Pharmacology and Drug Discovery

Pharmacology and drug discovery lies at the very heart of modern medicine. Pharmacology is the science of how drugs interact with biological systems, examining the mechanisms by which therapeutic agents produce their effects, how they are absorbed, distributed, metabolised, and eliminated, and how they can be optimised for safety and efficacy. Drug discovery is the applied science of identifying and developing new medicines, a process that draws on pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, molecular biology, and increasingly on computational methods and artificial intelligence.

Together, they define one of the most important and rigorously scientific fields in contemporary biomedicine.

At Queen Mary University of London, this programme is offered part time via distance learning, making it accessible to working professionals and others who cannot commit to full-time on-campus study. You will study the core principles of pharmacology, including receptor theory, drug action at the molecular and cellular level, pharmacokinetics, and the pharmacology of major drug classes. The drug discovery component covers the stages of the drug development pipeline, from target identification and lead compound optimisation through to preclinical and clinical evaluation.

QMUL has a strong biomedical research environment with particular expertise in cardiovascular science, cancer, and infection, and the programme benefits from that research context even in its distance learning format.

Graduates and those who undertake this programme for continuing professional development are equipped for roles in pharmaceutical research, clinical pharmacology, drug regulatory affairs, medical writing, and the broader life sciences sector. The programme is also well suited to healthcare professionals who want to deepen their pharmacological understanding. Further postgraduate study, including research degrees in pharmacology or drug discovery, is a natural pathway for those wishing to progress to research leadership or academic careers in the discipline.