Introduction to Medical Pharmacology
Introduction to Medical Pharmacology, GMS PM 730
Prereq: Premedical curriculum.
Walsh, staff. 4 cr, 1st sem.
Objectives, Assignments, and Grading
Course Objectives: This course is designed to introduce medical pharmacology to students who are pursuing degrees in the Medical Sciences. Topics will include the basic principles of pharmacology and several major classes of therapeutic agents, with attention to their mechanisms of action. Issues of current and future concern in medical pharmacology will be addressed including the sources of information about pharmacologic agents, the ethics of human experimentation, the drug development process and its costs, problems of drug abuse, and new biotechnological approaches to drug design.
Reading Assignments: The text for this course is Levine’s Pharmacology: Drug Actions and Reactions, 7th ed., Carol T. Walsh and Rochelle Schwartz-Bloom, Taylor & Francis, 2005. The book is available through e-Book resources in the library. The reading assignments for each class are indicated on the lecture schedule. Other reading assignments may be distributed in class or on the CourseInfo site.
Course Grade: The course grade will be determined from the grades for the writing assignment (20%) and the two examinations (40% each). The numerical paper grade times 0.2 plus each exam scaled score times 0.4 will be summed. This final score will be converted to a letter grade as follows: 94 and above, A; 90-93, A-; 87-89, B+; 84-86, B; 80-83, B-; 77-79, C+; 74-76, C; 70-73, C-; 60-69, D; less than 60, F.
Course Manager: Carol T. Walsh, Ph.D. – R-610, 638-4326, ctwalsh@bu.edu
Lecture Schedule
Semester 1, 2011-2012
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:30-4:20 PM
Lectures in L-112
DATE – TOPIC – LECTURER
Sep 6 – Introduction and
Development of Pharmacology – Carol Walsh
Sep 8 – Drug Transport and Absorption – Carol Walsh
Sep 10 – Mechanisms of Drug Actions – Terrell Gibbs
Sep 15 – Drug Distribution and Elimination – Carol Walsh
Sep 20 – Time-Concentration Relationships – Carol Walsh
Sep 22 – Biopharmaceutics, Drug Delivery Systems, and Generic vs. Proprietary
Drugs (video) – Carol Walsh
Sep 27 – Principles of Pharmacodynamics – Terrell Gibbs
Sep 29 – Sources of Information about Drugs – Carol Walsh, David Flynn
Oct 4 – Population Pharmacology 1: Phenotype, Genotype and the Placebo Response, PK Pretest Discussion – Carol Walsh
Oct 6 – Population Pharmacology 2: Adherence, Interactions, the Allergic Response, and Mechanisms of Tolerance – Carol Walsh
Oct 8 – Pharmacology of the Autonomic Nervous System – Terrell Gibbs
Oct 13 – Pharmacology of Hypertension – Carol Walsh
Oct 18 – The Drug Development Process – Barry Berkowitz
Oct 20 – Economic Aspects of Drug Development and Drug Use – Joseph DiMasi and Paul Jeffrey
Oct 25 – Mid-Term Examination
Oct 27 – Principles of Toxicology – Carol Walsh
Nov 1 – Incidence and Treatment of Poisonings – Sophie Dyer and Carol Walsh
Nov 3 – Pharmacology of Pain and Inflammation – Carol Walsh
Nov 8 – Pharmacology of Substance Abuse and of CNS Stimulants: Caffeine, Nicotine, and Cocaine – Conan Kornetsky, Valentina Sabino
Nov 10 – Ethical Issues in the Clinical Study of Drugs – Leonard Glantz
Nov 15 – Principles of Chemotherapy – Carol Walsh
Nov 17 – Pharmacologic Approaches for Diabetes and Obesity – Alan Herbert
Nov 22 – Pharmacology of Parkinson’s Disease – Benjamin Wolozin
Nov 24 – NO CLASS – Thanksgiving Break
Nov 29 – Development and Pharmacology of Antianxiety and Antiepileptic Agents – Shelley Russek
Dec 1 – Advances in Drug Development: Neurosteroids and Treatment of Stroke (Paper due at 2:30 pm) – David Farb
Dec 6 – Advances in Drug Development: Biopharmaceuticals – Jas Seehra
Dec 8 – NO CLASS
Dec 20 – Final Examination
Lecturers
BERKOWITZ, Barry, Ph.D., University of California, San Francisco. Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology. Formerly President and CEO, Scion Pharmaceuticals. Research interest: Drug development. 508-877-4522, 508-982-0509, strongpharma@gmail.com
DIMASI, Joseph, Ph.D., Center for the Study of Drug Development, Tufts University, 192 South St. Suite 550, Boston, 02111. Research interest: Economic aspects of drug development. 636-2116 or 636-2170, joseph.dimasi@tufts.edu
DYER, Sophia, M.D., Boston University School of Medicine, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Dowling G06, 617-343-1125, dyer@bostonems.org
FARB, David H., Ph.D., Brandeis University. Professor and Chairman of Pharmacology. Research interest: Neurosteroids and their effects on CNS receptors. L-603, Ext. 8-4300, dfarb@bu.edu
FLYNN, David. Head of Library and Information Management Education, BUSM Alumni Library, 8-4271, dflynn@bu.edu
GIBBS, Terrell, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School. Associate Professor of Pharmacology. Research interest: Modulation of GABA receptors. L-606, Ext. 8-5325, tgibbs@bu.edu
GLANTZ, Leonard, J.D., Boston University. Professor of Public Health. Research interest: Medical ethics and health law. A4, Ext. 8-4640, lglantz@bu.edu
HERBERT, Alan, MB.ChB., Ph.D. Research interest: Effect of genomic variants on risk of disease and drug response. Associate Professor of Pharmacology. R-610, aherbert@bu.edu
JEFFREY, Paul L., Pharm.D., Duquesne University. Former Director of the Pharmacy, Boston Medical Center. Pharmacy Consultant, Massachusetts Division of Medical Assistance, Office of Clinical Affairs, 600 Washington Street, Room 5333, Boston 02111, 617-210-5319, paul.jeffrey@state.ma.us. Assistant, Nancy McDonald, nancy.mcdonald@state.ma.us, 617-210-5695
KORNETSKY, Conan, Ph.D., University of Kentucky. Professor of Psychiatry (Psychology) and Pharmacology. Research interest: Effects of drugs on behavior, substances of abuse, and antipsychotic drugs. R-620, Ext. 8-4320, ckornets@bu.edu
RUSSEK, Shelley, Ph.D., Boston University. Professor of Pharmacology. Research interest: Regulation of genes for CNS receptors. L-606, Ext. 8-4319, srussek@bu.edu
SABINO, Valentina, Ph.D., Boston University, Assistant Professor of Pharmacology. Research interest: Neurobiology of addiction and stress-related disorders. R-612, Ext. 8-4327, vsabino@bu.edu
SEEHRA, Jas, Ph.D., Formerly Chief Scientific Officer, Acceleron Pharma, 149 Sidney Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, 617-649-9202, seehraj@verizon.net
WALSH, Carol T., Ph.D., Boston University. Professor of Pharmacology. Research interest: Pharmacokinetics, gastrointestinal pharmacology, metal toxicology. R-610, Ext. 8-4326, ctwalsh@bu.edu
WOLOZIN, Benjamin, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Pharmacology. Research interest: Pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. R-614, bwolozin@bu.edu
STAFF
BIGDELI, Kristina F., M.A., Boston University, Academic Coordinator, Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics. L-603, Ext. 8-4301, pharm2@bu.edu
