(Pharmacology )
Pharmacology is the science of drug action on biological systems. In its entirety, it embraces knowledge of the sources, chemical properties, biological effects and therapeutic uses of drugs. Pharmacology is a science that is basic not only to medicine, but also to pharmacy, nursing, dentistry and veterinary medicine. Pharmacological studies range from those that determine the effects of chemical agents upon subcellular mechanisms, to those that deal with the potential hazards of pesticides and herbicides, to those that focus on the treatment and prevention of major diseases by drug therapy. Integrating a depth of knowledge in many related scientific disciplines, pharmacologists offer a unique perspective to solving drug-, hormone-, and chemical-related problems which impinge on human health. As they unlock the mysteries of drug actions, discover new therapies, and develop new medicinal products, they inevitably touch upon all our lives.
Pharmacology is helping to create some of the fastest paced medical advances today. It is exciting to be at the heart of this research. It gives me a lot of fulfillment to know that the science to generate significant improvements in medical treatments. Pharmacology incorporates so many disciplines – biology, chemistry, genomics, and physiology. Pharmacology has a greater emphasis than other life sciences on eventually finding a practical application for research results.
Pharmacologists who wish to pursue joint teaching and research careers in academic institutions can join university faculties in all areas of the health sciences, including medicine, pharmacology, dentistry, osteopathy, veterinary medicine, and nursing. Government institutions employ pharmacologists in research centers such as the National Institutes of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control. Government laboratories engage in basic research to study the actions and effects of pharmacological agents. The FDA assumes drug safety and regulatory responsibilities. The applications of pharmacology to health and to agriculture have resulted in phenomenal growth of the drug manufacturing industry.
Multinational pharmaceutical corporations utilize large staffs of pharmacologists to develop products and to determine molecular or biochemical actions of various chemicals; toxicologists determine the safety of drugs with therapeutic potential. Collaborating with scientists from many backgrounds contributes to the thrill of entering unexplored realms and participating in discoveries that have an impact on life and health. Divisions of Pharmacology are cardiovascular pharmacology, Behavioral pharmacology, Biochemical and Cellular pharmacology, Immuno pharmacology, Chemotherapy, Clinical pharmacology, Pharmacotherapeutics, Pharmacoepidemiology, Pharmacoeconomics, Drug discovery, Drug development and Regulatory affairs, Endocrine pharmacology, Neuropharmacology, Molecular pharmacology, Systems and Integrative Pharmacology, Toxicology and Veterinary pharmacology.
The theory classes reveals the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics properties of the drugs which provide enough knowledge about the pharmacological action, adverse effect ,drug interactions and mechanism of action depends on molecular as well as physical properties of drugs along with dose and use.
The practical class focusing on the drug receptor interactions which reveals the affinity as well as intrinsic activities of drugs on isolated organs or whole animals. The students get exposure to pharmacological screening of chemical moieties in laboratory animals (Wistar rat, Albino mice). Careers for a pharmacologist include Clinical trials, Clinical Pharmacology, academic positions (medical and non-medical), governmental positions, private industrial positions, scientific writing, Pharmacovigilance scientific patents and law, biotech and pharmaceutical employment, food industry, forensics/law enforcement, Clinical research, Clinical research assistant, public health, and environmental/ecological sciences. We, in India today, are living in a transitional era. On one hand, we are swamped by the global financial meltdown while on the other, we are witnessing a slow but sure revival of the manufacturing and agricultural sectors. It is evident that highly trained and skilled professionals will be needed in vast numbers to enable our country's transition towards industrial and financial self-sufficiency. In this changing scenario, technology will continue to be a major catalyst for enabling the country's transformation .So the demand for quality technical education in India is huge.