Pharmacology BSc (Hons)

About the course

The massive research expenditure of Britain's pharmaceutical companies, and the fierce competition in the field, ensures a continual demand for well trained pharmacology graduates. This degree will give you a thorough understanding of pharmacology, and an advanced knowledge of the design, mechanism of action, breakdown, and potential toxic effects of drugs used in the treatment of disease, and the design of new drugs.

One of the main advantages of all our Biosciences degree programmes is that you will be given a sound foundation in all the major aspects of biological theory, techniques and practice. You will study life at all levels, from molecules and organelles to organisms and ecosystems. You will gain the technical, analytical and practical skills needed to investigate pharmacology at all levels using the excellent research facilities for chemical and biomedical analysis and pharmacological measurement.

13% of all of the graduates nationally, who became professional biologists at the last annual count were from Hertfordshire University (Virgin Student Guide, 2006).

Why choose this course?

• Pharmacology is the study of the action of drugs or other chemicals on living systems.
• Pharmacology studies the mechanism of action of drugs and the effects of drugs at the whole body level (therapeutic pharmacology), at the tissue level (systematic pharmacology) and at the level of DNA (molecular pharmacology).
• Pharmacology encompasses therapeutic pharmacology (the use of medicines in disease), chemotherapy (the use of drugs to kill foreign cells), pharmacovigilance (the monitoring of adverse reactions to drugs), drug discovery and development (techniques used in industry and academic research)
• The demand for new drugs continues and the University of Hertfordshire has strong links with the pharmaceutical industry which is located in this region.

 

Study routes

• Sandwich, 4 Years
• Part Time, 5 Years
• Full Time, 3 Years

Locations

• University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield

Careers

Our Biosciences graduates are highly sought after by employers in the industry due to the reputation of our teaching, the vocational element to our degrees and the fact that many of our students already have a year's work experience when they graduate which they gain in the sandwich year. Graduates can find employment in the pharmaceutical, food and drink, agrochemical and biotechnology industries as well as in industrial, academic and charity funded research. Some graduates also go on to work in health care and environment agencies. First salaries range from £12,000 to £22,000 pa.

Typical job titles of recent graduates:

• Trainee Biomedical Scientist,,
• Clinical Trials Associate,
• Drug Safety Coordinator,
• Medical Representative,
• Lab Scientist,
• Microbiologist,
• Research Assistant,
• Tissue Culture Technologist,
• Donor Transplant Assistant.

Typical employers of recent graduates:

• Pfizer,
• Denfleet Pharma Ltd,
• Health Protection Agency,
• GlaxoSmithKline,
• AstraZeneca,
• NHS Trusts
• Lark Technology.

Teaching methods

Most second and third year modules are assessed by coursework and examination. The type of coursework is varied, depending on the module and includes essays, reports, practical write-ups, posters and seminar presentations.

On a weekly basis students will normally spend time in lectures, seminars and practical lab sessions. Practical work is an important element of all Biosciences degrees. 

Work Placement

All Biosciences students have the opportunity to undertake a work placement or study overseas in Europe or North America during their 3rd year.

Work placements are usually paid. Current employers and job titles are listed below:

• GlaxoSmithKline: Data Management - Uxbridge,
• Guy's Hospital: Drug Research Unit - London,
• Imperial College: Toxicology Unit, Faculty of Medicine - London,
• Medical Research Council - Mill Hill,
• Medifix Adhesive Products - Luton,
• Mount Vernon hospital: Restoration of Appearance and Function Trust Institute of Reconstructive, Plastic and Burns Surgery Research - Middlesex ,
• MRC: Human Genome Project - Hinxton,
• National Biological Standards Board - Potter's Bar,
• Roche UK - Welwyn Garden City,
• St. Bartholomew's & The Royal London: School of Medicine - London and St.George Medical School - London,
• St.George's Hospital: Analytical Unit - London,
• Syngenta Seeds - Cambridge,
• University of Hertfordshire: Biodeterioration Centre - Hatfield.

Our overseas partners include:

Europe:

• Université Libre de Bruxelles - Brussels, Belgium,
• Universidad de Alcalá de Henarez - Madrid, Spain,
• Universidad Católica San Antonio De Murcia, Spain,
• Link&##333;ping Universitetet - Link&##333;ping, Sweden,
• Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen - Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

North America:

• Bemidji State University - USA,
• Bishops University, Canada,
• Central Connecticut State University - USA,
• Concordia University, Canada,
• Ecole Polytechnique - Canada,
• ETS - Canada,
• Kansas State University - USA,
• Laval University - Canada,
• McGill University - Canada,
• Oklahoma State University - USA,
• Sherbrooke University - Canada,
• University of Missouri at Rolla - USA,
• University of Montreal - Canada,
• University of Oklahoma - USA,
• University of Toledo - USA,
• University of Wisconsin at Au Claire - USA,
• University of Wisconsin at Whitewater - USA,
• UQTR - Canada,
• West Virginia University - USA.

