Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Biomedical Sciences School
Systems Pharmacology introduces students to the action of drugs on whole systems and provides an integrated approach to how drugs affect human physiology. Students will learn the effect of drugs on major physiological systems and how these effects can be beneficial or detrimental. Experimental experience is expanded to develop practical skills in core pharmacology methodology, drug measurements and drug effects.
BIOM3401 is designed to teach principles of the use of drugs as medicines to treat human diseases. The course examines a range of common human diseases, and describes how and why drugs are used, how they work and what adverse effects they can ellicit.
Course requirements
Assumed background
An understanding of basic biology, biochemistry, chemistry, and pharmacology, such as obtained by successful completion of first year chemistry; and first and second year biomedical science courses.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
BIOM2402
Recommended prerequisites
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
BIOM2011
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
BIOM3008
Course contact
Course coordinator
School enquiries
Student and Academic Administration Team
The SBMS Student and Academic Administration Team is located on Level 1 of the Sir William Macgregor Building (64-130).
Course staff
Lecturer
Dr Jenny Fung
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Aims and outcomes
The course focuses on the major classes of drugs used in humans. It aims to provide an understanding of:
1) the mechanisms through which drugs exert therapeutic effects in major human diseases
2) the concept of selective toxicity and adverse effects of drugs
3) the roles of pharmacological agonists and antagonists in human diseases states
4) the importance of experimental evidence inﾠattaining knowledge and understanding of drugs used in therapy
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Construct arguments based on evidence on the roles of pharmacological agents in disease
LO2.
Provide a strong basis for understanding of how drugs interact with the body and which possible limitations to drug therapy may exist
LO3.
Demonstrate an understanding of why drugs sometimes fail to work under specific circumstances, as observed in resistance, and mechanisms of common side-effects
LO4.
Define pharmacokinetic parameters, and how they are used in pharmacology and therapeutics
LO5.
Apply laboratory skills in experimental pharmacology to acquire data, especially relating to the evaluation of potential new clinical entities
LO6.
Write a report using scientific language and grammar, and to present and critically analyse experimental data as relevant to published scientific and clinical literature
LO7.
Reflect effectively on your learning experiences in pharmacology.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination |
In-Semester Examination
|
25% |
In-semester Saturday 29/03/2025 - 12/04/2025
Will be held on either the 29/3/2025, 5/4/2025 or 12/4/2025. |
| Project | Organ Bath Flowchart | 2% |
31/03/2025 - 7/04/2025
Start of practical - G1: 31/03/25; G2: 01/04/25; G3: 02/04/25 13:00 |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Organ Bath Report | 18% |
28/04/2025 - 5/05/2025
G1: 28/04/25; G2: 29/04/25; G3: 30/04/25 13:00 |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Pharmacokinetics of Alcohol | 15% |
20/05/2025 - 26/05/2025
G1: 26/05/25; G2: 20/05/25; G3: 21/05/25 13:00 |
| Examination |
End of Semester Exam
|
40% |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025 |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
In-Semester Examination
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
In-semester Saturday
29/03/2025 - 12/04/2025
Will be held on either the 29/3/2025, 5/4/2025 or 12/4/2025.
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06
Task description
The exam will be an open book invigilated exam held on campus, undertaken via the Inspera eAssessment platform. Students will be required to bring a laptop to the exam that meets the device requirements for Inspera. It is important that you check before the exam that your laptop meets the device requirements for using the Inspera Assessment platform. If you do not own a suitable laptop, you can borrow one from the Library. The Library website Get familiar with Inspera provides the latest information for students about using Inspera. Further information about the exam will be provided on Blackboard.
This In-semester exam will cover Modules 1 and 2 of the course (up to the last lecture of the Drug Treatment for Infectious Disease module given by Dr Lachlan Rash).
This exam will be of open-book and open-note format. This means that you may take any paper-based materials you like into the examination room. This includes course notes, assessment items, books and so on.
Have your UQ student ID card available for all your exams.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
You must obtain a combined PASS mark from the In-Semester exam and End-of-Semester examExam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 60 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series only or UQ approved and labelled calculator |
| Open/closed book | Open Book examination |
| Exam platform | Inspera |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Late submission
No late submission permitted
Organ Bath Flowchart
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Project
- Weight
- 2%
- Due date
31/03/2025 - 7/04/2025
Start of practical - G1: 31/03/25; G2: 01/04/25; G3: 02/04/25 13:00
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L05, L06
Task description
This assessment item is the production of a flowchart for your practical and will constitute a breakdown of the experimental design. This should be based on the mechanisms of action of the drugs on the respective tissues and your approach in identifying your unknown(s). Further assessment details will be provided on Blackboard during the semester.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI in each instance. A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your Assessment task, with the electronic coversheet available on the School's website (under Undergraduate - Assessment), to Turnitin by the submission deadline. You may submit drafts to Turnitin up to the due date, but you will only be able to submit once on or after the due date. You should also keep an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Requests for extension must be made prior to the submission deadline, even if you are awaiting your supporting documentation. Late requests for extension will not be accepted for consideration unless you provide evidence of exceptional circumstances preventing you from submitting a request prior to the deadline, e.g., due to hospitalisation.
