Pharmacology 
               and Toxicology
                The science behind drugs
                “ I realised that science including                Pharmacology is the science of the effects of drugs on biological systems, 
                 pharmacology wasn’t just the study                from the molecular and cellular levels through to patient studies. 
                                                                   Toxicology is closely related to pharmacology and specialises in the analysis 
                 of how things work, but it can be                 of the harmful effects of drugs and other chemicals on biological systems. 
                 used to help people significantly in              Pharmacology and toxicology are at the forefront of modern medicine, 
                 everyday life.”                                   designing, developing and testing drugs that have the potential to alleviate, 
                  Brad Sutherland BSc(Hons) PhD                    and in some cases cure the diseases that afflict humans and animals.
                0800 80 80 98 | otago.ac.nz | txt 866 | university@otago.ac.nz
              Why study Pharmacology and                               you a solid foundation from which to pursue a             Research at Otago
              Toxicology?                                              BSc majoring in Pharmacology and Toxicology               We undertake integrative, cellular, and molecular 
                                                                       or a BBiomedSc majoring in Drugs and Human                investigations aimed at understanding animal and 
              Most people are interested in pharmacology               Health.                                                   human pathophysiology, and isolating targets for 
              simply because drugs occupy such a prominent             Alternatively, if you already know which major            new drugs. Our laboratory groups are engaged in 
              place in everyday life. Constant progress in             you’d like to pursue, you can undertake a                 high-quality internationally-recognised research 
              medicine involves the design of new drugs                more customised programme. This option is                 focused on the following themes: 
              that can cure cancer, cardiovascular disease,            particularly useful for students undertaking a 
              neurological disorders, and other medical                double degree, as it enables you to take up to            •  Cancer and related drug treatments and 
              conditions.                                              four non-Health Sciences papers.                             prevention therapies
              Pharmacology is a modern science that                                                                              •  Cardiovascular signalling and 
              incorporates other biological sciences such              Second year                                                  cardioprotection
              as biochemistry, chemistry, physiology,                  You will cover areas such as:                             •  Inflammation and wound healing
              microbiology, and genetics. Unlike pharmacy,                                                                       •  Neuropharmacology and neurotoxicology
              which is the science of the preparation and              •   Basic principles of pharmacology                      •  Toxicology and neuroprotection
              dispensing of drugs, pharmacology is the science         •   Cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurological         •  Vestibular and auditory pharmacology
              behind how drugs produce their effects on the                diseases                                              Postgraduate opportunities
              body, and what the body does to the drugs                •   Introduction to toxicology
              we take.                                                 •   Practical classes introducing traditional             There are many postgraduate opportunities 
              Toxicologists are concerned with the safety                  pharmacological methods                               including an honours degree, a master’s degree, 
              of new drugs and chemicals that are a part of            Third year                                                and a PhD programme.
              our everyday lives, as they have the potential           You will cover areas such as:                             Postgraduate papers concentrate on modern 
              to contaminate the environment and our food                                                                        research in pharmacology and toxicology, 
              supply.                                                  • Neuropharmacology                                       focusing on the various areas within 
              A good knowledge of pharmacology and                     •   Clinical pharmacology                                 neuropharmacology, mechanistic toxicology, and 
              toxicology is also an important part of the              •   Molecular and immunopharmacology                      clinical pharmacology.
              training of medical doctors, pharmacists,                •   Mechanisms of toxicology                              Careers
              dentists, nurses, veterinarians, and toxicologists.      Background required                                       Opportunities for pharmacology and toxicology 
              Other scientists often find pharmacology                                                                           graduates are wide-ranging. They include 
              useful in their own area of specialisation. For          There are no subject requirements for entry               biomedical research in university and private 
              example, physiologists, biochemists, zoologists,         to first year, except that students enrolling in          laboratories, and administration and drug 
              and psychologists may use drugs to define the            Health Sciences First Year (HSFY) must not have           regulation for government departments and 
              function of a biological system that they are            previously undertaken university-level study. It is,      other medical service professions. There are 
              studying.                                                however, recommended that you take chemistry              also multiple teaching opportunities in university, 
              Pharmacology and Toxicology                              and biology to Year 13 level.                             polytechnic, and hospital settings.
              at Otago                                                 Teaching style                                            Pharmacology and toxicology also provides a 
              We offer two specialised undergraduate                   As a small department, we have a friendly and             strong basis for a career in the professional 
              degrees: a Bachelor of Science (BSc) majoring in         helpful relationship with our students.                   medical sciences (such as postgraduate entry 
              Pharmacology and Toxicology; and a Bachelor                                                                        into medical school), and is of great value for 
              of Biomedical Science (BBiomedSc) majoring in            All pharmacology and toxicology papers are                staff in the pharmaceutical industry. Additionally, 
              Drugs and Human Health.                                  taught through a combination of lectures and              there are career opportunities in drug 
                                                                       practicals. The practical classes are varied              information, publishing, and drug law.
              First year of study                                      and aim to instil important pharmacological 
                                                                       laboratory skills in all students.
              Most students enrol in the Health Sciences 
              First Year (HSFY) programme, which consists of 
              seven papers in the Health Sciences. HSFY gives 
              PROFILE Brad Sutherland
              Brad Sutherland’s Otago degrees in                      However, it was not all a challenge Brad 
              pharmacology have landed him a very                     explains, “The most fun were the labs. There 
              prestigious post-doctoral research fellowship at        are not many places where you can do scientific 
              Oxford University, proving that an Otago degree         experiments on yourself, but you can here.”
              can take you anywhere.                                  For Brad, the fun and challenges continued as 
              Brad’s journey started at secondary school              he went on to complete a BSc(Hons) and a PhD 
              where he studied all the sciences. From school          in Pharmacology. “The degrees that I obtained 
              he enrolled in the Health Sciences First Year           at Otago have given me the confidence and 
              (HSFY) programme at Otago.                              ability to transfer my research skills into one 
              “It was this that sparked my interest in health         of the leading stroke research facilities in the 
              sciences and using scientific progress to treat         world,” he says.
              clinical disease,” he explains.                         The future for Brad is just as exciting with many 
              From HSFY Brad began his study in                       options available to him in academia, research, 
              pharmacology, the study of how drugs work.              drug regulation, policy making, or industrial 
              “The pharmacology course was excellent, with            science developing new drugs or strategies to 
              excellent lecturers and lab demonstrators,”             treat disease. 
              says Brad.
              Pharmacology has a wide range of appeal as                                                                                    For questions about  
              it is a multi-disciplinary subject which covers                                                                         Pharmacology and Toxicology
              anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry.                                                                                    otago.ac.nz/pharmacology
              Pharmacologists have the challenge of needing 
              to understand all of these subjects, but this also 
              means that they are able to approach scientific 
              problems from a number of different angles.
   ch 2016
   Mar