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British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Nov 2013
Topics: Drug Design; Drug Therapy; Humans; Pharmacology; Pharmacology, Clinical
PubMed: 23362953
DOI: 10.1111/bcp.12088 -
Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Feb 2016Biomarkers have the potential to expedite drug development, increase patient safety, and optimize clinical response. Yet few have achieved regulatory qualification. A... (Review)
Review
Biomarkers have the potential to expedite drug development, increase patient safety, and optimize clinical response. Yet few have achieved regulatory qualification. A survey was conducted to clarify industry's perspective on biomarker qualification and identify the most promising biomarkers for drug development. The results across toxicities/clinical areas highlight challenges in regulatory qualification, although early prioritization and alignment on an evidentiary standard framework are key factors in facilitating biomarker development and qualification.
Topics: Biomarkers; Biomarkers, Pharmacological; Drug Industry; Health Care Sector; Humans; Patient Safety; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Pharmacology; Surveys and Questionnaires; United States; United States Food and Drug Administration
PubMed: 26378777
DOI: 10.1002/cpt.264 -
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Jun 2012Continuing development of safe and effective new medicines is critically important for global health, social prosperity and the economy. The drug discovery-development...
Continuing development of safe and effective new medicines is critically important for global health, social prosperity and the economy. The drug discovery-development pipeline depends critically on close partnerships between scientists and clinicians and on educational programmes that ensure that the pharmacological workforce, in its broadest sense, is fit for purpose. Here I consider factors that have influenced the development of basic and clinical pharmacology in UK universities over the past 40 years and discuss ways in which basic pharmacologists, clinical pharmacologists and scientists from different disciplines can work together effectively, while retaining their professional identities and fostering developments in their disciplines. Specifically, I propose the establishment of Institutes of Drug Discovery and Development, whose activities could include development and implementation of a translational pharmacology research strategy, drawing on the collective expertise of the membership and the university as whole; provision of a forum for regular seminars and symposia to promote the discipline, encourage collaboration and develop a cohesive community; provision of a research advisory service, covering, for example, data management, applications for ethics permission, clinical trials design, statistics and regulatory affairs; liaison with potential funders and leadership of major funding bids, including funding for doctoral training; provision of advice on intellectual property protection and the commercialization of research; liaison with corporate partners to facilitate collaboration, knowledge transfer and effective translation; and leadership of undergraduate and postgraduate education in basic and clinical pharmacology and related sciences for medical and science students, including continuing professional development and transferable skills.
Topics: Biomedical Research; Education, Medical; Humans; Pharmacology; Pharmacology, Clinical; Research Personnel; United Kingdom; Universities
PubMed: 22360628
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.2012.04225.x -
Trends in Pharmacological Sciences Feb 2016The study of mechanobiology is now widespread. The impact of cell and tissue mechanics on cellular responses is well appreciated. However, knowledge of the impact of... (Review)
Review
The study of mechanobiology is now widespread. The impact of cell and tissue mechanics on cellular responses is well appreciated. However, knowledge of the impact of cell and tissue mechanics on pharmacological responsiveness, and its application to drug screening and mechanistic investigations, have been very limited in scope. We emphasize the need for a heightened awareness of the important bidirectional influence of drugs and biomechanics in all living systems. We propose that the term 'mechanopharmacology' be applied to approaches that employ in vitro systems, biomechanically appropriate to the relevant (patho)physiology, to identify new drugs and drug targets. This article describes the models and techniques that are being developed to transform drug screening and evaluation, ranging from a 2D environment to the dynamic 3D environment of the target expressed in the disease of interest.
Topics: Biomechanical Phenomena; Cell Physiological Phenomena; Compressive Strength; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Humans; Pharmacology; Shear Strength; Tensile Strength
PubMed: 26651416
DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2015.10.005 -
Pharmacology Research & Perspectives Aug 2021Pharmacology education currently lacks an agreed knowledge curriculum. Evidence from physics and biology education indicates that core concepts are useful and effective...
Pharmacology education currently lacks an agreed knowledge curriculum. Evidence from physics and biology education indicates that core concepts are useful and effective structures around which such a curriculum can be designed to facilitate student learning. Building on previous work, we developed a novel, criterion-based method to identify the core concepts of pharmacology education. Five novel criteria were developed, based on a literature search, to separate core concepts in pharmacology from topics and facts. Core concepts were agreed to be big ideas, enduring, difficult, applicable across contexts, and useful to solve problems. An exploratory survey of 33 pharmacology educators from Australia and New Zealand produced 109 terms, which were reduced to a working list of 26 concepts during an online workshop. Next, an expert group of 12 educators refined the working list to 19 concepts, by applying the five criteria and consolidating synonyms, and added three additional concepts that emerged during discussions. A confirmatory survey of a larger group resulted in 17 core concepts of pharmacology education. This list may be useful for educators to evaluate existing curricula, design new curricula, and to inform the development of a concept inventory to test attainment of the core concepts in pharmacology.
Topics: Australia; Curriculum; Delphi Technique; Faculty; Humans; New Zealand; Pharmacology; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 34288559
DOI: 10.1002/prp2.836 -
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Sep 2022
Topics: Humans; Pharmacogenetics; Pharmacology, Clinical
PubMed: 35347744
DOI: 10.1111/bcp.15329 -
Indian Journal of Pharmacology Oct 2016Pharmacology was introduced with Western Medical Education in India in 1900s. RN Chopra was the first Professor of Pharmacology along with patient care in School of...