If you have been granted an extension, then the assessment specified late submission penalty in the table above will apply to submissions made after the due date of the approved extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties uploading your submission, please email a copy of your assessment to sbms@enquire.uq.edu.au so this can be logged on your behalf before the due date.
Organ Bath Report
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 18%
- Due date
28/04/2025 - 5/05/2025
G1: 28/04/25; G2: 29/04/25; G3: 30/04/25 13:00
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L05, L06, L07
Task description
This report will include strategy and data analysis from the two weeks of work, with deductive reasoning around the identity of unknown(s) in your assigned sample. Further assessment details will be provided on Blackboard during the semester.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI in each instance. A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your Assessment task, with the electronic coversheet available on the School's website (under Undergraduate - Assessment), to Turnitin by the submission deadline. You may submit drafts to Turnitin up to the due date, but you will only be able to submit once on or after the due date. You should also keep an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Requests for extension must be made prior to the submission deadline, even if you are awaiting your supporting documentation. Late requests for extension will not be accepted for consideration unless you provide evidence of exceptional circumstances preventing you from submitting a request prior to the deadline, e.g., due to hospitalisation.
If you have been granted an extension, then the assessment specified late submission penalty in the table above will apply to submissions made after the due date of the approved extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties uploading your submission, please email a copy of your assessment to sbms@enquire.uq.edu.au so this can be logged on your behalf before the due date.
Pharmacokinetics of Alcohol
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 15%
- Due date
20/05/2025 - 26/05/2025
G1: 26/05/25; G2: 20/05/25; G3: 21/05/25 13:00
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L04, L05, L06, L07
Task description
Lab Report consisting of data analysis of control and treated subjects. Further assessment details will be provided on Blackboard during the semester.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI in each instance. A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your Assessment task, with the electronic coversheet available on the Schools website (http://www.uq.edu.au/sbms/undergraduate-forms), to Turnitin by the submission deadline. You may submit drafts to Turnitin up to the due date, but you will only be able to submit once on or after the due date. You should also keep an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Requests for extension must be made prior to the submission deadline, even if you are awaiting your supporting documentation. Late requests for extension will not be accepted for consideration unless you provide evidence of exceptional circumstances preventing you from submitting a request prior to the deadline, e.g., due to hospitalisation.
If you have been granted an extension, then the assessment specified late submission penalty in the table above will apply to submissions made after the due date of the approved extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties uploading your submission, please email a copy of your assessment to sbms@enquire.uq.edu.au so this can be logged on your behalf before the due date.
End of Semester Exam
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04
Task description
The exam will be an open book invigilated exam held on campus, undertaken via the Inspera eAssessment platform. Students will be required to bring a laptop to the exam that meets the device requirements for Inspera. It is important that you check before the exam that your laptop meets the device requirements for using the Inspera Assessment platform. If you do not own a suitable laptop, you can borrow one from the Library. The Library website Get familiar with Inspera provides the latest information for students about using Inspera. Further information about the exam will be provided on Blackboard.
Have your UQ student ID card available for all your exams.
This is an open book examination. You will be notified regarding the materials that you are permitted to consult during the examination well ahead of your exam.
This examination must be completed individually. You are NOT permitted to share this exam with any un-authorised person. You must NOT make a copy of any of the material in the exam by any means.
This exam will be assessing all BIOM3401 lecture and practical material. Details of the examination format will be provided on the course Blackboard site during the semester, and covered in an online lecture.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
You must obtain a combined PASS mark from the In-Semester exam and End-of-Semester examExam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series only or UQ approved and labelled calculator |
| Open/closed book | Open Book examination |
| Exam platform | Inspera |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Late submission
No late submission permitted
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 29 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative score for all intra-semester and end of semester assessment tasks of 0% - 29%. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative score for all intra-semester and end of semester assessment tasks of 30% - 44%. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: A cumulative score for all intra-semester and end of semester assessment tasks of 45% - 49% OR A cumulative score for all intra-semester and end of semester assessment tasks of 50% or greater,ﾠbut less than a pass in any of the assessment hurdle outlined below in "Additional Course Grading Information" |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative score for all intra-semester and end of semester assessment tasks of 50% - 64%ﾠAND successful completion of assessment hurdle as outlined below in "Additional Course Grading Information" |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative score for all intra-semester and end of semester assessment tasks of 65% - 74%ﾠAND successful completion of assessment hurdle as outlined below in "Additional Course Grading Information" |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative score for all intra-semester and end of semester assessment tasks of 75% - 84%ﾠAND successful completion of assessment hurdle as outlined below in "Additional Course Grading Information" |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: A cumulative score for all intra-semester and end of semester assessment tasks of 85% - 100%ﾠAND successful completion of assessment hurdle as outlined below in "Additional Course Grading Information" |
Additional course grading information
To pass this course you must meet the following hurdle requirement:
- You must obtain a combined PASS mark from the In-Semester exam and End-of-Semester exam
If a student obtains an overall percentage greater than the cut-offs set to achieve a 4 or higher for the course and does NOT successfully complete the hurdle, they are unable to achieve a grade higher than a 3 (failing grade) for the course.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
The supplementary assessment may be in the form of an exam (written or oral), a written submission or another assessment as determined by the Course Coordinator. It may be made up of multiple components and will allow students to meet any outstanding Learning Outcomes. The final grade awarded will be based on the results of the supplementary assessment only and a passing grade will be awarded only if a student passes the supplementary assessment.