Professional Accreditations

Eligible for graduate membership of the Institute of Biology.

Structure

Year 1

Core Modules

• Introduction to Biochemistry

  The module will provide an introduction to biochemistry and will also incorporate aspects of chemistry specific to the study of biological systems. Subjects covered will include: the structure of key macromolecules and how this relates to their function in a cell or organism; major catabolic and anabolic pathways and their integration including glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, the TCA cycle, substrate and oxidative phosphorylation, oxidation of fatty acids, storage and mobilisation of glycogen, triglyceride storage and mobilisation, proteins for energy; kinetics including Michaelis-Menton kinetics of enzymes and the calculation of key enzyme parameters; radioactivity and its application to the study of biochemistry, thermodynamics and its application to bioenergetics.

• Human Physiology with Pharmacology

  This module has been designed to provide students with an understanding of human physiology, enabling them to describe physiological processes at cell, tissue, organ and organism levels. Topics covered will include: * Homeostasis and control mechanisms * Cell differentiation, basic tissues and musculature * Nervous system (electrical signalling, autonomic nervous system and central nervous system) * Cardiovascular system and blood * Respiratory system * Digestive system * Renal system * Endocrine system and reproduction * Immune system * Integrative physiology * Basic pharmacology including receptor theory and pharmacokinetics to show how medicines may be effectively used to treat disease. *Drug discovery, design and the process of drug development. The importance of clinical trials

• Chemistry for Biologists

  The philosophy of this module is to prepare students for their future studies in the biological sciences. The module introduces the chemical and physical principles that underlie biological processes. Students on this module will learn techniques for characterisation and separation of biological molecules, perform physicochemical calculations appropriate to biological systems and understand how the structure and reactivity of functional groups relates to their biological function. Students will gain experience of computer software packages to draw and understand the structures and shapes of molecules of relevance in biology.

• Cell and Microbiology

  The module will cover key areas of cell biology and microbiology: the nature of cells and how they divide; how the genetic information in cells is converted into functioning components; and then there will be a focus on one particular group of cells, the microbes, to investigate their importance in human health. Key topics covered will include the following 1. The structure of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells with an emphasis on the evolutionary origins of the cell components. Cell division. 2. The nature of the genetic material and its organisation in the cell. DNA replication, transcription and translation. 3. a. The structure and components of bacteria, fungi and viruses with relation to their identification and disease causing ability. b. The basic principles of microbial growth. c. Microbes as infectious agents; transmission and control to include basic principles of public health and epidemiology.

• Practical and Transferable Skills

  The content of this module • Practical laboratory skills- o Safe laboratory practice o Accurate pipetting and measurement, making up solutions. o Measurement of pH o Sample preparation, staining and microscopy o DNA isolation and analysis o Cell counting methodologies o Chemistry methodologies to include purification, extraction, synthesis and analysis of biological molecules o Analytical techniques including centrifugation, chromatography, spectroscopy and electrophoresis o Use of dye-binding assays and standard curves in biological measurement o Microbiology skills including aseptic technique, viable counting, diagnostic methods o Enzyme activity assays and enzyme kinetic s methodology o Measurement of physiological parameters • Transferable skills/Graduate attributes o Mathematics required for biological calculations, statistical analysis, scientific recording, presentation of data, scientific writing, use of literature and literature searching, referencing, avoiding plagiarism o Development of graduate attributes around research skills, professionalism, employability and enterprise.

• Molecular Biology and Genetics

  The genetics component covers: Mendelian inheritance including meiosis and the production of primordial germ cells and gametes (oogenesis, spermatogenesis); linkage and basic human genetic epidemiology. The relationship of mutation to genetic variation and disease is included as well as an introduction to gene regulation. Molecular methods used to study DNA and inheritance are covered and the application of these methods to research, diagnosis and treatment of disease is discussed.

