Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology (D071)

DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY (PMB) COURSE DESCRIPTION FOR PHARMD PROGRAMME

Introductory Pharmaceutical Microbiology (2 Units)                                                    PMB 281     
  • Introduction to Pharmaceutical Microbiology: Historical development of microbiology and the effects on health.
  • General structure of the bacterial cell; the bacterial spore, its structure and resistance to inactivating agents.
  • Systematic classification of bacteria and characteristics of major groups – Taxonomy, Protoplasts, spheroplast and L-Forms.
  • Nutritional requirements and growth of microorganisms.
  • Biosafety Laboratory (BSL) classifications; lab facilities, access policies, material handling procedures, and training practices
  • Cultivation and isolation methods for microorganisms.
  • Bacterial culture media and evolution of pure culture technique.
  • Diagnostic techniques in relation to culture determination.
  • Bacteria growth in culture and respective phases including death.
  • Formation of colonies, metabolism in microbial systems,
  • Stains and staining reactions.
  • Enumeration of microorganisms, Fungi and molds; their importance in pharmacy and medicine.
  • The Richettstia, Chlamydia,
  • Viruses (including HIV/AIDS), systematics, and viral replication.
  • Introductory parasitology. Protozoal parasites of public health importance.
  • Sources of Microbial Contamination in Industries, Communities and Hospitals;
  • General principle of spoilage and preservation against biodegradation.
  • Principles of preservation of multiphase systems.
Practical Pharmaceutical Microbiology (1 Unit)                                  PMB 283
  • This involves laboratory exposure for the handling, identification and growing of microorganisms.
  • Experiments will demonstrate the techniques and principles discussed in the theory course and include:
  • Ubiquity of microorganisms,
  • Microscopy,
  • Staining Techniques,
  • Cultivation, Isolation and Identification of Bacteria and Isolation,
  • Characterization and Identification of Fungi.
Introduction to Biochemistry (2 Units)                                                                                   PMB 205
  • Importance of biochemistry to the Health Sciences – levels of medical care and biochemistry.
  • Membranes and cell structure techniques used in biochemistry and medicine.
  • Protein structure and function- primary, secondary, and tertiary structure of proteins in blood.
  • Digestion, absorption, and transport across membranes.
  • Protein calorie malnutrition.
  • Metabolism – introduction of the study of intermediary metabolism.
  • Carbohydrate chemistry, digestion, absorption, and metabolism.
  • Lipid chemistry, digestion, and metabolism including phospholipids and prostaglandins. Lipidoses.
  • Metabolism of amino acids. Amino acid standard abbreviations, degradation, and biosynthesis.
  • Essential and non-essential amino acids; hydrophobic, hydrophilic, polar, and charged amino acids; Ketogenic and glucogenic amino acids.
Practical Biochemistry (1 Unit)                                                                       PMB 207

Special exercises to illustrate various aspects of theoretical classes on biochemistry above, including:

  • Identification of carbohydrates- general tests (Molisch and Anthrone tests); specific tests (monosaccharides- Fehling and Benedict tests; polysaccharides – Iodine test).
  • Identification of amino acids and proteins: qualitative determination of amino acids using indicator paper; identification of amino acids using Ninhydrin reagent; qualitative determination of proteins using Biuret test.
  • Identification of fats (lipids): Libermann-Burchad test; Sudan III test.
  • pH determination and buffer solutions; determination of pH by indicator method and pH meter method;
  • Determination of the pKa of a weak acid using pH meter.
Introductory Molecular Biology (2 Units)                                           PMB 202
  • Introductory Genetics, Nucleic acids – DNA, RNA, and elementary treatment of their structure.
  • Discovery and properties of the genetic materials
  • DNA replication and cell division.
  • Biochemistry of heredity.
  • Cloning and recombinant DNA Technology.
  • Biochemistry of hormones and hormonal action to include actions of cyclic-AMP, cyclic-GMP, adrenaline, glucagon, and insulin.
  • Detoxification mechanisms including cytochrome P450 and other isoforms.
  • Haem degradation and other important biochemical transformation of medical importance.
Practical Introductory Molecular Biology (1 Unit)                                                      PMB 208
  • Extraction of DNA
  • Purification of DNA
  • Manipulation of DNA etc.
Practical Antimicrobial Agents Evaluation (1 Unit)                                                    PMB 383

Experiments will cover the areas covered in the theory classes and includes:

