Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Accept all cookies Reject all non-essential cookies Find out more

Welcome to Pharmacology

The Department of Pharmacology is one of the pre-clinical science departments that form part of the University’s Medical Sciences Division and is focused on basic life sciences research, undergraduate teaching for medicine and biomedical sciences students and the training and development of graduate students.

Latest News

ORCHID: all-Optical Reporting of CHloride Ion Driving force (A) The novel approach combines a light-activated chloride channel with a genetically-encoded fluorescent voltage reporter. (B) Activation of the chloride channel with blue light drives the membrane potential (Vm; black trace) towards the reversal potential for chloride (ECl; green dashed line). The resulting Vm shift is measured via the genetically-encoded fluorescent voltage reporter, providing an estimate of the driving force for chloride (DFCl) that is effective across different ECl and Vm values

Akerman group study describes first new all-optical tool for quantifying inhibitory receptor driving forces

A new paper from the Akerman group, published in the journal Nature Communications this week, explains the development of a new ‘ORCHID’ biosensor to measure the driving force acting on inhibitory receptors in the brain.

Top of the QS World University Rankings for Pharmacy and Pharmacology 2019-2021

Founded in 1898

20 research groups

50+ graduate students

Research

The Department of Pharmacology is at the forefront of research into the effects of drugs and other molecules on biological systems with a view to understanding the mechanisms of the human body. Pre-clinical research in the Department aims to examine cellular and molecular pathways in living systems as the first step towards a greater understanding of disease and effective treatment.

Find out more

Teaching

Academic staff in the Department lead lectures, seminars and tutorials for undergraduate students on the Medicine and Biomedical Sciences courses. The Department also hosts an internationally-renowned one-year MSc taught course in Pharmacology and has a community of around 40 DPhil students.

Find out more

Upcoming talks and events

Find out more

Members of the Department have published 937 papers between 2013 and 2022

Recent publications

Full annual lists

We are part of Oxford Medical Sciences