Medical Pharmacology & Physiology Graduate Programs

Contact Information

School of Medicine

• MA415 Medical Sciences Building
• 573-882-4957
• Medical Pharmacology & Physiology Web Site

• Master’s admission criteria and application detail
• Doctoral admission criteria and application detail

About Our Programs

The joining of these two disciplines provides a powerful way to address modern questions of biology. The department offers MS and PhD degree programs in Pharmacology and in Physiology. These programs are designed to prepare students for rewarding teaching and/or research careers in academia, government or the pharmaceutical and biotechnical industry.

Degrees

• Master of Science in Medical Pharmacology& Physiology
• Doctorate in Medical Pharmacology & Physiology

Pharmacology

This program is associated with the graduate program in pharmacology on the Twin Cities campus. All requirements for the master of science degree can be completed on the Duluth campus. Up to two semesters of coursework on the Twin Cities campus may be required for doctoral students. Courses and research provide opportunities for training in biochemical and physiological pharmacology, immunopharmacology, and toxicology. All students complete coursework in biochemistry, physiology, and statistics, as well as the major courses in pharmacology. In general, applicants should be well grounded in chemical and biological sciences and mathematics. Applicants must submit GRE General Test scores. Financial aid in the form of research assistantships is available through the department. When applying, students should specify whether they are applying for the master’s or doctorate program at UMD. Applications and information may be obtained from the associate director of graduate studies, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School Duluth, Duluth, MN 55812.

American College of Clinical Pharmacology

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Pharmacology And Toxicology: Degrees & Policies

Degrees Offered

Undergraduate: BS, Minor
Combined: BS/MS
Graduate: MA, PhD, MD/PhD

Degree Options

In addition to the BS program, the department offers a combined BS/MS degree that provides the laboratory research training and advanced courses needed for entry-level professional positions in the pharmaceutical industry and in academia. In this combined degree program, students have the opportunity to earn the combined degree in five years versus the usual six years needed to obtain both a BS and an MS degree. The program is available only to registered Pharmacology and Toxicology (PMY) majors during their junior year at the University at Buffalo.

Advisement

Students are strongly urged to contact Dr. James Olson during their freshman/sophomore years to learn more about the subject, the opportunities that are available in the program and the relevance of these opportunities to students' academic and career aspirations. Information regarding procedural details of admission can be obtained by contacting Ms. Linda LeRoy of the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (lleroy@buffalo.edu or 716-829-2800), or Ms. Kelli Hickey, Senior Academic Advisor for Biomedical Undergraduate Education (khickey@buffalo.edu or 716-829-3005).

Transfer Policy

Transfer students should obtain admission to the university through the Office of Admissions before applying to the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology. Students must complete their university application (which includes sending official transcripts of the fall semester work) prior to March 15. The department will evaluate prerequisite courses previously taken as possible substitutes for required courses.

Pharmacology and Toxicology - B.S.

Acceptance Criteria

Minimum GPA of 2.5 in prerequisite courses.
Minimum GPA of 2.0 in required courses.

Advising Notes

The department encourages students to apply by March 15 of their sophomore year. Students should contact the departmental office to obtain an application, which must be completed and returned with a DARS report. The application is also available on our website.

Prerequisite Courses

BIO 200 Evolutionary Biology
BIO 201 Cell Biology
CHE 101 General Chemistry or CHE 105 Chemistry: Principles and Applications
CHE 102 General Chemistry or CHE 106 Chemistry: Principles and Applications
CHE 201 Organic Chemistry
CHE 202 Organic Chemistry
MTH 121 Survey of Calculus and Its Applications I or MTH 141 College Calculus I
MTH 122 Survey of Calculus and Its Applications II or MTH 142 College Calculus II
PHY 101/PHY 151 College Physics I/Lab* or PHY 107 General Physics I
PHY 102/PHY 152 College Physics II/Lab* or PHY 108/PHY 158 General Physics II/Lab*

Required Courses

BCH 403 Principles of Biochemistry
PMY 405 Principles of Pharmacology
PMY 406 Principles of Pharmacology
PMY 409 Experimental Pharmacology
PMY 455 Toxicology Fundamentals
BIO 302 Introduction to Molecular Biology
MCH 311 Chemistry of Drug Action
PGY 451 Human Physiology I
PGY 452 Human Physiology II
Science electives**

Summary
Total required credit hours for the major...90-101

See Baccalaureate Degree Requirements for general education and remaining university requirements.

Recommended Sequence of Program Requirements

FIRST YEAR
Fall BIO 200; CHE 101 or CHE 105; MTH 121 or MTH 141
Spring BIO 201; CHE 102 or CHE 106; MTH 122 or MTH 142

SECOND YEAR
Fall CHE 201; PHY 101/PHY 151* or PHY 107
Spring CHE 202; PHY 102/PHY 152* or PHY 108/PHY 158*

THIRD YEAR
Fall BCH 403, MCH 311, PGY 451
Spring PGY 452, science electives**

FOURTH YEAR
Fall PMY 405, PMY 455, BIO 302, science electives**
Spring PMY 406, PMY 409, science electives**

*Only one (1) physics lab is required.

