UnitLevel 2Undergraduate

BPS2012 Pharmacology 2: Drug action

Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

BPS2012 Pharmacology 2: Drug action is a level 2, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, offered in 2027 in Semester 2 at Malaysia and Parkville. It needs BPS1011, BPS1012, BPS1021, BPS1022, BPS1031, BPS1032, BPS1041 and BPS1042 and unlocks 13 units.

Credit points: 6
Offered in 2027: Semester 2; Malaysia, Parkville
Assessment: Exam 50%; and 2 other tasks

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Requisites

Before BPS2012

Prerequisites

Pass these before you enrol.

All of

After BPS2012

13 units list BPS2012 as a prerequisite or corequisite.

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Overview

This unit will introduce you to theoretical concepts related to drug action. It includes descriptions of partial and inverse agonists, allosteric modulators and biased ligands. This unit extends beyond drug-receptor interactions to show how signal transduction processes regulate cellular activities. You will engage in problem solving related to pharmacological research questions and communicate the outcomes of such investigations to peers and teaching staff.

Topics to be covered include:

Characteristics of ligand interaction with receptors;
How G-protein-coupled and tyrosine kinase receptor interactions with signal transduction systems regulate cell activity;
Ion channel activation and regulation;
Transporter function.

Offerings in 2027

Teaching period	Campus	Mode
Second semester	Malaysia	On campus
Second semester	Parkville	Flexible

Assessment

Workshop submissions and online quizzesWritten
35%
Laboratory tasksProject
15%
Final assessmentExamination
50%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Learning outcomes

When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

1
Predict how pharmacologically active chemicals might affect living systems through interactions with receptors;
2
Speculate upon the nature of drug action at receptors and likely intracellular signalling mechanisms;
3
Explain how receptor-mediated changes in cellular activity might regulate specific bodily functions;
4
Use our understanding of drug action at a cellular level to predict drug effects upon human health;
5
Record, analyse and critically interpret experimental data and report it in written and visual formats.

Workload and teaching

Applied sessions24 hours
Workshops14 hours
Laboratories4 hours
Teaching approachProblem-based learning
Teaching approachEnquiry-based learning
Teaching approachActive learning
Teaching approachOnline learning

Twenty-four hours of discovery material (online modules)
Twelve two-hour applied sessions (Q&A)
One four-hour laboratory
Seven 2-hour workshops

Learning resources

Recommended resources

Rang and Dale's Pharmacology 8th or 9th edition

Technology resources

For more information on Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) specifications and the technology systems and services available to students, review the Student Technology Essentials Handbook https://www.monash.edu/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/1041220/student-it-brochure.pdf

Contacts

Unit Coordinators: Dr Jasmine Chia; Dr John Haynes
Chief Examiners: Dr John Haynes

Common questions

What are the prerequisites for BPS2012?

You need BPS1011, BPS1012, BPS1021, BPS1022, BPS1031, BPS1032, BPS1041 and BPS1042 before you enrol.

What can I take after BPS2012?

BPS2012 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 13 units, including BPS3011, BPS3012, BPS3021, BPS3022, BPS3031 and BPS3032.

When is BPS2012 offered?

In 2027, BPS2012 runs in Semester 2 at Malaysia and Parkville.

Does BPS2012 have an exam?

Yes. The exam is worth 50% of the final mark, alongside 2 other tasks.

More details

Credit points: 6
Level: 2
Study level: Undergraduate
Faculty: Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Type: Coursework
EFTSL: 0.125
Student contribution: SCA Band 2
Study abroad: Available
Handbook years: 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 20262027