Optional

Year 2

Core Modules

• Principles of Immunology

  Anatomy and physiology of the immune system: cells, primary and secondary lymphoid tissues, leukocyte circulation and key phenomena including; chemotaxis, opsonisation, phagocytosis, inflammation, antigen processing and clonal expansion. Natural immunity: role of phagocytic cells, the complement system, cytokines, chemokines and the acute inflammatory response. Hypersensitivity reactions. Adaptive immunity: antigen specificity of B and T cells. Antibody structure and effector functions. T cell subsets; antigen processing and presentation to T cells, the role of the major histocompatibility complex. T-helper cell subpopulations and cytokines in determining the immune response. Immunity to microbial pathogens including bacteria, viruses and selected parasites. Vaccine design strategies. Inflammation: immunology of chronic inflammation; immunopathology of selected chronic inflammatory diseases e.g. rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases . Anti-inflammatory therapies; steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

• Biochemistry

  Metabolic pathways involved in nitrogen metabolism, carbohydrate and lipid assimilation. How they fit together with each other and with the pathways of catabolism, and why they are important. Nitrogen metabolism and nutrition. Vitamins and cofactors. Laboratory classes on kinetics, blood protein analysis and use of radiolabelled compounds. Data interpretation. Regulation of protein activity by covalent modification. Models of allosterism and its role in protein activity regulation. Enzyme inhibition kinetics and methods for the determination of Ki values.

• Molecular and Cell Biology

  Organisation of eukaryotic genomes, chromosone structure, repetitive sequences, reassociation kinetics, transfection techniques, methods for studying gene expression, reporter genes, poII, II and III, transcription, RNA processing. Protein biochemistry - Protein structure, domains & classification. The relationship between structure and function. Protein structure and disease. Proteomics. Protein microarrays. Techniques for protein purification and characterisation; Chromatography, Electrophoresis, sequencing, X-ray crystallography, NMR. Immunological techniques. Recombinant DNA technology and the manipulation of DNA. Introduction to databases and bioinformatics tools and resources for the analysis of biological sequence data. Methods for the analysis of DNA and RNA (including real-time PCR , DNA microarrays, mouse knockout technology, RNAi). Cytogenetics. Principles of population genetics, DNA polymorphism and human diseases. Medical molecular genetics. Pharmacogenetics. Molecular diagnostics. Signal transduction pathways in eukaryotic cells including G-protein coupled pathways, receptor tyrosine kinases, cytokine-activated pathways, cell death pathway and selected examples of these pathways in cellular processes. Cell cycle regulation by proteins in eukaryotic cells.

• Pharmacology & Therapeutics

  This module will describe the analysis of drugs action in the general sense, (to assess potency and efficacy through interaction with known receptors and cellular transduction mechanisms), and the mode of altered physiological function at a tissue and systems level to account for therapeutic effects in specific disease states. The fate of drugs (pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism) will also be considered as it influences the development of new drugs and as an important aspect to the success of therapeutics. Classes of drug treatments will be characterised for specific diseases of the cardiovascular system, endocrine system, central nervous system and chemotherapeutics of cancers and infectious diseases, dermatology and wound healing. The limitations of existing therapies will also be identified and the possible new target for future drug treatment discussed in terms of present understanding the pathology and genetic basis of disease. Alternative therapeutic approaches, such as herbal medicine will also be discussed.

• Pathophysiology

  This module has been designed to provide students with an understanding of human pathophysiology, enabling them to discuss the biology of disease. Topics covered will include: " Biology of disease " Cell injury and cell death " Cardiovascular disease " Renal dysfunction " Neurological disease " Endocrine disorders " Gastro-intestinal disease " Respiratory disease

• Personal Transferable Skills 2 Bioscience

  Students will complete assignments, within their discipline of choice, that include opportunities for development of their personal transferable skills. They will reflect on their development with the assistance of a personal tutor and will produce a portfolio of evidence based on the set assignments and wider experience such as from the work place or other areas of responsibility. Skills assessed are: autonomoy - taking responsibility for themselves (A); group working (GW), oral and written communication (COM), information management (IM), problem solving (PS), numeracy (NUM), self evaluation and reflective practice (SERP).

• Bioscience Research Methods

  Scientific communication to include dissection of scientific papers, plagiarism and referencing, seminar and poster presentation as well as writing Scientific methodology (philosophy) and ethics of science Experimental design Use of radioisotopes in scientific research Non-laboratory based research including questionnaire design Statistical analysis Practical Laboratory skills to support independent project work Problem-based learning on method design and experimental procedure (subject specific)

Optional

Year 3

Core Modules

Optional

• Sandwich Placement: Biosciences

  The sandwich placement will provide students with the opportunity to expand, develop and apply the knowledge, understanding and skills learnt in the taught years of the degree in a work-based situation. The establishment will appoint a work-place supervisor, and the student will also have a University supervisor. During the placement the student will return to the University to a one day Symposium which all placement students attend. During this day they present a poster about their placement and attend talks on future employment. In particular, Applied Biomedical Students will spend 48 weeks on a training placement in an approved diagnostic laboratory performing routine diagnostic tests. In the process they will: gain an understanding of the workings of a professional, clinical laboratory; develop the skills necessary to be an independent and safe practitioner; perform various analyses in order to demonstrate competence in use of specialist laboratory equipment.

