Molecular Pharmacology is designed to provide core material on the structure and function of neurotransmitter and hormone receptors and the quantitative aspects of the action of drugs at these receptors. The molecular nature of receptors is considered in detail and a critical and quantitative approach to the analysis and interpretation of pharmacological data beginning with the physical chemical principles which underlie drug-receptor interactions is developed. 

Formal lectures will be supplemented by a radioligand binding data analysis assignment and either sodium channel block data analysis or (for Level-7 students) a bioinformatics exercise. 

On completion of the module, students should be able to: 

1) Use the Law of Mass Action to quantify the interaction of drugs and receptors. 

2) Understand the action of agonists and antagonists and the concept of efficacy. 

3) Demonstrate advanced knowledge of ion channel receptor function, regulation and block 

4) Demonstrate advanced knowledge of the structure and function of transporters, ion channel receptors and G protein-coupled receptors 

5) Demonstrate advanced understanding of radioligand binding. 

The module is studied by BSc/MSci Pharmacology, Natural Sciences and Medical Chemistry students and is an option for students in related degree programmes (including affiliate students, Neuroscience, and relevant streams of the Biomedical  Sciences degree programme). It is assumed that students taking the module will have studied aspects of physiology and biochemistry for at least two years at University level. 

Indicative lecture list (based on 2021/22 syllabus) 


	Receptors, early ideas, concentration-response curves 
	
	
	Agonist Efficacy (4 lectures) 
	
	
	Single Molecule Concepts 
	
	
	Constitutive Activity 
	

	Bioinformatics Introduction 
	
	
	Drug Antagonism (3 lectures) 
	
	
	Radioligand Binding (2 lectures) 
	
	
	PET and SPECT 
	
	
	Uptake Transporters 
	

	Rates of Drug Action 
	
	
	Channel Blockers 
	
	
	7TM domain Receptor Structure-Function 
	
	
	CFTR and ABC Transporter Structure-Function 
	
	
	LGIC Receptor Structure-Function 
	

	Receptor Pharmacology in Drug Discovery 