Pharmacy and Biochemistry Course

Lesson 1 • Cell Structure and Membrane Transport

Maps organelle functions and membrane transport mechanisms critical to drug absorption. Bridges cell biology to pharmacokinetic concepts introduced later.

Lesson 2 • Chemical Basis of Biological Molecules

Covers atomic bonding, functional groups, and pH relevant to biomolecules. Provides the chemical vocabulary needed to understand macromolecular structure and reactivity.

Lesson 3 • Carbohydrates and Lipids

Examines structure, classification, and biological roles of carbohydrates and lipids. Links these molecules to energy storage, membrane architecture, and signaling.

Lesson 4 • Proteins: Structure and Function

Describes amino acid properties and the four levels of protein structure. Connects structural hierarchy to protein function and drug-target interactions.

Lesson 1 • Enzyme Inhibition Mechanisms

Classifies competitive, uncompetitive, and mixed inhibition with kinetic signatures. Directly prepares students to analyze drug inhibitors of metabolic enzymes.

Lesson 2 • Enzyme Kinetics and the Michaelis-Menten Model

Derives and applies the Michaelis-Menten equation to quantify enzyme activity. Students use Km and Vmax to characterize enzyme behavior under varying conditions.

Lesson 3 • Principles of Enzyme Catalysis

Explains how enzymes lower activation energy and achieve substrate specificity. Grounds students in catalytic mechanisms before quantitative kinetic analysis.

Lesson 1 • Glycolysis and Gluconeogenesis

Details the ten-step glycolytic pathway and its reversal in gluconeogenesis. Identifies regulated steps that serve as drug targets in metabolic disease.

Lesson 2 • Lipid Metabolism

Covers fatty acid oxidation, synthesis, and ketone body formation. Links lipid metabolic disorders to drug therapy for dyslipidemia and diabetes.

Lesson 3 • Integration and Regulation of Metabolism

Synthesizes how fed, fasted, and stressed states shift metabolic flux. Prepares students to predict how drugs alter whole-body metabolic balance.

Lesson 4 • Amino Acid and Nitrogen Metabolism

Examines transamination, urea cycle, and amino acid catabolism. Connects nitrogen disposal defects to clinical conditions treated with specific drug classes.

Lesson 1 • Drug Classification and Nomenclature

Organizes drugs by chemical class, mechanism, and therapeutic use. Establishes a systematic naming framework used throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Drug Stability and Degradation

Covers hydrolysis, oxidation, photodegradation, and their impact on drug shelf life. Connects chemical stability to storage requirements and formulation design.

Lesson 3 • Structure-Activity Relationships

Examines how structural modifications alter potency, selectivity, and toxicity. Provides a framework for understanding drug optimization and analog design.

Lesson 4 • Physicochemical Properties of Drugs

Analyzes solubility, pKa, lipophilicity, and molecular weight as determinants of drug behavior. Connects these properties to absorption and formulation decisions.

Lesson 1 • Routes of Administration and Absorption

Compares oral, parenteral, transdermal, and inhalation routes for absorption efficiency. Connects route choice to onset, bioavailability, and patient compliance.

Lesson 2 • Compartmental Pharmacokinetic Models

Introduces one- and two-compartment models to describe drug concentration over time. Students apply model equations to interpret plasma concentration-time curves.

Lesson 3 • Dosing Regimens and Steady-State Concepts

Applies pharmacokinetic principles to design loading and maintenance doses. Ensures students can calculate dosing intervals to achieve therapeutic steady-state levels.

Lesson 1 • Drug-Drug Interactions in Metabolism

Analyzes enzyme induction and inhibition as mechanisms of clinically significant interactions. Students predict interaction outcomes using inhibition constants and induction data.

Lesson 2 • Renal and Biliary Drug Excretion

Quantifies glomerular filtration, tubular secretion, and reabsorption for renal clearance. Includes biliary excretion and enterohepatic recirculation effects.

Lesson 3 • Phase I Drug Metabolism

Details cytochrome P450-mediated oxidation, reduction, and hydrolysis reactions. Identifies CYP isoforms responsible for major drug biotransformations.

Lesson 4 • Phase II Conjugation Reactions

Covers glucuronidation, sulfation, acetylation, and glutathione conjugation. Explains how conjugation increases water solubility and facilitates excretion.

Lesson 1 • Quantitative Dose-Response Relationships

Introduces graded and quantal dose-response curves with key parameters. Students use EC50, Emax, and therapeutic index to compare drug potency and safety.

Lesson 2 • Pharmacogenomics and Variability in Drug Response

Examines genetic variants in receptors and enzymes that alter drug response. Prepares students to apply pharmacogenomic data to individualized therapy decisions.

Lesson 3 • Drug Selectivity and Adverse Effects

Analyzes how receptor selectivity determines therapeutic windows and side-effect profiles. Applies selectivity concepts to drug design and clinical monitoring.

Lesson 4 • Receptor Signal Transduction Pathways

Maps G-protein-coupled, ion channel, kinase-linked, and nuclear receptor signaling. Connects pathway activation to downstream cellular and physiological responses.

Lesson 1 • Cardiovascular and Metabolic Drug Therapy

Analyzes pharmacology of antihypertensives, antiarrhythmics, lipid-lowering, and antidiabetic agents. Integrates biochemical targets with clinical outcome data.

Lesson 2 • Drug Safety, Toxicology, and Adverse Event Management

Covers dose-dependent and idiosyncratic toxicity, organ-specific toxidromes, and antidote strategies. Prepares students to recognize, report, and manage adverse drug reactions.

Lesson 3 • Oncology Pharmacology and Targeted Therapy

Examines cytotoxic agents, kinase inhibitors, and immunotherapy mechanisms. Applies pharmacokinetic variability and resistance concepts to cancer treatment optimization.

Lesson 4 • Pharmacotherapy in Special Populations

Addresses pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes in pediatric, geriatric, and pregnant patients. Guides dose selection and risk assessment across the lifespan.

Lesson 5 • Antimicrobial Pharmacology

Covers mechanisms of antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral agents with resistance patterns. Connects pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic indices to optimal antimicrobial dosing.