Additional assessment information
Information onﾠapplying for an assessment extensionﾠcan be found on theﾠApplying for an extension website.
Information onﾠapplying for a deferred examﾠcan be found on theﾠDeferring an exam website.
Information onﾠassessment re-mark requestsﾠcan be found on theﾠQuerying a resultﾠwebsite.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Other course materials
If we've listed something under further requirement, you'll need to provide your own.
Required
| Item | Description | Further Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Required - Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) | Clean white laboratory coat, safety glasses and fully enclosed shoes. Students will not be permitted in the laboratory without these items. Each student must have their UQ Student Identification Card visibly displayed above the waist. While public health directions no longer require face masks to be worn, they are recommended when you cannot physically distance, you are a vulnerable person or caring for vulnerable people. Please note that cloth masks are not acceptable in laboratory classes in the School of Biomedical Sciences. | own item needed |
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Lecture |
Weeks 1-2: Module 1. Disposition of Drugs in Humans [Kaminskas] Wk 1-Mon: L1-2: ADME summary and formulation & Compartment models and area under the curve calculations Wk 1-Wed: L3: Protein binding, bioavailability and first pass metabolism Wk 2-Mon: L4-5: Volume of distribution and clearance & Patient dosing calculations and practice questions Wk 2-Wed: L6: When PK gets "weird"? Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04 |
|
Lecture |
Weeks 3-4: Module 2. Drug Treatment for Infectious Diseases 1 [Rash] Wk 3-Mon: L1-2: Introduction to antibacterials and resistance, Antibiotic mechanisms and treatment Wk 3-Wed: L3: Antibacterials continued. Wk 4-Mon: L4-5: Antifungals and Antivirals Wk 4-Wed: no lecture Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Lecture |
Weeks 5-6: Module 3. Drug Treatment for Inflam. Diseases [Woodruff] & [Rash] Wk 5-Mon: L1-2: Treatment of IBD and RA (NSAIDs and SAIDs) & Treatment of IBD and RA (disease modifiers) Wk 5-Wed: L3: Asthma Wk 6-Mon: L4-5: GI: Gastric reflux and ulcers & Emesis, constipation and diarrhoea Wk 6-Wed: no lecture Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Practical |
Weeks 5-7: Prac 1: Organ bath unknown drug prac. Week 5 - Planning: This session is for planning your strategy around the Identification of Unknowns (IOU) experiments. (Mon G1, Tue G2, Wed G3) Week 6 - Rat tissue: Experiments for analysis of the effects of compounds on tissues. (Mon G1, Tue G2, Wed G3) Week 7 - Guinea pig tissue: Experiments for analysis of the effects of compounds on tissues. (Mon G1, Tue G2, Wed G3) Learning outcomes: L05, L06, L07 |
|
Lecture |
Weeks 7-8: Module 4. Drug Treatment for Cancer [Fung] Wk 7-Mon: L1-2: Conventional Chemotherapy & Antibodies and kinase inhibitors (nanomeds) Wk 7-Wed: no lecture Wk 8-Mon: L3-4: Drug Treatments for Cancer 3 and 4 Wk 8-Wed: no lecture Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Lecture |
MS BREAK - NO CLASSES |
|
Lecture |
Weeks 9-10: Module 5. Drug Treatment for CV disease [Woodruff] & [Manchadi] Wk 9-Mon: L1-2: Direct-acting antihypertensives, Indirect-acting antihypertensives Wk 9-Wed: L. 3: Atherosclerosis and lipid-lowering drugs Wk 10-Mon: Labour Day Hol - no lecture Wk 10-Wed: L4: Pharmacology of heart failure Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Practical |
Weeks 9-11: Prac 2. Alcohol pharmacokinetics. Week 9 Prelab session (Mon G1, Tue G2, Wed G3) Week 10 Prac (Tue G2, Wed G3) Week 11 Prac (Mon G1) Learning outcomes: L04, L05, L06, L07 |
|
Lecture |
Weeks 11-12: Module 6. Drug Treatment for Neurodeg. Diseases and Mental Health [Manchadi] Wk 11-Mon: L1-2: Mechanisms of Cell Death: Parkinson's, Huntington's and Alzheimer's diseases. Wk 11-Wed: L. 3: Depression Wk 12-Mon: L4-5: Anxiety, Schizophrenia and Psychoses Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
|
Workshop |
Week 12: Workshop. Parkinson's Diesease (Mon G1, Tue G2, Wed G3) |
|
Lecture |
Week 12: EOS Exam Prep and Closing Comments [Rash] [Manchadi] Wk 12-Wed: EOS Exam Preparation |
|
Lecture |
Week 13: NO LECTURES |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: