Cancer pharmacology examines the principles underpinning the discovery, development, and clinical use of anticancer drugs. This course explores how cancer therapies work, why patients respond differently to treatment, and how new therapies progress from laboratory studies to clinical trials and clinical practice. Students will gain an understanding of both established anticancer agents and emerging therapeutic modalities, while developing the skills needed to critically evaluate preclinical and clinical evidence supporting drug development.
This course covers conventional cytotoxic therapies, molecularly targeted agents, biologics, precision medicine approaches, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in oncology, drug combination strategies, preclinical models, and the clinical trial process. Throughout the course, students will apply pharmacological principles to contemporary examples of cancer drug development and evaluate the opportunities and challenges associated with translating promising laboratory findings into effective cancer treatments.