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Departmental Courses

PCOL:2220 - Drug Use and Abuse
Spring semesters - 3 s.h.

An introductory course for undergraduate students that covers the basic principles of drug action and drug toxicity.  Agents discussed include antibiotics, oral contraceptives, sedatives, stimulants, hallucinogens, narcotics, steroids and various over-the-counter products.  This general education course is designed for non-science majors.

PCOL:3101 - Pharmacology I: A Drug's Fantastic Journey
Fall semesters - 3 s.h.

Introduction to basic pharmacological principles by following a drug's journey from its site of administration to its site of elimination; common mechanisms by which drugs affect the body and mechanisms underlying drug actions on two primary body systems—nervous and cardiovascular; structured learning environment bolstered by highly interactive application sessions where students apply course material via collaborative work on problem sets/activities; for students interested in medicine, pharmacy, research, and industry.

PCOL:3102 - Pharmacology II: Mechanisms of Drug Action
Spring semesters - 3 s.h.

Expansion of basic pharmacological concepts and further exploration of how they are applied to define a drug's actions on the body; students continue their exploration of the body by discussing various disorders including neuropsychiatric and immune disorders, cancer, diabetes, and microbial infections in conjunction with current treatments; structured learning environment bolstered by highly interactive discussion sessions where students learn to apply course material via collaborative work on problem sets/activities; for students interested in medicine, pharmacy, research, and industry.

PCOL:4130 - Drug Mechanisms and Actions
Spring semesters - 3 s.h. 

An intermediate level course that covers the basic principles of pharmacology and the mechanisms of action for a variety of drugs.  This course is open to undergraduate students with a solid background in biochemistry and human physiology. 

PCOL:4199 - Undergraduate Research in Pharmacology
Fall and Spring semesters

This course allows undergraduate students interested in laboratory experience the opportunity to actively participate in research under the supervision of one of the Department’s faculty. Through this course, students will not only gain valuable research experience but also course credit.

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PCOL:5130 - Fundamentals of Pharmacology
Spring semesters - 3 s.h. 

Basic pharmacological principles underlying drug absorption, distribution, and metabolism; how these processes determine drug dosing; drug receptor interactions and their quantitation; impact of genetic variation on the actions and metabolism of drugs; mechanisms of neurotransmission focusing on synthesis, release, actions, and degradation; central nervous system (CNS) pathways for major neurotransmitters; disease states involving various abnormal neurotransmitter function.

PCOL:5135 - Principles of Pharmacology
Spring semesters - 1 s.h. 

An advanced course for graduate students covering the basic pharmacological principles underlying drug absorption, drug distribution throughout the body, drug-receptor interactions, drug metabolism, and drug elimination and how these processes determine drug dosing.  Mathematical approaches to drug receptor interactions and multi-compartment distribution models are also discussed.

PCOL:5136 - Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics
Spring semesters - 1 s.h. 

An advanced course for graduate students covering the impact of genetic variation on the actions and metabolism of drugs. Genomic approaches to studying drug action and database search techniques to identify variants are also discussed.

PCOL:5137 - Neurotransmitters
Spring semesters - 1 s.h. 

An advanced course for graduate students covering the mechanisms of neurotransmission.  The course focuses on mechanisms of synthesis, release, action, and degradation of important neurotransmitters, their major CNS pathways and disease states involving each neurotransmitter system.   

PCOL:5204 - Basic Biostatistics and Experimental Design
Fall semesters - 1 s.h.

This module course is designed to provide a brief overview of the theory of experimental design and data analysis in the biological sciences for graduate-level students.

PCOL:6015 - Topics in Pharmacology and Neuroscience
Fall and Spring semesters - 1 s.h. 

Discussion of recent advances in pharmacology, neuropharmacology, developmental neurobiology, neuroendocrinology, and related areas.

PCOL:6080 - Pharmacology Seminar
Fall and Spring semesters - 1 s.h.

Seminar presentations by graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, faculty and other scientists from outside of the department.

PCOL:6090 - Pharmacology Research
Fall and Spring semesters

Research for pharmacology graduate students conducted in the laboratories of department faculty. 

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PCOL:6099 - Special Topics in Pharmacology
Fall and Spring semesters 

Independent study in pharmacology. 

PCOL:6203 - Pharmacology for Health Sciences: Graduate Students
Fall semesters - 5 s.h. 

An advanced course for graduate students that covers the basic principles of pharmacology, mechanisms of drug action, and how these provide the basis for therapeutic applications of drugs  This course also includes writing and oral defense of a research proposal.

PCOL:6204 - Pharmacology for Health Sciences: Nurse Anesthetists
Fall semesters - 5 s.h. 

An advanced course for nurse anesthetist students that covers the basic principles of pharmacology, mechanisms of drug action, and how these provide the basis for therapeutic applications of drugs.

PCOL:6207 - Ion Channel Pharmacology
Spring semesters - 1 s.h. 

An advanced course for graduate students covering semi-quantitative approaches to ion channel physiology and pharmacology.  Discussions include physical principles, classification, and structure / function relationships for major voltage-gated ion channels that facilitate the application of abstract concepts to physiological, pharmacological and general biological problems.

PCOL:6208 - G Proteins & G Protein-coupled Receptors
Spring semesters - 1 s.h. 

An advanced course for graduate students covering the structure and function of small molecular weight G proteins, heteromeric G proteins and the G protein-coupled receptors.

PCOL:6209 - Steroid Receptor Signaling
Spring semesters - 1 s.h. 

An advanced course for graduate students covering structure-function relationships as well as the genomic and non-genomic actions of the steroid hormone receptor family. The basis for actions of novel new ligands on these receptors is also discussed.

PCOL:6210 - Receptors and Cell Signaling
Spring semesters - 3 s.h. 

Mechanisms of signaling by growth factors, cytokines and related molecules; principles of ion channel physiology and pharmacology; structure-function relationships of small molecular weight and heteromeric G proteins; G protein-coupled receptors; genomic and nongenomic actions of intracellular receptors; basis for actions of novel new ligands on intracellular receptors.

PCOL:6250 - Advanced Problem Solving in Pharmacological Sciences
Fall and Spring semesters - 1 s.h. 

Discussions of methodologies, strategies and approaches commonly used to solve research problems in the pharmacological sciences.  Based upon discussions, students employ interpersonal problem solving skills to develop experimental plans of study for solving contemporary scientific problems in the pharmacological sciences.