**13-23 credit hours of science electives are required; STA 119 Statistical Methods is strongly recommended.

Electives and Course Groupings

Electives and Course Groupings
Students may choose from the following science electives:

ANA 113 Anatomy
APY 107 Introduction to Physical Anthropology
APY 275 Introduction to Medical Anthropology
APY 276 Introduction to Ethnomedicine
BIO 319 Genetics
BIO 328 General Physiology
BIO 401 Advanced Biological Chemistry
BIO 461 Basic Radiation Science
BIO 468 Molecular Immunology
BPH 303 Principles of Biophysics
CHE 214 Analytical Chemistry
CHE 312 Chemistry of Biological Systems
CHE 349 Physical Chemistry for Life Sciences
CSE 101 Computers A General Introduction
MCH 300 Herbs and Phytomedicinals
MIC 301 Fundamentals of Microbiology
MIC 401 General Microbiology
MIC 412 Fundamentals of Immunology
MT 402 Fundamentals of Immunology
MT 428 Forensic Science
NTR 108 Human Nutrition
NTR 401 Nutrition and Health
PGY 405 Cell Physiology
PGY 412 Applied Physiology
PHI 337 Social and Ethical Values in Medicine
STA 119 Statistical Methods or
STA 527 Introduction to Medical Statistics

Pharmacology and Toxicology - B.S./M.S.

Acceptance Criteria

Minimum GPA of 3.0 overall.
Three (3) supportive letters of recommendation from the faculty.
A personal statement from the student.

The department encourages students to apply by March 15 of their junior year. Students should contact the departmental office to obtain an application, which must be completed and returned with a DARS report.

Advising Notes

Applications are accepted only from registered University at Buffalo PMY majors during their junior year. The Graduate Record Exam is not a requirement for admission. Forms and applications should be filed by March 15.

Applications must be approved by the both the undergraduate and graduate admission committees.

Prerequisite Courses

BCH 403 Principles of Biochemistry
BIO 200 Evolutionary Biology
BIO 201 Cell Biology
CHE 101 General Chemistry or CHE 105 Chemistry: Principles and Applications
CHE 102 General Chemistry or CHE 106 Chemistry: Principles and Applications
CHE 201 Organic Chemistry
CHE 202 Organic Chemistry
MCH 311 Chemistry of Drug Action
MTH 121 Survey of Calculus and Its Applications I or MTH 141 College Calculus I
MTH 122 Survey of Calculus and Its Applications II or MTH 142 College Calculus II
PGY 451 Human Physiology I
PGY 452 Human Physiology II
PHY 101/PHY 151 College Physics I/Lab* or PHY 107 General Physics I
PHY 102/PHY 152 College Physics II/Lab* or PHY 108/PHY 158 General Physics II/Lab*

Required Courses

PMY 626 Toxicology Princ Practice
PMY 627 Target Organ Toxicity
PMY 511 Principles of Pharmacology I
PMY 512 Principles of Pharmacology II
BIO 302 Introduction to Molecular Biology
BMS 501 Cell Biology I
BMS 505 Cell Biology IIA
BMS 506 Cell Biology IIB
PHI 640 Graduate Research Ethics
PMY 506 Pharmacology Seminar
Research credits**

Summary
Total required credit hours for the undergraduate portion...77-81

See Baccalaureate Degree Requirements for general education and remaining university requirements.

Recommended Sequence of Program Requirements

FIRST YEAR
Fall BIO 200; CHE 101 or CHE 105; MTH 121 or MTH 141
Spring BIO 201; CHE 102 or CHE 106; MTH 122 or MTH 142

SECOND YEAR
Fall CHE 201; PHY 101/PHY 151* or PHY 107
Spring CHE 202; PHY 102/PHY 152* or PHY 108/PHY 158*

THIRD YEAR
Fall BCH 403, MCH 311, PGY 451, science elective
Spring PGY 452, science electives

FOURTH YEAR
Fall PMY 511, BIO 302, PMY 626/627, thesis research**
Spring PMY 512, GSC 640, thesis research**

FIFTH YEAR
Fall BMS 501, thesis research**
Spring BMS 505, BMS 506, PMY 506, thesis research**
Accepted Thesis

*Only one(1) physics lab is required.

**9-22 credit hours of research are required.

Pharmacology and Toxicology - Minor

About the Minor

The minor is suited to a wide variety of science and non-science majors interested in acquiring an introductory understanding of drug action.

