Pharmacological and Toxicological Biotechnology

The main objective of the course will be to provide the pharmacological bases of therapeutics and the pharmacological profiles of the most used drugs. For each topic we will provide a description of the physio pathologic aspects of the disease, mechanisms of drug action, posology and side effects of the main drugs used for the cure of the disease.
Another key object of the Course will be to discuss the main problems associated with drug-drug interactions, as well as the mechanisms that may be responsible for side effects and tolerability, as well as those that will contribute to the therapeutic response to a given drug. The course aims also to provide the fundamentals of some of the new methodologies that are used for the development of new drugs or new therapeutic strategies, and for the evaluation of the effect of pharmacologically active compounds. This objective will be pursued through the integration of frontal lessons with single-place practical exercises. In the practical exercises the student will become familiar with the use of databases of molecular biology and bibliography. A further objective of the course is that of providing a basic knowledge of the general principles of toxicology and organ toxicity, with a special focus on the toxicological issues associated with biopharmaceutical-based therapies.

At the end of the course, the student must demonstrate to possess adequate knowledge of pharmacology and pharmacotherapy of the disorders presented during the course, as well as to have the ability to comprehend problems associated with pharmacological treatments. Moreover, the student must be able to apply basic knowledge to deal with pharmacological issues related to treatment. The student will also have a good knowledge of the main biotechnological techniques used for the development and study of drugs, as well as of new therapeutic strategies. He/she will also be able to search the appropriate databases to get information on the genome, transcriptome and proteome, as well as to draw primers to run a PCR. Last, he/she should be able to show abilities in exposing and communicating his/her knowledge
The students are also expected to possess an adequate knowledge of the general principles of toxicology, organ toxicity, and toxicology associated with biopharmaceutical-based therapies. Based on this knowledge, the students must be able to critically analyse toxicological issues.