Aims and Fit of Module

Enable students to develop their understanding of the cardiovascular, endocrine and central nervous systems and the mechanisms by which drugs interact with physiological processes operating within each of these systems;
Provide an insight into the mechanisms of immune function and dysfunction, and the actions of drugs that target the immune system;
Give students a grounding in the principles of signal transduction from metabotropic receptors, and their significance for drug action;
 Overview of the overall drug development process, with a focus on the safety and efficacy tests applied during clinical trials, and the value-for-money tests applied during NICE approval;
Develop knowledge and understanding in pharmacology, and ability to apply, evaluate and interpret this knowledge to solve problems.

Learning outcomes

A	Identify the effects of drugs on the CNS and demonstrate an understanding of how drugs may be used to treat neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders
B	Describe the action of drugs in the cardiovascular system and their role in the treatment of cardiovascular disease
C	Compare the effects of drugs on the kidney, the endocrine system and the gastrointestinal tract
D	Describe the principles underlying the effects of drugs on the immune system and the treatment of autoimmune disease
E	Apply knowledge how the signal transduction pathways can be modulated to enhance cancer therapy
F	Apply the knowledge of the regulatory framework underlying the testing and approval of drugs

Method of teaching and learning

Course content will be delivered primarily via standard lectures, supported by materials on LMO and other web-based resources. Handouts will be made available to students in classrooms and on LMO. Animations and/or videos will be shown for some of the topics. Review sessions will be arranged towards end of the semester and the students will have opportunities to self-assess their understanding of the course. Timely, relevant and specific, constructive and actionable feedback will be provided to students in-class, on-paper and/or in-person on for each assignment.