Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology Graduate Courses


The information presented here is adapted from the Catalogue of the Rutgers University Graduate School - New Brunswick and the Catalogue of the Molecular BioSciences* Core Curriculum. Additional information about Rutgers University and the Molecular BioSciences Program is available at these two sites.
 

Phar-5605              Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology:                   (F)                       3 cr.
                                Principles of Drug Action and Targeting
                                           Pilch. Prerequisite: Permission of graduate director and instructor.
This is a didactic course focusing on the basic principles underpinning modern cellular and molecular pharmacology.  There will be two 1.5 h lectures per week, some problem sets and two examinations.  Lecture topics include: Molecular Basis of Pharmacologic Selectivity, Drug Targets, Adaptive Responses to Drugs, Disposition of Drugs and Genetic and Molecular Approaches to Drug Therapy.
 

Phar-5574               Neuropharmacology                                                 (S)                       2 cr.
                                            Meiners, Sonsalla. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
Seminar presentations consider the mechanisms of synaptic transmission in the nervous system, the role of voltage-and ligand-gated ion channels, and G-protein coupled receptors in information transmission. Material includes the regulation of the synthesis, storage, release, and destruction of neurotransmitters.
 

Phar-TBA              Advanced Pharmacology Laboratory                      (F/S)                    3 cr.
                                          Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
 

Phar-5523              Drug Metabolism                                                       (S)                        2 cr.
                                         Conney, Kauffman. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Readings, seminars, and discussions emphasize selected papers from the primary literature pertaining to the metabolism of foreign chemicals. Critical discussions of publications that describe the properties and regulation of foreign compound-metabolizing enzymes in microorganisms, plants, insects, lower mammals, and humans. Consideration of the significance of these enzymes for the metabolism and action of foreign chemicals and endogenous substrates in intact cells and organisms.
 

Phar-5580              Drug Target Interactions                                          (F)                        2 cr.
                                           Gartenberg. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
The basic principles of secondary and tertiary structures of the nucleic acids will be emphasized by readings, seminars, and discussions of the primary literature. These fundamentals will be utilized in exploring various aspects of the nucleic acid biology such as protein-nucleic and interactions, RNA-catalyzed reactions, and nucleic acid pharmacology.
 

Phar-5581              Genomics in Cancer Therapeutics                        (S)                         3cr.
                                          Banerjee, Welsh. Prerequisite: Biochemistry 501 and 502 or equivalent.
This course is designed for graduate students of the life sciences. First year graduate students are particularly encouraged to take this course. The format of this course is a series of lectures by faculty from the Pharmacology Department as well as external experts who use genomic tools to study and develop cancer therapeutics, followed by student review and discussion of recent papers in the field that have made an impact on cancer therapeutics. The course will cover a range of topics from the application of genomics for target discovery using DNA microarrays, target identification for cancer therapeutics based on abnormalities in the cancer cell versus the normal cell and noninvasive imaging of tumors. Topics will include drug discovery process from rational structure-based computer modeling to clinical application, resistance mechanisms in the tumor and pharmacogenomics of the host that determine sensitivity to drugs. Lectures will also cover gene therapy strategies for attacking tumor cells based on knowledge gained from functional genomics of tumor cells.  

Phar-5575              Signal Transduction                                                 (F)                         2 cr.
                                       Ryazanov. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
This course is designed to provide an introduction to contemporary literature on the biology, pharmacology and molecular biology of the cell cycle through didactic lectures and student presentations.
 

Phar-TBA               Seminar in Pharmacology                                      (F/S)                      1 cr.
                                        Faculty and student presentations.
 

Phar-TBA               Research in Pharmacology                                    (F/S)               (BA,BA)
                                       Supervised research leading to the Ph.D.
 

Phar-5601              Genetics in Pharmacology                                      (F)                        2 cr.
                                        Walworth, Lobel. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
Genetic strategies are playing an increasingly important role in understanding drug mechanisms and in the search for new pharmaceutically active agents. Student taking the course “Genetics in Pharmacology” will read, evaluate, present, and discuss papers from recent scientific literature that deals with these topics.  Some familiarity with genetics is advisable.

 

Phar-5603              Cancer Pharmacology                                      (S)                        2 cr.
                                       Jin, Liu. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
The seminar course is to provide students with an understanding in the general principles in cancer pharmacology from the basic science perspective. It will cover areas including mechanism of actions of the anti-tumor agents, the design and discovery of anti-cancer drugs, and discovery of basic signaling mechanisms that constitute the targets of molecules used for cancer therapy. Moreover, novel strategies for cancer drug discovery will be discussed.  
 

Phar-5606              Hormones & their Receptors                                 (F)                        2 cr.
                                       Chen, Fondell: Prerequisite: Permission by Instructor.
Steriods and non-steroid hormones control numerous physiological processes in higher organisms, and they also are increasingly important for modern pharmcacology and drug discovery. This course provides a comprehensive and in-depth coverage of modern theories of hormone action at the cellular and molecular levels. Students are required to evaluate and present research articles with background introduction on select topics. Familiarity with Biochemistry, Cell Biology, and Molecular Biology is advisable.
 

*Admission to the doctoral program is handled by the consolidated graduate program in molecular biosciences. For further information, refer to the molecular biosciences heading within this chapter.
 

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