Pharmacology Courses

Pharmacology Graduate Program Course Requirements

NOTE: A minimum grade of 2.7 is required for each course that is counted toward a graduate degree.

1. Enrollment in Pharmacology 510 (Drug Discovery and Emerging Therapeutics), 511 (Autonomic/Cardiovascular Pharmacology), 512 (Neuropharmacology), and 513 (Endocrine Pharmacology & Chemotherapeutics).

2. Enrollment in Pharmacology 507 (Pharmacology Seminar) throughout graduate school. Pharmacology graduate students enroll in Pharmacology 507 each quarter until graduation and are expected to attend the department seminars and pharmacology student thesis defenses. The cohesiveness of the training program and breadth of your graduate education requires that you attend. Students enrolled in Pharmacology 507 will be expected to attend >70% to receive a passing grade in this course.

3. Enrollment in Pharmacology 514 Current Topics in Pharmacology (Journal Club) in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd years.

4. Enrollment in Pharmacology 519 (lab rotations) during Autumn, Winter and Spring quarters of the first year. Students entering into the program with a M.S. degree or equivalent may petition to enroll in less than three quarters of Pharmacology 519 before selecting a lab.

5. Four 2-3 credit Advanced Courses in Pharmacology

6. Nine graded elective course credits outside of pharmacology (non-seminar) in physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, immunology, cell biology or other areas relevant to the student's thesis proposal. These courses must be at the approved 500 level.

 

Advanced Courses in Pharmacology 

Odd Years

Autumn PHCOL 529 Ion Channel Pharmacology (2) Catterall

Winter PHCOL 537 Molecular Neurobiology of the Cell Membrane (2) Nathanson

Spring PHCOL 531 Genetic Analysis of Signaling Systems (3) McKnight/Gardner/Scott

Even Years

Autumn PHCOL 534 Molecular Basis of Drug Addiction (2) Chavkin/Stella/Phillips/Neumaier

Winter PHCOL 530 Neuronal Signaling Pathways (2) Storm/Xia/Hague

Spring PHCOL 535 Transcriptional Control in Human Disease (3) Wang/Bomsztyk

 

Elective Courses 

Below are some classes that can be used to fulfill the nine-credits of graded, graduate level course requirement. Please note that when these courses are offered may vary from year to year.

Credits: 1.5 each
CONJ 504 A/B Challenges in Molecular Medicine
CONJ 524 Structural Basis of Signal Transduction
CONJ 531 Signaling Mechanisms of Excitable Cells
CONJ 532 Signal Transduction from Cell Membrane to Nucleus
CONJ 533 The Dynamic Chromosome
CONJ 534 Selected Problems in Nervous System Development
CONJ 537 Mechanism of Transcriptional Regulation
CONJ 539 Modern Approaches to Vaccines
CONJ 541 Molecular Basis of Cellular Processes
CONJ 542 Development
CONJ 544 Protein Structure, Modification and Regulation
CONJ 546 Survey of Technologies for Molecular Biology
CONJ 559 Scientific Ideas at Work

BIOC 530 Introduction to Structural Biology (3 credits)
CONJ 556 Drug Addiction: Mechanisms, Prevention, and Treatment (2 credits)

NEURO 501 Introduction to Neurobiology: Molecular & Cellular Neurobiology (3 credits)
NEURO 502 Introduction to Neurobiology: Sensory & Motor Systems (4 credits)
NEURO 503 Cognitive and Integrative Neurobiology (4 credits)
NEURO 504 Biophysics of Nerve, Muscle and Synapse (3 credits)
NEURO 511 Scientific Reasoning (1.5 credits)

Pharmacology Course Offerings 

PHCOL 401 General Pharmacology I (2-4) Wang
Pharmacy students and other undergraduates. Principles governing drug-receptor interactions and dose effect relationship. Drug toxicity, tolerance, allergy, and drug-induced mutagenesis and carcinogenesis. Pharmacology of drugs affecting endocrine systems. Recommend: background in biology, biochemistry, and introductory physiology. Offered: A.

PHCOL 402 General Pharmacology II (3,4) Storm
General pharmacology of drugs affecting the autonomic and central nervous systems. For pharmacy students and other undergraduates. Prerequisite: 401 or permission of instructor. Offered: W.

PHCOL 507 Pharmacology Seminar (1) Faculty
Presentation of comprehensive reports on recent medical and scientific literature in fields of current importance. Research progress reports and reports on results of completed research. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Offered: AWSp.

PHCOL 510 Drug Discovery and Emerging Therapeutics (2) Zheng
This course focuses on the general principles and current approaches involved in modern drug discovery and development, with an emphasis on basic concepts in drug actions, drug delivery, and drug metabolism. There is a further emphasis on identifying novel techniques in drug discovery and discussing emerging therapeutics that are not based on standard drug design. Selected drugs will be used to examine the pathway from discovery through development for clinical use. Prerequisite: CONJ 532 or permission of instructor. Offered: W.

PHCOL 511 Autonomic/Cardiovascular Pharmacology (2) Nathanson
Consideration of the pharmacology of the cardiovascular and autonomic nervous systems. Emphasis will be on the mechanisms of neurotransmitter, hormone, and drug action at autonomic synapses and the molecular basis for physiology and pathophysiology of the cardiovascular system. The format will be lecture, group discussion, and analysis of recent research. For graduate students only. Prerequisite: Organic chemistry, biochemistry, and introductory anatomy and physiology. Second five weeks of the quarter. Offered: W.

