Program Requirements
The Minor Pharmacology is intended for students registered in a complementary B.Sc. program who are interested in a focused introduction to specialized topics in pharmacology to prepare them for professional schools, graduate education, or entry into jobs in industry or research institutes.
Students should declare their intent to enter the Minor in Pharmacology at the beginning of their U2 year. They must consult with, and obtain the approval of, the Coordinator for the Minor Program in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Please contact the Student Affairs Coordinator: Chantal Grignon (undergradstudies.pharmacology [at] mcgill.ca; 514-398-3622).
All courses in the Minor program must be passed with a minimum grade C or better. Generally, no more than 6 credits of overlap are permitted between the Minor and the primary program.
Required Courses (6 credits)
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PHAR 300 Drug Action (3 credits)
Overview
Pharmacology and Therapeutics : Principles of pharmacology and toxicology. Frequently encountered drugs will be used as a focus to illustrate sites and mechanisms of action, distribution, metabolism, elimination and adverse side effects.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Zorychta, Edith; Hales, Barbara F; Thanabalasuriar, Ajitha (Fall)
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PHAR 301 Drugs and Disease (3 credits)
Overview
Pharmacology and Therapeutics : This course further explores the basic principles of pharmacology as illustrated by drugs used in the treatment of disease. Emphasis is placed on drugs used for diseases prevalent in North America.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Castagner, Bastien (Winter)
Winter
Prerequisite: PHAR 300
Complementary Courses (18 credits)
3 credits selected from the following:
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BIOC 212 Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Function (3 credits)
Overview
Biochemistry : An introductory course describing the biochemistry and molecular biology of selected key functions of animal cells, including: gene expression; mitochondrial production of metabolic energy; cellular communication with the extra-cellular environment; and regulation of cell division.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Vera Ugalde, Maria; Pause, Arnim; Reinhardt, Dieter; Kazak, Lawrence; Cockburn, Katie (Winter)
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BIOL 200 Molecular Biology (3 credits)
Overview
Biology (Sci) : The physical and chemical properties of the cell and its components in relation to their structure and function. Topics include: protein structure, enzymes and enzyme kinetics; nucleic acid replication, transcription and translation; the genetic code, mutation, recombination, and regulation of gene expression.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Champetier, Serge; Hastings, Kenneth E M; Lasko, Paul; Turney, Shaun; Reyes Lamothe, Rodrigo (Fall)
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BIOL 201 Cell Biology and Metabolism (3 credits)
Overview
Biology (Sci) : This course introduces the student to our modern understanding of cells and how they work. Major topics to be covered include: photosynthesis, energy metabolism and metabolic integration; plasma membrane including secretion, endocytosis and contact mediated interactions between cells; cytoskeleton including cell and organelle movement; the nervous system; hormone signaling; the cell cycle.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Brouhard, Gary; Hekimi, Siegfried; Zheng, Huanquan; Champetier, Serge (Winter)
3 credits selected from the following:
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PHGY 209 Mammalian Physiology 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Physiology : Physiology of body fluids, blood, body defense mechanisms, muscle, peripheral, central, and autonomic nervous systems.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Vollrath, Melissa; Ragsdale, David S; Shrier, Alvin; Cook, Erik; Aguer, Céline (Fall)
Fall
3 hours lectures weekly
Prerequisites: BIOL 112, CHEM 110, CHEM 120, PHYS 101 or PHYS 131, and PHYS 102 or PHYS 142. Pre-/co-requisites: BIOL 200, CHEM 212 or equivalent.
Restriction: Not open to students who have taken PHGY 211 or students who are taking and who have taken NSCI 200.
Restriction: For students in the Faculty of Science, and other students by permission of the instructor
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PHGY 210 Mammalian Physiology 2 (3 credits)
Overview
Physiology : Physiology of cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, endocrine and renal systems.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Vollrath, Melissa; Takano, Tomoko; Lauzon, Anne-Marie; White, John H; Aguer, Céline (Winter)
Winter
3 hours lectures weekly
Prerequisites: BIOL 112, CHEM 110, CHEM 120, PHYS 101 or PHYS 131, and PHYS 102 or PHYS 142. Pre-/co-requisite: BIOL 200, BIOL 201, BIOC 212, CHEM 212 or equivalent.
