knowledge with knowledge in other disciplinary areas of the biomedical sciences
LO7. describe experimental methods used in pharmacological enquiry and conduct laboratory experiments using a variety of instruments and assays
LO8. describe the essential components of an experimental design and analyse (using statistics), interpret and critique data arising from laboratory experiments
LO9. use digital and other sources of information and technologies to research and identify information and critically evaluate the credibility of information sources and information for reliability and relevance
LO10. communicate effectively through oral, written and visual means
LO11. work collaboratively and effectively with peers in group- and team-based learning activities and assessments
LO12. demonstrate the capacity for self reflection as well as reflection on the relevance of pharmacology to society.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Close the loop feedback on your Unit of Study Survey feedback will be provided following the release of marks.

Additional information

Be sure to read the policy and additional information on your unit Canvas site.

Science student portal

Work, health and safety

We are governed by the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and Codes of Practice. Penalties for non-compliance have increased. Everyone has a responsibility for health and safety at work. The University’s Work Health and Safety policy explains the responsibilities and expectations of workers and others, and the procedures for managing WHS risks associated with University activities.

General Laboratory Safety Rules

No eating or drinking is allowed in any laboratory under any circumstances
A laboratory coat and closed-toe shoes are mandatory
Follow safety instructions in your manual and posted in laboratories
In case of fire, follow instructions posted outside the laboratory door
First aid kits, eye wash and fire extinguishers are located in or immediately outside each laboratory
As a precautionary measure, it is recommended that you have a current tetanus immunisation. This can be obtained from University Health Service: unihealth.usyd.edu.au/

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

MEDS2002: Foundations of Pharmacology

Semester 1, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect