Pharmacology & Molecular Genetics

A pharmacology and genetics degree in the heart of London. Pharmacology is the study of drugs and their effects on the human body, while genetics is the study of the structure and function of genes and genomes.
Watch the video here, or access the 'interactive' tab to view at a larger size and see any alternative films playOverviewVideo('/prospectus/images/home.jpg','http://podcast.ulcc.ac.uk/accounts/kings/KCL_Marketing/BHS_NON_PROFESSIONAL.flv','true','details_81'); KEY BENEFITS

• Europe's largest centre for medical and professional healthcare education.
• Only university to host six Medical Research Council centres.
• Teaching by internationally renowned scientists and researchers.
• Contemporary approach based on our history of pioneering discoveries – including our part in finding the structure of DNA.
• Career opportunities through international exchanges and working in industry.
• Top-rated Pharmacology programme in latest National Student Survey.

PROGRAMME DESCRIPTIONThe Pharmacology & Molecular Genetics BSc degree is jointly organised by the Departments of Pharmacology and Biochemistry in recognition of the need for graduates who are conversant with the concepts and techniques of both disciplines.

Pharmacology is the study of drugs and their effects on the human body, while genetics is the study of the structure and function of genes and genomes (the genome is the entire genetic material of an organism) in order to understand how they determine inherited characteristics.

Genomics is a powerful tool in the study of human genetic variation: the small differences in alleles between individuals can affect their characteristics and health. It is closely related to the term 'pharmacogenetics' which is the study of variation of a drug's effectiveness and toxicity between individuals in relation to variation in their genome. Genomics also comes into play in the term 'toxicogenomics' in which changes in gene expression are investigated as a means of classifying and understanding the harm produced by toxic substances (including drugs) to which we may be exposed.

Organisations such as the Pharmacogenetics Research Network are co-ordinating major programmes on the relationship between genes, disease and treatment. Try entering the key words in the paragraphs above into an internet search engine and just see how much interest there is in these fields. Already such studies are of major importance to the medical profession and pharmaceutical industry, as drug design and treatments are being influenced by an understanding of the genetic variation between individual patients. In addition, our growing knowledge of the molecular basis of disease allows the development of new therapies based on rational drug design.

Graduates from this course will be well qualified to contribute to these rapidly growing fields. They will also be well qualified for general biomedical fields and graduate entry to medicine.

First and second yearAfter taking the first year modules common to most of our programmes, in their second year students will take a selection of the core modules from the Pharmacology and Molecular Genetics degrees. The programme places emphasis on the acquisition of practical laboratory skills. For example, in the Gene Cloning module students learn and put into practice the basic techniques used in handling recombinant DNA. The Drug Discovery & Development module focuses on the processes involved in discovering and licensing new drugs and is taught partly by experts from the pharmaceutical industry. The therapeutic application of drugs is taught in Drugs & Disease.

Optional year in industry/research
A one-year placement in industry or a research institute ('extramural year') is available to selected students with good first and second year results. This gives students valuable firsthand experience of laboratory-based research.
Final year
In the final year the modules and teaching topics available to students reflect the research interests of the two departments involved in the degree. All students take Molecular Genetics of Model Organisms, Advanced Molecular Genetics and Cell & Molecular Pharmacology. The remainder of your modules are chosen from a wide range of final year courses. You will also complete a project, ideally laboratory-based, where you will have the opportunity to work under supervision on an original piece of experimental or literature-based research.
Optional MSci in Integrated Pharmacology & Physiology for Research
At the end of the 3-year BSc programme, some students opt to carry out a further year of study at King's to obtain specialist training in integrative models of disease. This training includes a period in industry working on an integrative research project. Students then graduate with an MSci degree in Integrated Pharmacology & Physiology for Research.