Acceptance Criteria

Applications should be made when the student has completed the prerequisite courses or is in the process of completing them during the semester when the application is made.

Minimum GPA of 2.5 in prerequisite courses.
Minimum GPA of 2.0 overall in minor to graduate.

Prerequisite Courses

BIO 200 Evolutionary Biology and BIO 201 Cell Biology
CHE 101-CHE 102 General Chemistry
CHE 201-CHE 202 Organic Chemistry

Required Courses

BIO 205 or BCH 403 Principles of Biochemistry
PMY 302 Introduction to Pharmacology
PMY 455 Toxicology Fundamentals
PGY 300 Human Physiology
One elective science course selected with approval of program director

Pharmacology for Anaesthesia and Intensive Care

The third edition of this market leading book has been thoroughly updated and expanded, with additional contributions from experts in the field, to include all new drugs available to the anaesthetist and intensive care specialist. Basic pharmacological principles, vital to understanding how individual drugs actually have their effects, are dealt with methodically and with many highly annotated diagrams and tables. With hospital infections becoming increasingly prevalent, the important section on antibiotics has been further expanded. With the third edition, this well established title continues to provide its readers with the most concise yet comprehensive coverage of all aspects of pharmacology. An ideal aid to study and practice for junior and trainee anaesthetists, critical care nurses and all physicians and healthcare professionals working in theatre, accident and emergency departments or intensive care units.

Contents

Part I. Basic Principles: 1. Drug passage across the cell membrane; 2. Absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion; 3. Drug action; 4. Drug interaction; 5. Isomerism; 6. Mathematics and pharmacokinetics; 7. Medicinal chemistry; Part II. Core Drugs in Anaesthetic Practice: 8. General anaesthetic agents; 9. Inhaled anaesthetics; 10. Analgesics; 11. Local anaesthetics; 12. Muscle relaxants and anticholinesterases; Part III. Cardiovascular Drugs: 13. Sympathomimetics; 14. Adrenoceptor antagonists; 15. Anti-arrhythmics; 16. Vasodilators; 17. Antihypertensives; Part IV. Other Important Drugs: 18. Central nervous system; 19. Antiemetics and related drugs; 20. Drugs acting on the gut; 21. Intravenous fluids; 22. Diuretics; 23. Antimicrobials; 24. Drugs affecting coagulation; 25. Hypoglycaemic agents; 26. Corticosteroids and other hormone preparations.

Physiology, Pharmacology and Toxicology Catalog

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Table of Contents Pumps Delivery & Sampling Animal Handling Surgical Equipment Surgical Instruments Respiration Behavioral Research Electrophysiology Physiology Cardiovascular Isolated Organ & Tissue Neuroscience Cell Biology Molecular Biology General Lab CPK Atomic Models Ordering Number Index Product Index

Courses in Medical Pharmacology and Toxicology (PHA)

Lower Division Courses

92. Internship in Pharmacology (1-12)

Internship—3-36 hours; final report. Prerequisite: lower division student with good academic standing; approval of project prior to period of internship. Supervised work experience in pharmacology and related fields. (P/NP grading only.)

99. Special Study for Undergraduates (1-5)

Prerequisite: lower division standing. (P/NP grading only.)

Upper Division Courses

192. Internship in Pharmacology (1-12)

Internship—3-36 hours; final report. Prerequisite: upper division standing; approval of project prior to period of internship. Supervised work experience in pharmacology and related fields. (P/NP grading only.)

198. Directed Group Study (1-5)

Prerequisite: consent of instructor. (P/NP grading only.)

199. Special Study for Advanced Undergraduates (1-5)

Prerequisite: consent of instructor. (P/NP grading only.)

Graduate Courses

200A. Advanced General Pharmacology (3)

Lecture—3 hours. Prerequisite: upper division courses in biochemistry (101A-101B) and mammalian physiology (111A-111B and 112-113) or the equivalent (may be taken concurrently). Core course in human pharmacology designed for graduate and medical students. Principles in pharmacology, including pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism and the actions, use and toxicity of the major classes of drugs.—I. (I.)

200B. Advanced General Pharmacology (4)

Lecture—4 hours. Prerequisite: upper division courses in biochemistry (101A-101B) and mammalian physiology (111A-111B and 112-113) or the equivalent (may be taken concurrently). Core course in human pharmacology designed for graduate and medical students. The actions, use and toxicity of major classes of drugs. Continuation of course 200A.—II. (II.)

250. Functional Genomics: From Bench to Bedside (2)

Lecture/discussion—2 hours. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Functional genomics (gene regulation, microarrays, proteomics), with an emphasis on clinical relevance and applications. Topics include cancer therapeutics, gene therapy, and biomarker discovery.—III. (III.) Farnham

291. Pharmacology Research Seminar Series (1)

Seminar—1 hour; discussion—1 hour. Prerequisite: consent of instructor; upper division or graduate standing. Research seminars on current topics in Pharmacology. May be repeated for credit when topic differs. (S/U grading only.)—I, II, III. (I, II, III.) Wulff

298. Group Study (1-5)

Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

299. Research (1-12)

Prerequisite: consent of instructor. (S/U grading only.)