Restriction: For students in the Faculty of Science, and other students by permission of the instructor
Although PHGY 210 may be taken without the prior passing of PHGY 209, students should note that they may have some initial difficulties because of lack of familiarity with some basic concepts introduced in PHGY 209
12 credits selected from the following:
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PHAR 303 Principles of Toxicology (3 credits)
Overview
Pharmacology and Therapeutics : Fundamental mechanisms by which toxic compounds damage a biological system (organelle, cell, organ, organism, ecosystem). Detection and quantification of toxicity and risk/benefit analysis are considered. Selected agents of current risk to human health or the environment are evaluated in depth.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: McKeague, Maureen (Winter)
- PHAR 503 Drug Discovery and Development 1 (3 credits) *
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PHAR 504 Drug Discovery and Development 2 (3 credits)
Overview
Pharmacology and Therapeutics : Nobel Prize-winning discoveries as a basis for drug development.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Multhaup, Gerhard (Winter)
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PHAR 505 Structural Pharmacology (3 credits) *
Overview
Pharmacology and Therapeutics : The course will cover approaches widely used in the pharmaceuticals industry, such as drug target selection, structure determination and medicinal chemistry. The basics of structural biology will be taught in a very visual and interactive manner, with an emphasis on drug:target interactions and chemical principles relevant to drug design. By the end of the course, the students will become familiar with the structure-based drug discovery process and principles of molecular pharmacology.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Trempe, Jean-Francois; Castagner, Bastien (Fall)
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PHAR 508 Drug Discovery and Development 3 (3 credits)
Overview
Pharmacology and Therapeutics : The design of biologically-relevant drug screens for molecular targets in a cell, tissue, and in vivo setting. Explore the use of stem cells and tissue-based disease models for the understanding of disease and for drug discovery. Situate modern pharmacology into broader medical and societal issues such as personalized medicine and the ethics associated with research.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Hebert, Terence (Winter)
Prerequisite(s): PHAR 301 (PHAR 503 or PHAR 505 are also highly recommended)
Restriction(s): Open to U3 students in the minor, major or honours program in Pharmacology.
Not open to students who have taken PHAR 558.
Assessment modalities- in class presentations and discussion, take-home exams and writing exercises.
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PHAR 510 New Advances in Antimicrobial (3 credits)
Overview
Pharmacology and Therapeutics : Overview on bacteria, insights into bacterial pathogenesis, an understanding of antibiotics, and new developments in antibacterial to beat antibiotic resistance.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Restrictions: Open to U3 students and above. Class capacity is first come first serve, after the first 15 students, the next 10 students priority will be given to MIMM and PHAR students. Not open to students who have taken or are taking MIMM 510.
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PHAR 540 Advances in Industrial Biotechnology
(3 credits)
Overview
Pharmacology and Therapeutics : Introduction to emerging technologies and research advances in biotechnologies. Topics include semisynthetic production of drugs and drug candidates through large-scale fermentation, next generation synthesis of DNA and whole genes, green toxicology, single-molecule diagnostics, orphan-drug re-purposing, and next- generation genomic analyses in drug development. Translational research, issues of entrepreneurship, sustainability, and ethics are also covered.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: McKeague, Maureen (Winter)
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PHAR 562 Neuropharmacology (3 credits)
Overview
Pharmacology and Therapeutics : Topics in pharmacology with an emphasis on molecular mechanisms of drug-action and cellular targets in the nervous system.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Bowie, Derek (Fall)
Fall
Prerequisite: PHAR 301 or with permission of instructor.
Restriction: Open to U3 students in the minor, major or honours program in Pharmacology, or with permission of instructor.
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PHAR 563 Endocrine Pharmacology (3 credits)
Overview
Pharmacology and Therapeutics : This advanced course covers selected topics in pharmacology of reproductive, endocrine, and metabolic disorders.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: Bernard, Daniel (Fall)
Prerequisite: PHAR 301 or permission of the instructor(s)
Restriction: Open to U3 students in the minor, major or honours program in Pharmacology, or with permission of instructor.
Course material will be presented in the form of lectures and student-led presentations.
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PHAR 565 Epigenetic Drugs and Targets (3 credits)
Overview
Pharmacology and Therapeutics : This course covers therapeutics targeting epigenetic mechanisms. Although only a handful of epigenetic drugs are in widespread use, further development of such agents is a very active area of research as it has the potential to directly target aberrant gene expression. This course will examine both the current use and potential of epigenetic drugs in treatment of cancer, neurological diseases, immune disorders, and cardiovascular disease. The concept of epigenetics as mediating gene-environment interaction will also be discussed.
Terms: Winter 2025
Instructors: Tanny, Jason (Winter)
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PHAR 599D1 Pharmacology Research Project (3 credits) **
Overview
Pharmacology and Therapeutics : Mechanisms involved in different pathologies and drug actions.
Terms: Fall 2024
Instructors: McKinney, R. Anne; Maysinger, Dusica; Tanny, Jason (Fall)
Fall
Minimum of 9 hours/week to be spent in the lab and/or library.
Restriction: U3 students with permission of instructors; students should consult instructors 3 - 4 weeks before registration.
Please see regulations concerning Project Courses.
Students must register for both PHAR 599D1 and PHAR 599D2.
No credit will be given for this course unless both PHAR 599D1 and PHAR 599D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms
PHAR 599D1 and PHAR 599D2 together are equivalent to PHAR 599
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PHAR 599D2 Pharmacology Research Project (3 credits) **
Overview
Pharmacology and Therapeutics : See PHAR 599D1 for course description.
Terms: Fall 2024, Winter 2025
Instructors: McKinney, R. Anne; Maysinger, Dusica; Tanny, Jason (Fall) McKinney, R. Anne; Maysinger, Dusica; Tanny, Jason (Winter)
Winter
Minimum of 9 hours per week to be spent in the lab and/or library.
Prerequisite: PHAR 599D1
No credit will be given for this course unless both PHAR 599D1 and PHAR 599D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms
PHAR 599D1 and PHAR 599D2 together are equivalent to PHAR 599
* Students may take either PHAR 503 or PHAR 505.
** PHAR 599D1 and PHAR 599D2 are taken together.
