Basics of Pharmacology

This learning journey is designed to provide an introduction to fundamental concepts in pharmacology. It covers topics such as absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. Additionally, it delves into subjects related to drug development and pharmacovigilance.


1. Drug development: Safety, efficacy, and druggability

By Prof. Michael Kinch – Stony Brook University, USA

An excerpt from Drug development: from discovery to manufacture


2. Drug formulation: Definition, types, and clinical considerations

By Prof. Dr. Karel Allegaert – KU Leuven, Belgium

An excerpt from Drug formulations


3. Routes of drug administration & bioavailability: principles and impact

By Prof. Dr. Karel Allegaert – KU Leuven, Belgium

An excerpt from Routes of drug administration


4. Drug delivery systems and oral delivery challenges

By Prof. Dr. Sven Stegemann – Graz University of Technology, Austria

An excerpt from Routes of drug delivery


5. Drug absorption, First-Pass effect, and Distribution volume

By Prof. Dr. Karel Allegaert – KU Leuven, Belgium

An excerpt from Bioavailability, absorption and distribution


6. Drug clearance, metabolism, and excretion: Key principles

By Prof. Dr. Karel Allegaert – KU Leuven, Belgium

An excerpt from Metabolism, excretion, and therapeutic window


7. Pharmacodynamics: Drug mechanisms, receptors, and response

By Prof. Dr. Karel Allegaert – KU Leuven, Belgium

An excerpt from Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic integration


8. Pharmacogenetics: Genetic variability in drug response

By Prof. Dr. Karel Allegaert – KU Leuven, Belgium

An excerpt from Pharmacogenetics: an illustration of personalized pharmacotherapy


9. Adverse drug reactions: Definitions, classification, and risk factors

By Prof. Dr. Karel Allegaert – KU Leuven, Belgium

An excerpt from Drug toxicity: mechanisms, interactions, and adverse drug reactions


10. Pharmacovigilance and drug safety monitoring

By Dr. Ulrich Hagemann – International Society of Pharmacovigilance, Germany

An excerpt from The multidimensional landscape of pharmacovigilance: introduction and history