This module aims to: 1. Provide students with a grounding in the concepts and principles that underlie human systems biology; 2. Familiarize the students with concepts of interactions of drugs and other exogenous chemicals on biological processes; 3. Develop knowledge and understanding of physiology and pharmacology, and ability to apply, evaluate and interpret this knowledge to solve problems in these disciplines.
A Describe homeostasis and its maintenance B Describe the organ systems and the relationship with drugs and diseases C Outline the fundamentals of membrane potentials and how they are influenced D Define the way in which pharmacology is studied and drugs are developed E Describe the properties of receptors and their relation to drug development F Identify the chemical interactions between drugs and receptors G Define and use the terms absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion of drugs
Course content will be delivered primarily via standard lectures, supported by materials on learning mall online (LMO) and other web-based resources. The module will be delivered through standard lectures, which will be accompanied by relevant lecture handouts. Students will also be guided to sections of specific textbooks, and if reading of specific reviews or literature sources is required, then copies of these will be made available in the library for use by the students. At intervals during the module, tutorials will be held for the students to deeply understand the principle of this module. 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. Students will attend a 2-hour lecture and a 1-hour tutorial per week. Students will also be given guidance and opportunities to practice the various skills mentioned in the specifications. Self-study activities will be extensions or consolidations of work carried out in the lecture and tutorial. Assessment components of this module will include: 1) questions or tests in lectures or tutorials; 2) coursework to review the topics; 3) group discussion or report that summarizes the topics; and 4) presentation of a critique of the teaching topics. The feedback will help improve the teaching quality and ensure the quality of summative assessment.