Overview of Pharmacology Research

Pharmacology research at the Nelson Mandela University, Pharmacy Department, is diverse and includes focus areas in pre-clinical studies, clinical studies and pharmacology in pharmacy education, as follows: 
 
Pre-clinical studies, with focus areas in: g protein-coupled receptor transduction mechanisms; proteomics, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities of components in natural products and synthetic derivatives; apoptosis and genotoxicity; drug utilisation and monitoring; molecular roles of antiretroviral drug-induced adverse pregnancy outcomes and the putative roles of nutraceuticals in antiretroviral drug-induced metabolic complications. 
 
Clinical studies which describe the management of conditions of interest (e.g. a prevalent disease state in South Africa) in public and private health care facilities, with the intention of: identifying whether prescribing and dispensing practices comply with the most recent and relevant treatment guidelines; with the primary aim of promoting rational drug use, while inculcating the role of the pharmacist as an important part of the healthcare team on the clinical platform. Certain clinical studies are also interventional in nature with the goal of optimising treatment practices. 
 
Pharmacology in pharmacy education is an equally important focus area from an academic point of view. It comprises one of the majors in the BPharm curriculum and is often perceived to be challenging by students. Thus, pharmacology research extends to the education platform to better understand the requirements that are necessary to improve learning and teaching practices in the discipline of pharmacology. 
 

 

Clinical Pharmacology

Dr Lia Kritiotis-Germanis

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Pre-Clinical Laboratory Based Studies

Dr Ntokozo Dambuza

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Prof Johannes Bodenstein

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Dr Sanelisiwe Nzuza

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