You are to write a paper examining a topic regarding pharmacology research. The research may be basic science, translational, clinical, or a combination. Your paper should include references to empirical data and should not simply be a review of current clinical use, mechanism of action, or past history of a drug or class of drugs. You MUST write on one of the paper topics below.
Your goal is to demonstrate that you have a working understanding of the pharmacological information presented in this course and that you are able to apply that understanding to new material.
Success in communicating scientific knowledge is dependent on not only the quality of the scientific content, but also your ability to coherently put your thoughts into words and the technical aspects of spelling and grammar. With this in mind, your grade will be based on all of these aspects. With that said, scientific writing should be succinct and to the point. It should not be flowery and verbose. Your goal is to make sure your writing style does not detract from the effectiveness of the paper. Write something that conveys your message, doesn’t have obvious grammatical mistakes, doesn’t have typos, and isn’t overtly clunky, and you should receive full points for your writing style.
It is suggested that you use citation manager software. More information about this can be found in the course FAQ.
Allowed Topics
Reasons and factors for the shift from small-molecules to biologics. Discuss how the discovery/development process is different between the two. Include data showing the effectiveness of an early biologic.
Computer to bedside. Discuss how computational methods have partially replaced the need for lab work in drug discovery and development. Include data showing the effectiveness of this strategy.
The increasing importance of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics. Discuss how our increasing understanding of genetic differences impact the discovery and development of new drugs. Include data showing the application of these concepts to the development of a specific drug. (Students who choose this topic often fail to directly link it to DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENT. Don’t make the same mistake.)
The ocean in a pill. Discuss methods and techniques for discovering new medications in organisms taken from the ocean. Include data showing the application of these concepts to the discovery of a specific drug.
The use of non-traditional testing methods to minimize the use of mammalian animals in drug discovery and development. Be sure to include data from an example of the use of one of these methods.
Esomeprazole: Medical Advancement or Marketing Ploy? Discuss factors leading to the development of esomeprazole, how it was developed, and it’s marketing. Be sure to present this in the frame of drug discovery/development and be sure to use priary sources when possible.
