Learning objectives
After the participation in this practical part of the course of EXPERIMENTAL PHARMACOLOGY the student will be able:
TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND the different experimental models applied to assess the pharmacological properties and the therapeutic efficacy of new potential drugs, the parameters describing potency, efficacy, affinity, the statistical analysis applied to in vivo and in vitro findings.
TO USE THE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING ACQUIRED, so that he will be able to choose the experimental models to be used in drug characterization and to analyze and correctly interpret the results of virtual experiments exploiting the proper statistical analysis
TO DEMONSTRATE INDEPENDENCE OF JUDGMENT in proposing the appropriate methodological approach to reach the aim of a pharmacological study,
TO DEMONSTRATE LEARNING ABILITY in the analysis of scientific literature AND ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy
Course unit content
The student can participate in a series of practical lessons of EXPERIMENTAL PHARMACOLOGY concerning:
Participation in pharmacological experimentations at different degree of complexity.
Production and acquisition of experimental results processing statistical analysis through the application of descriptive and inferential principles.
Full programme
This part of the course consists of:
Participation in experiments carried out in the laboratory as part of specific research programs. During this activity the student can learn the features and the properties of the experimental models used in pharmacology, data production, analysis and interpretation.
Application of statistical tests for the analysis of experimental data:
the frequency distribution curve, the confidence limits of the mean, parametric (t-test, analysis of variance) and non-parametric tests (Chi square test), linear regression analysis, Schild analysis.
Bibliography
Teaching material (slides and scientific articles) is made available by the teacher on Elly platform at each lesson and made available to students after online registration to the course.
Useful texts for consultation are:
GOODMAN & GILMAN S. The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics McGraw-Hill
DOLARA P, FRANCONI E, MUGELLI A: Farmacologia e Tossicologia Sperimentale Pitagora Editrice, Bologna.
PAOLETTI R et al: Farmacologia generale e molecolare UTET
KENAKIN T: A Pharmacology Primer, Elsevier
Teaching methods
The teaching is done through the participation of students, individually or in groups, in virtual experiments performed in classroom, in statistical analysis of data and observation of experiments conducted in the laboratory. Groups of students are driven in the organization and presentation of seminars, prepared through consultation of bibliographic sources. These activities are designed to reinforce in each student the ability TO INTEGRATE KNOWLEDGE, TO ANALYZE CRITICALLY complex issues and TO COMMUNICATE clearly their own conclusions.
Assessment methods and criteria
The assessment of the achievement of the objectives of the course consists of an oral examination. The exam is evaluated on a 0 -30 scale and the vote is immediately announced at the end of the test.
Through questions regarding virtual experiments it will be determined whether the student has achieved the goal of KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING of the methodological approach to be used in pharmacological experimentation and statistical analysis of data, of APPLYING THE ACQUIRED KNOWLEDGE in solving new and complex pharmacological problems, of ACQUISITION OF LEARNING SKILLS and FORMULATION OF AUTONOMOUS JUDGMENTS and of ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE. The evaluation will be completed by taking into account the answers to questions regarding the theoretical contents of the course
Other information
At the beginning of the course the student is informed of the right to express objection to animal experimentation in compliance with Law no. 413 of 12.10.1993 and invited to sign a form attesting the information process.
