Graduate Courses

Coordinator: Lu-Yang Wang and Michael Salter

This course is offered in alternate years.

This course will focus upon selected topics in molecular genetics and cellular neurobiology. Students will be expected to make presentations based upon appropriate literature listed by the teaching faculty. Participation in discussions will also be required. There will be no didactic lectures. Presentation topics will be chosen from the following topics:

• Topic 1: Signaling in cells of the nervous system (eg. molecular biology transmitter receptors and ion channels, second messenger regulation, signal transduction systems).
• Topic 2: Development of Cells of the Nervous System (eg. cytoskeleton; genetics of neural development; nerve guidance and synapse formation; the ontogeny of neural cells; myelin).
• Topic 3: Plasticity of the Nervous System (eg. long term potentiation; glutamate receptors; learning and memory).
• Topic 4: Molecular Genetics of Neural Diseases (eg. Type II neurofibramatosis as a casestudy; Alzheimers, Huntingtons, MS, ALS).

Coordinator: Dr. Nicole Mittmann

This course introduces fundamental principles of clinical research and provides students with the skills necessary for the design, execution, analysis, and critical evaluation of clinical studies in pharmacology. Students will become familiar with various research approaches, methodologies, and strategies commonly employed in clinical pharmacology. Specifically, lectures will cover observational and experimental study designs and techniques; clinical data measurements, collection, and analysis; evidence review (systematic reviews/meta-analysis); ethical, legal, and regulatory guidelines governing clinical research; safety monitoring and adverse event reporting (pharmacovigilance); and key principles of pharmacoeconomics. In addition, students will be introduced to current topics and conceptual issues related to clinical research in pharmacology, and will learn to critically appraise clinical research.

Coordinator: Dr. Laurie Zawertailo

This course is offered in alternate years.

The goal of this course is to examine the methodologic and experimental basis of studying the effects of drugs on behaviour. Throughout the course the relationship of pre-clinical behavioural pharmacology to human behavioural pharmacology is compared. There will be a strong emphasis on how behavioural studies can assist in our understanding of the underlying mechanisms and identification of novel therapeutic approaches for various mental illnesses and addictions. In the first part of the course, general background covering the principles of behavioural pharmacology will be covered. This approach ensures that students somewhat weaker in relevant areas of psychology or pharmacology are able to gain such knowledge early in the course. In the second part of the course, there is a focus on selected topics and current experimental issues in the field including several chosen by the class. Instruction will include a 45 minute overview of the topic given by the lecturer followed by a discussion of two research papers provided one week in advance. Structured questions are provided to guide preparation and discussion. An opportunity to observe/participate in some of the behavioural techniques described in the class will be offered.

Coordinator: Dr. Cindy Woodland

This  course  explores  a  variety  of  topics  in  clinical  pharmacology  with  emphasis  on  the application  of  pharmacokinetic  principles. Clinical  cases  are  used  to  highlight  a  breadth of topics  in  clinical pharmacology  and  toxicology including variability in drug response, adverse drug reactions, clinical study design, and pharmacoeconomics.

Coordinator: Dr. Anita Hamadanizadeh

The overall goal of this laboratory course is to provide students with practical experience and understanding of experimental methods used in clinical pharmacology research. The 12-session course will be taught through a combination of wet labs and dry labs. During wet labs, groups (~3-5 individuals per group) will be given a drug that they will investigate in the laboratory. Dry labs will involve lectures, case studies, and assignments. Topics will include assessments of drug solubility, absorption/bioavailability and bioequivalence, distribution and protein binding, biotransformation, renal excretion, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics modeling, drug-drug interaction, and assessment of pharmacodynamic effects.

Coordinator: Jeff Henderson

This course is offered in alternate years.

This course will emphasize the biochemical principles and mechanisms underlying the toxicity of drugs and foreign agents. In particular the current hypotheses that explain the events at the molecular level which determine and affect toxicity are examined and critically evaluated. This course is suitable for graduate students of pharmacy, toxicology, pharmacology, biochemistry, environmental science, pathology, neuroscience and medical biophysics. A weekly journal club will also be held after the lectures.

Coordinator: Dr. R. Bendayan

This course is offered in alternate years.

The course is to provide graduate students with a knowledge of the molecular entities involved in drug transport across biological cell membranes and to emphasize the physiological and clinical significance of these entities. The course will consist of didactic lectures presented in a traditional lecture format, and student presentations, when appropriate a lecture will be replaced by a research seminar.

Coordinator: Jesse Gillis and Darren Kadis

The purpose of this course is to give undergraduate students an overview and grounding in the fundamentals of neuroscience. The main emphasis is on the cellular and molecular aspects of brain function. The lecturers, all experts in their respective topics, are drawn from the different university departments and associated research institutes. Each year the course is updated to reflect the rapid evolution of ideas in neuroscience.

Course Coordinator: Dr. David Riddick

A series of lectures and student presentations that emphasize recent advances in our understanding of pharmacological principles. Areas covered include drug metabolism, molecular biology, pharmacogenomics, receptors & signal transduction, clinical pharmacology, and behavioural pharmacology. Each student presents a critical evaluation of a recent research paper during the year. Testing will be in-class exam format and completion of a CIHR-style operating grant application.

Coordinator: Dr. Cindy Woodland

This course is offered in alternate years.

This course is a seminar-based course in which students critique scientific papers in the area of toxicology. Faculty members from a wide variety of disciplines will guide these sessions and give an overview of the relevant issues in the field. Students are evaluated by oral and written critiques of the scientific literature and by their participation in class discussions.