MEDSCI 319 : Molecular Pharmacology
Medical and Health Sciences
2025 Semester One (1253) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
MEDSCI 319 explores aspects of molecular pharmacology ranging from understanding the molecular interactions involved in drug binding, to designing and performing experiments that explore authentic hypotheses of drug action. It covers different types of assays and data analysis required to obtain pharmacological parameters used in research applications. MEDSCI 319 follows an integrated course design where content is delivered through a combination of in-class lectures, lectorials, workshops, and laboratory practical exercises to support learning and integration of pharmacological principles. MEDSCI 319 uses examples of kinase drug targets in cancer and G-protein coupled receptor targets of psychoactive drugs to place pharmacological theory and practice into real world application.
Course Requirements
Course Contacts
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 2: | Sustainability |
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 7: | Collaboration |
| Capability 8: | Ethics and Professionalism |
Learning Outcomes
- Develop and demonstrate an understanding of of the pharmacological parameters used to study two superfamilies of drug targets (G-protein coupled receptors and cell signaling kinase enzymes). (Capability 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7)
- Explain the common mechanisms of drug action on receptors and enzymes and describe the potential for new sites of drug action in the relevant cell signalling pathways. (Capability 3, 6 and 7)
- Describe the multidisciplinary pathway of drug discovery and its application to the development of novel cancer therapies. (Capability 2, 3 and 6)
- Explain and demonstrate the importance of the ethical handling of data during the analytical process following experiments. (Capability 2, 4, 6 and 8)
- Demonstrate personal competence in the practice of essential and basic laboratory skills. (Capability 3, 5, 6 and 8)
- Use the critical evaluation of a selected range of scientific literature to design an experiment with the appropriate methodology, including controls. (Capability 3, 4, 5 and 6)
- Explain to peers the interpretation and limitations of a data set and its accompanying method. (Capability 3, 4, 6 and 8)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | 30% | Group & Individual Coursework |
| Tests | 35% | Individual Test |
| Final Exam | 35% | Individual Examination |
| 3 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | ||||
| Coursework | ||||||||||
| Tests | ||||||||||
| Final Exam | ||||||||||
- Achieve at least 45% collectively across the tests and exam (mid-semester test, lab test, exam)
- Attend a minimum of 75% of the workshop/lab sessions.
- Achieve a minimum of 50% in the course overall.
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.
For this course, you can expect 24 hours of formal lectures/lectorials, 33 hours of workshops/practical laboratory work, 30 hours of reading and thinking about the content, and 63 hours of work on assignments and assessment test preparation. The course content is delivered through two hours of lectures and three hours of laboratory or workshop exercises per week. An additional one hour per week is timetabled in SSO and are non-recorded office hours for informal student guided-discussion of the course content.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is required at scheduled activities including labs/tutorials/workshops to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including labs/tutorials/workshops will not be available as recordings.
The course will include live online events including group discussions/tutorials/office hours.
Attendance on campus is required for tests.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
Tests are undertaken in the class room or laboratory environment.
The final exam is in person.
Assessments held in MEDSCI319 lecture slots are compulsory, as are ALL laboratory sessions. Concessions will NOT be granted for MEDSCI 319 laboratory clashes. In the event that a clashing course holds an assessment at the same time as a compulsory element in MEDSCI 319, restreaming requests will not be accommodated. Therefore, you should choose your courses/lab streams carefully to avoid clashes. Contact course co-ordinators directly for test dates before enrolling in any clashing courses
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
MEDSCI 319 students in 2024 found satisfaction with the course, with respondents appreciating the highly integrated nature of the course content across the lectures, lectorials, workshops and laboratory-based practical components.
The 2025 edition of MEDSCI 319 is in-person format for lectures, lectorials, workshops and laboratory practical while maintaining some teaching and learning concepts developed through on-line delivery during 2022.
Other Information
MEDSCI 319 is required for the following degrees/pathways:
- BSc Pharmacology Major (plus MEDSCI 318; Pharmacokinetics and Drug Toxicity and MEDSCI 320; Pharmacology of the Brain and Body)
- PHARMCOL 399:Capstone Integrated Pharmacology
- BioMed Cancer Biology and Therapeutics Specialisation Pathway (plus MEDSCI 356; Developmental Biology and Cancer, MEDSCI 302; Cancer Biology and BIOMED399:Capstone Biomedical Science)
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Only one test (Mid-semester Test OR Lab Test) can be assessed via aegrotat. In the event of an aegrotat application, only comparable pieces of assessment will be used.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.