Courses with Gaps

Introduction: Medicines and discovery processes. Initial stages: Target discovery; applications of molecular biology, in silico methods and assays; lead discovery; lead optimization; biomarkers. Measurement of drug properties: assay techniques; agonists (full, partial, inverse and biased); competitive antagonists. In vivo models; pharmacokinetic profiles of compounds; pharmacogenetics and formulations. Pre-clinical safety assessment including acute toxicity evaluation, subacute and chronic toxicity studies, reproductive toxicity, carcinogenicity studies, mutagenicity and mechanistic toxicity studies. Limitations of preclinical studies. Problems associated with drug discovery and development. Later stages: Pharmaceutical development; phases of clinical evaluation; ethics (informed consent, good clinical practice, participation criteria, sponsorship) and concepts in clinical trial design. Pharmacovigilance. e-Learning Activity Links are provided to additional resources (further reading, videos, on-line activities) to support the lecture content. Online self-assessment modules on the course content can be provided for formative feedback. Practical: Experiments are designed to reflect the topics covered including spectrophotometry, chromatography, flow cytometry.

Introductory chemistry of amino acids; their properties, reactions and biological functions. Classification of amino acids: neutral, basic and acidic; polar and non-polar; essential and non- essential amino acids. Peptides. Introductory chemistry and classification of proteins. Biological functions of proteins. Methods of their isolation, purification and identification. Primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures of proteins. Basic principles of tests for proteins and amino acids. Introductory chemistry of carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids. Nomenclature of nucleosides, and nucleotides; effects of acid and alkali on hydrolysis of nucleic acids.

Introductory chemistry of amino acids, their properties, reactions and biological functions. Classification of amino acids: neutral, basic and acidic; polar and non-polar; essential and non- essential amino acids. Peptides. Introductory chemistry and classification of proteins. Biological functions of proteins. Methods of their isolation, purification and identification. Primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures of proteins. Basic principles of tests for proteins and amino acids. Introductory chemistry of carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids. Nomenclature of nucleosides and nucleotides, effects of acid and alkali on hydrolysis of nucleic acids.

Descriptive terms, plans and terms of relationship of the human body, terms of comparison, attachment of muscles, types of muscles, movements of joints. Osteology, principles of kinesiology, general organisation of body system. Cutaneous innervation of the upper limb; pectoral region; breast; axilla; shoulder region; arm and cubital fossa; flexor compartment of forearm; extensor compartment of forearm; hand; venous and lymphatic drainage of the upper limb. Applied anatomy of nerves; blood supply of the upper limb. Cutaneous innervation of the lower limb; femoral triangle; adductor canal and medial side of the thigh; gluteal region; back of the thigh, popliteal fossa; extensor compartment of the leg and dorsum of the foot; peroneal and flexor compartment of the leg; sole of the foot, arches of the foot; mechanism of walking; venous and lymphatic drainage of the lower limb; applied anatomy of the nerves and blood supply to the lower limb.

Introduction - Theory of Chemical Neurotransmission Evidence for Acetylcholine as a Cholinergic neurotransmitter. Detection and Bioassay of acetylcholine. Cholinergic receptors, sites of action of acetylcholine at the Neuromuscular junction. Agonists and antagonists of cholinergic transmission. Parasympathomimetic and parasympatholytic drugs. Structure – Activity Relationships among the cholinergic and anticholinergic agents. Cholinesterases and anti- cholinesterases. Properties and uses of anti-cholinesterases (reversible and irreversible). Brief mention of cholinesterase reactivators (pralidoxime, obidoxime) and their uses. Neuromuscular transmission and drugs which enhance neuromuscular transmission. Neuromuscular Blockade. Smooth muscle relaxants. Ganglion stimulation and blockade and their properties.

Fundamental and derived quantities and units. Equation of motion, concepts of force work energy, power, momentum energy conservation. Fields, Electrostatics, Physical Factors governing capacitance, charging and discharging capacitor and their uses in Radiological Equipment, basic x-ray circuitry and many others. Basic computer Architecture and peripherals. Electromagnetic and Electromagnetic induction, Lenz laws, Mutual and Self-induction. principles and construction of the transformer. Transformer Parameters, uses of mutual and self-inductance in autotransformers and High Tension transformers, AC theory and sources of electric power supply. current electricity, solid state devices, Rectification, principles and uses in Radiology, concept of energy. Atomic structure, Bohr’s atom elements of quantum mechanics applied to atom, Heisenberg’s uncertainty theory, de Broglie wavelength, Schrodinger equation and configuration of atoms. The nuclear structure and models, nuclear instability and radioactivity, Wave and Quantum methods of Energy Transfer and applications in radiology, production of X-rays, Radioactivity and radioactive decay, half-life, counters, units of activity and measurement, K- capture. The atom, isotopes, isobars, isomers, nuclear binding energies, and inverse square law, effects of filtration. Luminescence and their applications. Interaction of radiation (emr and particulate radiation) with matter and their applications in medical imaging and radiotherapy. Attenuation of radiation shielding and filtration.

The cell theory. Structures and functions of major cell components. Cell types, constancy and diversity. Cell organelles of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Chemical composition of cells. Centrifugation and methods of cell fractionation. Structure, function and fractionation of extra- cellular organelles. Water, total body water and its distribution. Regulation of water and electrolyte balance. Disorder of water and electrolyte balance. Acidity and alkalinity, pH and pK values and their effects on cellular activities.

The course is planned to equip the undergraduates in all the disciplines of health sciences with the necessary tools and skills for collecting, analysing, interpreting data quantitatively. Topics to be covered include: The central role of statistics in health sciences disciplines, data description, elements of probability. Description of random variables. Applications of the binomial and normal distributions. Estimation and confidence intervals. Contingency tables. Regression and variance analysis. Study design and hypothesis testing for practical purposes. Students are provided with specific data to work on and are also required to develop simple questionnaire protocols for analysis.

Variability in biological data: continuous and discontinuous variables. statistical sampling procedures. observations and problems of estimation. representation and summarisation of biological data. frequency distribution. measures of central tendency and dispersion. Probability theory. normal, binomial and Poisson distribution. t-test, f-test and chi-square test. analysis of variance (ANOVA) and covariance. principles of experimental design. correlation, linear and curvilinear regression and transformation.

Variability in biological data: Continuous and discontinuous variables; statistical sampling procedures – observations and problems of estimation; Representation and summarisation of biological data; Frequency distribution; Measures of central tendency and dispersion; Probability theory; Normal, binomial and Poisson distribution; t-test, F-test and chi-square test, Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and covariance; Principles of experimental design; Correlation, linear and curvilinear regression; Transformation.