  • Evaluation of antibiotic, antiviral agents, antifungal agents, anti-parasitic agents, disinfectants, antiseptics, and preservatives.
  • Evaluating antimicrobial agents’ synergism via the checkerboard method.
Bioinformatics, Pharmacogenetics, and Pharmacogenomics (3 units)                                    PMB 382
  • History and origin of bioinformatics.
  • Definitions and scope of bioinformatics.
  • Overview of DNA, standard amino acids, creation of proteins by decoding of mRNAs.
  • Genomics, x-omics (proteomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics etc.)
  • Protein sequences and structures, genomes and proteomes, databases and information retrieval, the World Wide Web and computer programming.
  • The nature of individual genomes, including the Human Genome, and the relationships among them, from the biological point of view.
  • Basic skills in using the Web in bioinformatics. It describes archival databanks.
  • Hands-on sessions covering biomolecular visualization, databases, and sequence analysis etc.
  • The analysis of relationships among sequences – alignments and phylogenetic trees.
  • Predicting protein structure and folding in 3D.
  • Effects of genetic constitution on drug metabolism and disposition.
  • Phenotyping, Genotyping.

Drug-drug interactions; Implication and application in drug delivery systems.

Practical Sterile Products Technology (1 Unit)                                                            PMB 384
  • Experiments to cover topics covered in the theory classes including (but not limited to) exercises designed to illustrate the basic procedures in preparation of some sterile products such as water for injections, small volume drug solutions for injections; Large volume solutions for intravenous infusion ( I.V. fluids), eye drops and eye lotions. An outline of the experiments is: aseptic processing, sterilization techniques, sterile product preparation and dispensing, sterility testing, pyrogen testing, sources of microbial contamination, and microbial enumeration and the estimation of bioburden of pharmaceutical products.
Introduction to Pharmaceutical Biotechnology          (2 Units)                                  PMB 481
  • Basic techniques in biotechnology – cutting and joining of DNA molecules.
  • Cloning techniques.
  • Construction of RNA structure.
  • Screening methods.
  • DNA analysis.
  • Mutagenesis, mutagens, and mutation.
  • Bacterial genetics
  • Mechanism of protein synthesis.
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).
  • Clinical importance of recombinant proteins e.g., human insulin, growth hormones, interferon.
  • Gene Therapy.
  • Identification of potential biotechnological products; plants and transgenic animals as potential sources of recombinant biotechnological products.
  • Characterization of expressed proteins.
  • An overview of biotechnological products in current use.
Practical Introductory Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (1 Unit)                                               PMB 483
  • Experiments will cover the areas covered in the theory classes and includes Genetic transfer of antibiotic resistance plasmid; plasmid curing; isolation, characterization and fragmentation, and quantification of bacteria DNA or plasmids;
  • Demonstration of malaria in thin/thick stained blood films; and serological test for typhoid and paratyphoid fever.
  • Practical experiments to cover the formulation of and quality control tests for bacterial vaccines
Practical Immunology and Vaccinology (1 Unit)                                                                    PMB 484

Experiments will cover the areas covered in the theory classes

Fermentation Biotechnology (2 Units)            PMB 582
  • Engineering antibodies for therapy – production of monoclonal antibodies, recombinant antibodies, and   antibody
  • Biotechnological products and Pharmaceutical Care – an overview of relevant information service to patients on storage, re-constitution, stability, antigenicity, and self-administration.
  • Expression systems for production of biopharmaceuticals
  • Biopharmaceutical products manufacturing processes including cell banking systems, stabilization, and formulation
  • Fundamentals of industrial fermentation.
  • Use of microorganisms in
  • Search for
  • Approaches in   strain development.
  • Genetic/enzymatic engineering
  • Selective isolation   of mutants.
  • Maintenance and
  • Media development   and
  • Fermentation and product recovery.
  • Primary and secondary metabolites.
Clinical Vaccinology and Immunoinformatics (2 units)        PMB 682
  • The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), Updates on Vaccine Recommendations
  • WHO Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) and Global Vaccine Action Plan
  • Proper vaccine and biologics storage conditions and why they are important
  • Key considerations in selecting vaccine storage and temperature monitoring equipment
  • Explain the types of plans and training necessary for optimal routine and emergency vaccine management
  • Childhood, Adolescent, and Adult Immunization Strategies and Challenges
  • Immunization in Special Populations: Immunocompromised, Maternal Immunization, and Travel Vaccines
  • Innovative and practical strategies for ensuring timely and appropriate immunization and Strategies to Increase Immunization Rates
  • The role of Epitopes in the understanding of diseases, host-pathogen interaction analyses, antimicrobial target discovery, and vaccine design
  • Applications of immunoinformatics in reverse vaccinology (designing in silico vaccination), immune system modeling, and cancer diagnosis and therapy.
  • Integration of immunoinformatics with systems biology for the development of personalized medicine.
  • Hands-on dry laboratory on immunoinformatics.