Units / BRM5014
BRM5014 · Therapeutic approaches and biotechnology
2026 Handbook6 credit pointsLevel 5Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute
Last checked: 23 Aug 2026 UTCOverview
This unit covers the fundamentals and principles of modern biotechnology-based therapeutic approaches for treating and managing diseases. You will learn about the cellular and molecular basis of drug actions that underpin new drug development. The general principles of the pathway for developing a new drug or biotechnological device for therapeutic use will be outlined. You will gain knowledge of drug discovery research methodology through designing suitable experiments to investigate the pharmacological properties of novel compounds, and interpreting data arising from these experiments. The unit also provides an overview of different sectors in the biotechnology industry, and their role in the development, commercialisation and regulation of therapeutics.
Offerings
| Campus | Teaching period | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Malaysia | First semester | Teaching activities are on-campus (ON-CAMPUS) |
| Suzhou (SEU) | First semester | Teaching activities are on-campus (ON-CAMPUS) |
| Clayton | First semester | Activities scheduled as a mix of on-campus and online activities (BLENDED) |
Assessment
The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.
| # | Assessment | Type | Weight | Hurdle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Written reports (3,000 words total) | Written | 50% | — |
| 2 | In-semester tests (MCQ and SAQ, online - total 3 hours) | Quiz / Test | 30% | — |
| 3 | Group oral presentation (20 mins with peer evaluation 10 mins) (Individual report 300-500 words) | Presentation | 20% | — |
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Requisites
The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.
Learning outcomes
- Explain advanced pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics concepts.
- Critically appraise the therapeutic efficacy and safety of drugs with regards to their pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics profiles.
- Design in vitro and in vivo experiments to investigate the pharmacological properties of novel compounds.
- Select appropriate statistical approaches to compare the pharmacological properties of drugs.
- Apply knowledge of the key sectors of the biotechnology industry and their roles in drug development, commercialisation and regulation to identify career opportunities in the industry.
Workload
6 hours of directed learning including 4 contact hours per week, 2 hours of lectures and 2 hours of workshop/ tutorial/ practical per week and 6 hours of self-directed learning including private study per week. Please refer to Moodle for additional details.
| Activity | Duration |
|---|---|
| Workshops | 22 hours |
| Lectures | 24 hours |
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