• Year Abroad - BIO

  Learning and teaching methods may include taught courses, a research project, field studies or a mixture of these components. The Year Abroad will be for two academic semesters or their equivalent. The students will therefore follow a programme negotiated by the Associate Head of School or nominee and an equivalent representative of the host institution. Prior to commencement of the Year Abroad, the student, the programme officers from the University of Hertfordshire and from the host institution will agree a learning agreement and mode of attendance.

Year 4

Core Modules

• Translation of Science into Medicines

  This module focuses on the manner in which clinical research and basic research impact each other particularly in pharmaceutical development i.e. 'bench to bedside' . An advanced understanding of the basic science areas of pharmacokinetics, drug metabolism, safety testing, and pharmacogenomics will be related to the testing of medicines in human clinical trials and the area of pharmacovigilance. Ethical questions arising from both pre-clinical testing and clinical trials design will be addressed. The influence of regulatory requirements on the pharmaceutical industry will also be highlighted.

• Project - Bioscience Degree

  The Project provides the opportunity for extended, in-depth study on a selected aspect from those desciplines covered by the Sciences Modular Scheme and may address one or more of the Faculty's research objectives. Workshop and seminar sessions (which may be group and/or individual) provide support. All students will have a University supervisor. Projects may be laboratory or non-laboratory based. A series of research methodology workshops will be held on topics related to the formulation, safety, ethics and implementation of research, including social and scientific methods of investigation (eg statistics, questionnaires, sampling protocols), interpretation, analysis and presentation (both oral and written). Tutorials with supervisors will include discussion on aims, objectives current theories, research design, data collection and analysis, and the structure of the report. Draft copies of the report introduction, where provided by the student, will be read and commented on by the supervisor(s) prior to formal submission.

• Therapeutic Pharmacology

  Lectures: CNS: Neurochemistry of the basic CNS neurotransmitter systems; associated pathologies will be discussed at the molecular, cellular and clinical level; current developments in the therapy of these conditions will also be discussed. CVS: Control of cardiovascular function and associated pathologies (principally hypertension, IHD, congestive heart failure) will be dealt with at the molecular, cellular and clinical level; current developments in the therapy of these conditions will be discussed. Autocoids: The role of autocoids (including cytokines) as mediators of pathology will be discussed using selected examples (principally allergic asthma, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis) at the molecular, cellular and clinical level. Modulation of these pathologies by the endocrine system will be dealt with; current developments in the therapy of these conditions will be discussed. Practicals: Practical classes will include a range of laboratory classes and data analyses using computers. One selected practical activity may generate a piece of assessed coursework.

Optional

• Neurophysiology

  Neurophysiology is concerned with how a powerful armory of experimental methods can reveal brain mechanisms involved in visual perception, movement, motivation and emotion, learning and memory, feeding, sleep and wakefulness. Neuroanatomy; major neurotransmitter pathways in the brain. Sensory coding. Processing of sensory input as exemplified by the visual system. Neural control of movement and posture by cerebral cortex, basal ganglia and cerebellum. States of conciousness, sleep and wakefulness, motivation and affect. Neurophysiological substrates of feeding. Control of autonomic and endocrine function. Plasticity; learning and memory as exemplified in the hippocampus; neural network models.

• Drug Discovery Design Formulation and Development

  The module will investigate the approaches available for the discovery of new lead compounds, both by screening of natural and synthetic compounds, and by the rational design of molecules. Target identification will be discussed in relation to our understanding of the molecular basis of disease and will also discuss the role of genomes and comparative genomics in target identification. Screening will focus on high throughput methods and the role of combinatorial and phage display libraries to detect candidate molecules. Rational drug design will focus on molecular modelling, vaccine design, gene therapy, rational approaches to disease treatment and the design of oligonucleotides and peptidomimetics. Consideration will be given to the process of drug development. The factors to be considered are: Crystallinity and polymorphism; particle size; dosage forms and delivery systems; routes of administration; cellular and intracellular targetting of drugs; issues in the manufacture and storage of medicines.

Fees & funding

Fees 2013

UK/EU Students

Full time: £8,500 for the 2013 academic year

International Students

Full time: £10,000 for the 2013 academic year

Discounts are available for International students if payment is made in full at registration

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Scholarships

• National Scholarship Programme

Find out more about scholarships for UK/EU and international students

Other financial support

Find out more about other financial support available to UK and EU students

Living costs / accommodation

The University of Hertfordshire offers a great choice of student accommodation, on campus or nearby in the local area, to suit every student budget.

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How to apply