Imperial College London

IntroductionThis course will provide students with an understanding of the scientific foundations of the study of pharmacology. This includes the basic principles of drug action, including receptor theory, agonism and antagonism, the principal classes of drug targets and signal transduction mechanisms. Concurrently, the course will provide an introduction to pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism.This course will comprise three core teaching blocks, a self-directed learning block involving independent and group work, and a 14-week research project.The Course Director is Dr Chioma Izzi-Engbeaya.Aims and objectives
The course will investigate the following core areas:Receptors as drug targetsHormones as drug targetsEnzymes and ion channels as drug targetsData handling and statisticsCritical appraisal of scientific writingScientific writingAt the end of the course the students will be able to:

  • understand the nature and purpose of the scientific method and its relation to the practice of medicine
  • understand the importance of receptors, enzymes and ion channels as drug targets

Entry requirements

This is a one-year intercalated BSc. To be eligible to apply you must:

  • Be registered on a recognised Medical, Dental or Veterinary course at a UK or Irish university.
  • Have completed at least one year of that course before you apply to Imperial. i.e. you must be at least in Year 2 in 2023/24.
  • Have at least one year of your degree left when you return to your home institution after completing your intercalated BSc.

Closing date

Admissions for 2024-25 entry are now open. The application deadline will be 16:00 on Friday 1 March 2024