Units / BPS3032

BPS3032 · Toxicology and advanced pharmacology

Official Handbook

2027 Handbook6 credit pointsLevel 3Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Last checked: 30 Sep 2026 UTC Handbook year

Overview

The aim of this unit is to introduce you to advanced concepts in analytical pharmacology and basic toxicology. In the process, you will develop your abilities to analyse experimental results relating to concentration-response relationships and their interpretation. After completing this unit, you will be able to apply these concepts to analyse a number of applications as a basis for later work in other subjects within the pharmacological sciences. This unit will involve the study of: • analysis of concentration-response curves • quantitative pharmacology and toxicology • nature of antagonism • allosterism • ligand biased signalling • probe dependence

Offerings

Campus	Teaching period	Mode
Parkville	Second semester	Teaching activities are on-campus (ON-CAMPUS)
Malaysia	Second semester	Teaching activities are on-campus (ON-CAMPUS)

Assessment

The Handbook lists an examination for this unit.

#	Assessment	Type	Weight	Hurdle
1	Workshop submissions	Exercise	15%	—
2	Assignment	Written	15%	—
3	Laboratory report	Project	20%	—
4	Final assessment	Examination	50%	—

In-semester assessment 50%; final assessment: 50%.

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

Requisites

prerequisite

BPS1011Human physiology 1: Cells to systems6 cp

AND

BPS1012Human physiology 2: Body systems6 cp

AND

BPS1021Medicinal chemistry 1: Structure6 cp

AND

BPS1022Medicinal chemistry 2: Reactivity and biomolecules6 cp

AND

BPS1031Physical chemistry 1: Equilibria and change6 cp

AND

BPS1032Physical chemistry 2: Solutions, surfaces and solids6 cp

AND

BPS1041Scientific inquiry6 cp

AND

BPS1042Pharmaceutical science in context6 cp

AND

BPS2011Pharmacology 1: Biochemical signalling6 cp

AND

BPS2012Pharmacology 2: Drug action6 cp

AND

BPS2021Synthetic chemistry 1: Structure and reactivity6 cp

AND

BPS2022Drug discovery and design6 cp

AND

BPS2031Analytical methods 1: Principles and applications6 cp

AND

BPS2032Analytical method development6 cp

AND

BPS2041Drug delivery and pharmacokinetics6 cp

AND

BPS2042Drug development6 cp

Learning outcomes

Interpret pharmacological data in terms of biomolecular interactions.
Analyse experimental data using curve-fitting methods and appropriate statistical analysis.
Design and conduct experiments involving the cultivation of living cells and the use of cell assays.
Discuss how large data sets can be generated and analysed to identify potential drug targets.
Analyse evidence to suggest possible mechanisms underlying toxic effects in response to chemical exposure.
Outline ways in which a cell may be able to protect itself against a particular toxin.
Suggest suitable model systems for pre-clinical drug toxicity studies.
Evaluate the benefits and shortcomings associated with different assays of toxicity.
Analyse and interpret safety data to suggest risk minimising laboratory practices.

Workload

• Eight 1.5-hour online preparation modules (Discovery) • Twenty-four 1-hour interactive lectures (online modules) • Four 4-hour laboratories • Eight 2-hour workshops

Activity	Duration
Laboratories	12 hours
Applied sessions	12 hours
Workshops	16 hours

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