PHCOL 512 Neuropharmacology (2) Bajjalieh
Consideration of the neurobiological basis of drug action on the central nervous system, including mechanism of action and therapeutic use in psychiatric disorders, neurodegeneration, and neuroinflammation; control of neuronal excitability and pain; and drug abuse and addiction. The format will be lecture, group discussion, and analysis of recent research. For graduate students only. Prerequisite: Organic chemistry, biochemistry, and introductory anatomy and physiology. First five weeks of the quarter. Offered: Sp.

PHCOL 513 Endocrine Pharmacology & Chemotherapeutics (2) McKnight
Consideration of the pharmacology of endocrine systems including the hypothalamic/pituitary regulatory peptides, glycoprotein hormones and growth factors, peptide hormones, and steroid hormones. Basic principles of chemotherapy of endocrine and other cancers, as well as viral and microbial diseases. The format will be lecture, group discussion, and analysis of recent research. For graduate students only. Prerequisite: Organic chemistry, biochemistry, and introductory anatomy and physiology. Second five weeks of the quarter. Offered: Sp.

PHCOL 514 Current Topics in Pharmacology (1) Gardner
Current research related to the mechanisms of drug action presented in a seminar format. Presentations include relevant background material as well as detailed experimental results taken from current research articles. Open to medical and graduate students. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Offered: AWSp.

PHCOL 515 General Pharmacology Laboratory (*) Faculty
Selected laboratory experiments in pharmacology for demonstration of basic principles of drug actions. Autonomic nervous system, central nervous system, and cardiovascular drugs are employed in both intact and isolated mammalian systems. For professional and graduate students who wish to do independent research with a particular faculty member. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Offered: AWSpS.

PHCOL 519 Introduction to Laboratory Research in Pharmacology (4) Storm
On a rotation basis, students carry out individual research projects in the laboratories of different faculty members. At the end of each quarter, students make formal presentations of their work. For first year graduate students in pharmacology. Offered: AWSpS.

PHCOL 529 Ion Channel Pharmacology (2) Catterall
Recent work has shown that ion channels are often the targets of mutations which cause disease in humans and mice. Inherited diseases are known which affect voltage-gated sodium, calcium, potassium, and chloride channels, epithelial sodium channels, ATP-gated potassium channels, glycine receptors, and CFTR. We will use the inherited diseases and the naturally occurring mutations in these channel proteins as starting points to consider the structure, function, physiology, genetics, and pharmacology of these ion channels. The class will be in seminar format, with most presentations given by student participants. Prerequisites: Conjoint 501, Molecular Basis for Cell Function, is a prerequisite for this course, and students are requested to review the lectures by Dr. Zagotta in that course before the first class meeting. Offered: odd years; A.

PHCOL 530 Neuronal Signaling Pathways (2) Storm/Xia/Hague/Zweifel
Advanced consideration of signal transduction pathways that regulate functions of the nervous system. Physiological processes considered include memory formation, olfaction, vision, taste, neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity and apoptosis. Uconj 532 or permission of instructor. Offered: even years; W.

PHCOL 531 Genetic Analysis of Signaling Systems (3) McKnight/Gardner/Scott
Current topics involving signal transduction will be discussed with an emphasis on genetic analysis of multicellular systems and creative experimental design. Prerequisites: CONJ 501, 502, 503 or permission of instructor. Offered: odd years; Sp.

CONJ 532 Signal Transduction from the Cell Membrane to the Nucleus (1.5) Scott/Gardner/Ong/Storm
Intracellular signaling pathways leading from cell membrane receptors to nucleus. Pathways activated by seven transmembrane receptors and G-proteins, insulin/PI3 kinase, nitric oxide and WNTs and mechanisms of signal termination. Cytokine/Jak/Stat signaling and role of subcellular localization in signal transduction. Prerequisite: BIOC 442 or equivalent, or permission of instructor. Offered: A.

PHCOL 534 Molecular Basis of Drug Addiction (2) Chavkin/Stella/Phillips/Neumaier
Advanced consideration of the effects of drugs on neurotransmission and higher order neural systems including current topics in receptor pharmacology, hormonal modulation of neuro signaling, effects of disease on neural circuits, regulation of synaptic plasticity, and mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration. Prerequisites: PHCOL 512 or permission of instructor. Offered: even years; A.

PHCOL 535 Transcriptional Control in Human Disease (3) Wang/Bomsztyk
Advanced consideration and discussion of the mechanisms regulating transcription/gene expression and of aberrant transcription factors which disrupt this process found in cancer and other human diseases. Prerequisite: PHCOL 512, or permission of instructor. Offered: even years; Sp.

PHCOL 537 Molecular Neurobiology of the Cell Membrane (2) Nathanson
Advanced consideration of the structure and function of cell membranes, membrane trafficking, exocytosis, endocytosis, membrane proteins, and lipid-mediated signal transduction. Processes important to nervous system functioning will be emphasized. Prerequisites: CONJ 501, 502, 503 or permission of instructor. Offered: odd years; W.

PHCOL 550 An Overview of Faculty Research (1) Wang
Reviews research topics currently being studied in pharmacology. Student reads articles published on each topic. Offered on C/NC Basis only. Prerequisite: first-year student standing in pharmacology. Offered: A.

CONJ 556 Drug Addiction: Mechanisms, Prevention, and Treatment (2) Chavkin
Presents the key advances, insights, methods, and challenges for our understanding of drug addiction from psychological, pharmacological, psychiatric, community prevention, legal, and neurodevelopmental perspectives. Enhances familiarity with the multidisciplinary approaches required to understand addiction as a disease. Offered: A.

PHCOL 600 Independent Study or Research (*) AWSpS Faculty

PHCOL 800 Doctoral Dissertation (*) AWSpS Faculty