Pharmacology (PHA) Courses

PHARMACOLOGY (PHA)

1998-1999 Bulletin Information

PHA 540 Medical Pharmacology 7 cr
This course is designed to provide the student with a basic understanding of the actions of
drugs and their clinical uses. Basic principles, including dose-response relationships and receptor
theory, are emphasized. Current concepts of drug effects, mechanisms, and sites of action are
explored in detail with respect to major classes of drugs. Important considerations are also given
to drug interactions and the toxicology of therapeutic agents, chemicals in the environment, and
other biologically active substances.
PHA 640 Molecular/Cellular Pharmacology 4 cr
This course consists of presentations and literature discussions. The central themes of
signal transduction from cellular receptor to amplified response, structure-activity relationships,
and drug design are studied comprehensively. Specific topics include receptor-ligand
interactions, receptor structure and coupling mechanisms, the bio-chemical and molecular
aspects of G-proteins, protein phosphorylation mechanisms, molecular modeling and protein
crystallography. Prerequisite: Biochemistry.
PHA 643 Molecular & Cellular Toxicology 3 cr
This course is concerned with the mechanisms by which toxic substances exert their
effects at the molecular and cellular level. Detailed analysis of the processes by which toxic
materials are metabolized to toxic intermediates is addressed. The mode of action of how toxic
compounds interact with structural proteins and other macromolecules, enzymes and receptors,
and the genome is included. Examples of toxicity of the heart, liver, lung, pancreas, and brain,
including teratogenic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic effects are discussed at the mechanistic level.
Prerequisite: Biochemistry.

College of Medicine