Pharmacology was introduced with Western Medical Education in India in 1900s. RN Chopra was the first Professor of Pharmacology along with patient care in School of Tropical Medicine Calcutta. Now Pharmacologists do not have clinical care nor give laboratory services to hospitals. Medical Education advanced in the West in 1960s with more emphasis on Integrated Teaching and Student Self-study and less on didactic lectures. System Based Learning and Problem Based Learning reduced importance of individual subjects. Medical Council of India (MCI) has mandatory regulations with no major changes in the last 5 decades. Universities and Medical institutions have no freedom in teaching programs. In Pharmacology didactic lectures dominate teaching. Practicals started with Dispensing Pharmacy were later replaced with Experimental Pharmacology. At present after restrictions on animals for study practicals are converted to Theoretical Exercises on Prescription writing and Incompatibilities. Students study mostly before examinations with little influence of yearlong teaching. Suggestions in line with Western Countries: Reduce the course of Pharmacology to 6 months. Examinations should be completely Internal with frequent tests by Internal Examiners. MD (Therapeutics) course may be introduced to teach Pharmacology in first semester. MCI rules to be only advisory and not mandatory. Teaching Institutions should form an independent Association and have freedom in teaching programs. A Nonofficial National Board of Medical Examination has to be formed to conduct an Entrance Test for admissions to Medical College and a National test for each graduate before registration.
Topics: Animal Experimentation; Animals; Biomedical Research; Curriculum; Education, Medical; Humans; India; Learning; Pharmacology; Students, Medical; Teaching
PubMed: 28031600
DOI: 10.4103/0253-7613.193328 -
Indian Journal of Pharmacology 2014The use of animals in research and education dates back to the period when humans started to look for ways to prevent and cure ailments. Most of present day's drug... (Review)
Review
The use of animals in research and education dates back to the period when humans started to look for ways to prevent and cure ailments. Most of present day's drug discoveries were possible because of the use of animals in research. The dilemma to continue animal experiments in education and research continues with varied and confusing guidelines. However, the animal use and their handling vary in each laboratory and educational institution. It has been reported that the animals are being subjected to painful procedures in education and training unnecessarily. The extensive use of animals in toxicity studies and testing dermatological preparations has raised concerns about the ways animals are sacrificed for these "irrelevant experiments". On the other side of the coin are scientists who advocate the relevant and judicious use of animals in research so that new discoveries can continue. In this review, we discuss the evolution of the use of animals in education and research and how these have been affected in recent times owing to concerns from animal lovers and government regulations. A number of computer simulation and other models have been recommended for use as alternatives to use of animals for pharmacology education. In this review we also discuss some of these alternatives.
Topics: Animal Experimentation; Animals; Biomedical Research; Drug Discovery; Government Regulation; Pharmacology
PubMed: 24987170
DOI: 10.4103/0253-7613.132153 -
Pharmacology Research & Perspectives Dec 2021Pharmacology education currently lacks a research-based consensus on which core concepts all graduates should know and understand, as well as a valid and reliable means...
Pharmacology education currently lacks a research-based consensus on which core concepts all graduates should know and understand, as well as a valid and reliable means to assess core conceptual learning. The Core Concepts in Pharmacology Expert Group (CC-PEG) from Australia and New Zealand recently identified a set of core concepts of pharmacology education as a first step toward developing a concept inventory-a valid and reliable tool to assess learner attainment of concepts. In the current study, CC-PEG used established methodologies to define each concept and then unpack its key components. Expert working groups of three to seven educators were formed to unpack concepts within specific conceptual groupings: what the body does to the drug (pharmacokinetics); what the drug does to the body (pharmacodynamics); and system integration and modification of drug-response. First, a one-sentence definition was developed for each core concept. Next, sub-concepts were established for each core concept. These twenty core concepts, along with their respective definitions and sub-concepts, can provide pharmacology educators with a resource to guide the development of new curricula and the evaluation of existing curricula. The unpacking and articulation of these core concepts will also inform the development of a pharmacology concept inventory. We anticipate that these resources will advance further collaboration across the international pharmacology education community to improve curricula, teaching, assessment, and learning.
Topics: Australia; Cooperative Behavior; Curriculum; Humans; Learning; New Zealand; Pharmacology; Teaching
PubMed: 34817122
DOI: 10.1002/prp2.894 -
CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems... Mar 2023Good eyesight belongs to the most-valued attributes of health, and diseases of the eye are a significant healthcare burden. Case numbers are expected to further increase... (Review)
Review
Good eyesight belongs to the most-valued attributes of health, and diseases of the eye are a significant healthcare burden. Case numbers are expected to further increase in the next decades due to an aging society. The development of drugs in ophthalmology, however, is difficult due to limited accessibility of the eye, in terms of drug administration and in terms of sampling of tissues for drug pharmacokinetics (PKs) and pharmacodynamics (PDs). Ocular quantitative systems pharmacology models provide the opportunity to describe the distribution of drugs in the eye as well as the resulting drug-response in specific segments of the eye. In particular, ocular physiologically-based PK (PBPK) models are necessary to describe drug concentration levels in different regions of the eye. Further, ocular effect models using molecular data from specific cellular systems are needed to develop dose-response correlations. We here describe the current status of PK/PBPK as well as PD models for the eyes and discuss cellular systems, data repositories, as well as animal models in ophthalmology. The application of the various concepts is highlighted for the development of new treatments for postoperative fibrosis after glaucoma surgery.
Topics: Animals; Network Pharmacology; Models, Biological; Pharmaceutical Preparations; Pharmacology
PubMed: 36708082
DOI: 10.1002/psp4.12918