Overview

Understanding how medicines work at the molecular and cellular level sits at the heart of pharmacology, a science with direct bearing on how new treatments for disease are discovered and developed. The BSc (Hons) Pharmacology at Aston University is grounded in internationally recognised research into disease mechanisms and drug therapies, taught by active researchers with strong ties to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. Students use sector-leading, recently refurbished laboratories to investigate receptor theory, cellular communication and brain function, working alongside neuroscience students in the early years before specialising in areas like neuropharmacology and toxicology. The course suits students with genuine curiosity about drug action and disease, with an optional placement year supporting entry into pharmaceutical, biomedical or clinical careers.

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What You'll Learn

• Receptor theory, toxins and how drugs and toxins reveal physiological function

• Biochemistry, cell biology and the molecular mechanisms underlying how cells and neurons work

• Immunobiology and the systems that make up the immune response

• Peripheral and central nervous system pharmacology, including antidepressants, sedatives and anaesthetics

• Personalised medicine, pharmacogenomics and how genetics shapes drug treatment

• Toxicology, medicine safety and the role of selective toxicity in disease therapy

• Advanced pharmacology from drug target through to market, applied to conditions such as schizophrenia and epilepsy

• An independent final-year research project, delivered as laboratory research or a systematic literature review

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Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to explain and evaluate hypotheses concerning cellular and systems biology as they apply to pharmacology, connecting molecular mechanisms to whole-body function. They will be equipped to critically evaluate current research and emerging therapeutic approaches, including personalised medicine and toxicology. Through practical laboratory work and an independent research project, students will develop strong data analysis, experimental design and scientific communication skills, both written and oral. Graduates will leave with a research-informed understanding of drug action and disease, well prepared for careers in drug discovery, clinical research, regulatory affairs or further postgraduate study in pharmacology and related fields.