ABOUT THE Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics
CAREERS King’s pharmacology graduates are highly attractive to a variety of employers. Some of our graduates are employed as research scientists in university, hospital or industrial laboratories where they design and carry out experiments to examine the usefulness of new drugs or new drug targets. Many are studying for higher degrees such as an MSc or a PhD. Others have joined pharmaceutical companies as medical sales representatives or medical information officers who monitor scientific literature for publications relevant to the company’s research. Companies also employ pharmacology graduates as drug registration officers who submit research findings to the international registration authorities for approval before new medicines are released for general use, or as clinical research associates involved in the design and coordination of clinical trials of new drugs. Graduate entry into medicine is becoming increasingly popular and a pharmacology degree provides an excellent platform and training for this. Studying pharmacology will also equip you with a wide range of transferable skills including data gathering, analysis and interpretation, presentation skills and teamwork, which will be relevant for graduate careers with many public and private sector employers. Recent graduates have found employment as… • Pharmacologist, Novartis • Clinical Research Assistant, Parexel International • Laboratory Assistant, P&G • Regulatory Compliance Administrator, a charity • Project Manager, Ford Motor Company
TEACHING STYLE Teaching is delivered by a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical laboratory work. Tutorials are teaching sessions between an academic tutor and small groups of students where there is an opportunity to discuss work in detail and where subjects for coursework are agreed. Student seminars, involving larger groups, poster presentations (like those used at formal scientific meetings) and personal tutor sessions supplement tutorials. We use our research experiences not only to advance the scientific field, but also to enhance our teaching and in your final year especially you will be able to choose from a range of subjects that reflect our expertise. We also maintain strong links with colleagues in the pharmaceutical industries who support our extramural year programme and also deliver teaching on some of our courses.
STRUCTURE OF PROGRAMMES & ASSESSMENT The first year is common to all degrees within the School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, to allow flexibility between programmes in subsequent years. Topics covered in year one provide a firm foundation for the subsequent in-depth study of pharmacology. In Year Two, pharmacology becomes the main focus of study with topics covering the mechanisms of drug action, their current clinical utility in disease and the drug discovery process in general. In your final year, in addition to learning up-to-date information in a wide range of our specialist pharmacological areas, you may also work in one of our state-of-the art research laboratories investigating exciting topics as diverse as the regulation of intracellular messengers in single cells, the effects of novel drugs in animal models of disease or the effects of drugs on human guinea pigs. Assessment is usually by written examination at the end of each academic year. Increasing importance is being given to coursework which takes a variety of forms including essay writing, laboratory reports, talks and poster presentations.
LOCATION As a large multifaculty university, we have excellent social and sporting facilities, but a key attraction is our central London location. Our three campuses along the River Thames are located in the cultural and social heart of the capital and offer our students the opportunity to explore art galleries, theatres, museums, markets, restaurants and cafés.
SPECIAL NOTES Year in industry/research Between the second and final year of the BSc in Pharmacology you may apply to undertake an extramural year during which you are placed in paid employment to work on an approved experimental project. This provides an excellent opportunity to gain valuable experience of research in industry as well as supplementing your overall learning experience. Study abroad You may also opt to study abroad for your second year with our partner institutions in the USA, Australia, Singapore or Sweden. MSci in Integrated Pharmacology & Physiology for Research Some students opt to carry our a fourth year at King's to obtain specialist training in integrative models of disease, graduating with an MSci degree in Integrated Pharmacology & Physiology for Research.

ABOUT THE Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics
CAREERS King’s pharmacology graduates are highly attractive to a variety of employers. Some of our graduates are employed as research scientists in university, hospital or industrial laboratories where they design and carry out experiments to examine the usefulness of new drugs or new drug targets. Many are studying for higher degrees such as an MSc or a PhD. Others have joined pharmaceutical companies as medical sales representatives or medical information officers who monitor scientific literature for publications relevant to the company’s research. Companies also employ pharmacology graduates as drug registration officers who submit research findings to the international registration authorities for approval before new medicines are released for general use, or as clinical research associates involved in the design and coordination of clinical trials of new drugs. Graduate entry into medicine is becoming increasingly popular and a pharmacology degree provides an excellent platform and training for this. Studying pharmacology will also equip you with a wide range of transferable skills including data gathering, analysis and interpretation, presentation skills and teamwork, which will be relevant for graduate careers with many public and private sector employers. Recent graduates have found employment as… • Pharmacologist, Novartis • Clinical Research Assistant, Parexel International • Laboratory Assistant, P&G • Regulatory Compliance Administrator, a charity • Project Manager, Ford Motor Company
TEACHING STYLE Teaching is delivered by a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical laboratory work. Tutorials are teaching sessions between an academic tutor and small groups of students where there is an opportunity to discuss work in detail and where subjects for coursework are agreed. Student seminars, involving larger groups, poster presentations (like those used at formal scientific meetings) and personal tutor sessions supplement tutorials. We use our research experiences not only to advance the scientific field, but also to enhance our teaching and in your final year especially you will be able to choose from a range of subjects that reflect our expertise. We also maintain strong links with colleagues in the pharmaceutical industries who support our extramural year programme and also deliver teaching on some of our courses.
STRUCTURE OF PROGRAMMES & ASSESSMENT The first year is common to all degrees within the School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, to allow flexibility between programmes in subsequent years. Topics covered in year one provide a firm foundation for the subsequent in-depth study of pharmacology. In Year Two, pharmacology becomes the main focus of study with topics covering the mechanisms of drug action, their current clinical utility in disease and the drug discovery process in general. In your final year, in addition to learning up-to-date information in a wide range of our specialist pharmacological areas, you may also work in one of our state-of-the art research laboratories investigating exciting topics as diverse as the regulation of intracellular messengers in single cells, the effects of novel drugs in animal models of disease or the effects of drugs on human guinea pigs. Assessment is usually by written examination at the end of each academic year. Increasing importance is being given to coursework which takes a variety of forms including essay writing, laboratory reports, talks and poster presentations.
LOCATION As a large multifaculty university, we have excellent social and sporting facilities, but a key attraction is our central London location. Our three campuses along the River Thames are located in the cultural and social heart of the capital and offer our students the opportunity to explore art galleries, theatres, museums, markets, restaurants and cafés.
SPECIAL NOTES Year in industry/research Between the second and final year of the BSc in Pharmacology you may apply to undertake an extramural year during which you are placed in paid employment to work on an approved experimental project. This provides an excellent opportunity to gain valuable experience of research in industry as well as supplementing your overall learning experience. Study abroad You may also opt to study abroad for your second year with our partner institutions in the USA, Australia, Singapore or Sweden. MSci in Integrated Pharmacology & Physiology for Research Some students opt to carry our a fourth year at King's to obtain specialist training in integrative models of disease, graduating with an MSci degree in Integrated Pharmacology & Physiology for Research.