Learning objectives

The course aims to provide the conceptual and methodological basis to understand the principles of pharmacology and the basic knowledge necessary for the critical analysis, identification, and development of new drugs. The course will address the fundamental concepts of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics that are essential to understand the drugs mechanism of action. The molecular mechanisms and strategies that regulate the interaction between drug and receptor for the main classes of drugs, including medicinal products for advanced therapies (ATMPs), drugs based on nucleotides and cell metabolism, will be discussed. The student will develop the experimental and conceptual bases to understand how a new pharmacological target is identified, developed, and validated in the preclinical phases. To enhance this aspect, group activities will be proposed aimed at elaborating experimental plans for the identification and / or validation of new drugs and practical laboratories that bring the student closer to some of the techniques used in the laboratory to identify and validate the pharmacological targets (cell cultures and immunolocalization with confocal microscopy). The course activities will also be integrated with the analysis of scientific articles relating to the topics covered.
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
1) analyze the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic aspects that regulate drug actions;
2) understand the mechanisms of drug activity, including medicinal products for advanced therapies (ATMPs);
3) apply the theoretical and methodological knowledge acquired, for the development of preclinical experimental plans for new target and drug discovery;
4) critically examine scientific articles in the pharmacological field;
5) work in groups, interpret the results of experimental analyzes and communicate them according to the scientific community language.