Pharmacology
Pharmacology is about the study of drugs, examining how they work, how they are processed by the body and the relationship between concentration and effect.
Subject overview
Pharmacology is the science at the heart of the discovery and testing of potential therapies through the drug development process.
Knowledge of pharmacology underpins the safe and effective use of medicines (registered products that contain a drug ingredient) and is critical for making clinical decisions about which medicine to take, how the medicine should be administered, and the impact for patients already taking other medicines.
Where can Pharmacology take you?
Our graduates work in:
- Clinical research: coordinating, implementing and analysing data from clinical trials that test new medicines in patients
- Academia: basic research and research-led teaching in universities
- Laboratories: quality and safety testing of pharmaceutical products, testing patient samples in clinical trials
- Pharmaceutical industry: developing, producing, testing and marketing pharmaceuticals
- Regulatory affairs: ensuring medicines meet safety, quality and performance standards, approving new medicines