Professional Courses

400A. Pharmacology (2)

Lecture—1 hour; discussion/laboratory—.3 hours. Prerequisite: approval by School of Medicine Committee on Student Progress; medical students only. Principles in pharmacology, including pharmacokinetics, drug metabolism and the actions, uses and toxicities of the major classes of drugs. (Deferred grading only, pending completion of sequence. P/F grading only.)—II, III. (II, III.) Gelli, Wulff

400B. Pharmacology (1.5)

Lecture—1 hour; discussion—.25 hours. Prerequisite: approval by the School of Medicine Committee on Student Progress; medical students only. Principles in pharmacology, including autonomic pharmacology, general anesthetics, neuropharmacology and sedative/hypnotics. (Deferred grading only, pending completion of sequence. P/F grading only.)—IV. (IV.) Albertson, Segal

400C. Pharmacology (1.5)

Lecture—1 hour; discussion—.25 hours. Prerequisite: approval by the School of Medicine Committee on Student Progress; medical student only. Topics taught include the treatment of respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Specific topics include: asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, congestive heart failure, and the treatment of arrhythmias. (Deferred grading only, pending completion of sequence. P/F grading only.)—I. (I.)

400D. Pharmacology (2.0)

Lecture—3 hours. Prerequisite: approval by the School of Medicine Committee on Student Progress; medical student only. Pharmacology topics covered include central nervous system drugs, GI drugs, toxicology/poisoning and cancer chemotherapy. Specific topics are: cancer chemotherapy, pain management, the treatment of depression and psychosis, acid reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and general toxicology. (P/F grading only.)—II. (II.) Alberston, Diaz

445. Introduction to Integrative Medicine (1)

Lecture/discussion—1 hour. Prerequisite: medical student in good standing. Basic principles of alternative medical systems (e.g., traditional Chinese, Ayurvedic, Tibetan), alternative practices (e.g., chiropractic, osteopathy, naturopathy, homeopathy, herbalism, guided imagery/meditation, massage therapy), and mind/body connection are presented as introduction to integrating alternative treatments into traditional medicinal practice. (H/P/F grading only.)—II. (II.) Diaz

490. Seminar in Pharmacology for Medical Students (1)

Seminar—1 hour. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Seminar in pharmacology for medical students. (H/P/F grading only.)—I, II, III, IV. (I, II, III, IV.)

497T. Tutoring in Pharmacology (1-5)

Tutoring—3-15 hours. Prerequisite: advanced standing or consent of instructor. Assist instructor by tutoring medical students in preparation for one of the departmental courses that is a component of the required curriculum of the School of Medicine. (H/P/F grading only.)

498. Special Study for Medical Students (1-5)

Lecture, directed reading, and/or discussion groups—3-15 hours. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Special study in pharmacology for medical students. (H/P/F grading only.)

499. Directed Research for Medical Students (1-12)

Pharmacology and Therapeutics

College of Medicine

INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF 1999-2000

Baker, S.P., Chair; Belardinelli, L.; Borst, S.; Conroy, C.; Dennis, D.; Galli, S.; Garg, L.C.; Gelband, C.; Goldberg, E.; Greenberg, M.; Harrison, J.; Humphreys-Beher, M.; James, M.; Johnson, H.; Jones, H.C.; Kem, W.R.; Lenox, R.; Lowenthal, D.; Maren, T.H.; Meyer, E.M.; Millard, W.; Miller, T.; Neims, A.H.; Papke, R.; Petitto, J.; Richards, N.; Roberts, S.; Rowe, T.; Scarpace, P.J. Shiverick, K.T.; Siemann, D.J.; Silverman, D.N.; Simpkins, P.J.; Tu, C.; Tumer-Scarpace, N.; Vickroy, T.

PHA 4904 Pharmacology Research. F, SS.
Credits: 2 to 8; Prereq: B-average and permission of the coordinator.
Laboratory or literature investigations of problems of current interest.

Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics

Professor and Chair
Edson X. Albuquerque, MD, PhD

The department’s teaching objectives are to provide medical and graduate students with those principles underlying the distribution, metabolism, mechanism of action and toxicity of therapeutic agents or substances. An overriding goal of the medical school teaching program is to convey the fundamental principles of basic and clinical pharmacology and therapeutics through an interdisciplinary teaching effort which brings together faculty from this department and those from other basic science and clinical departments. The faculty of the Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics therefore provide substantial leadership and participation in the Pathophysiology and Therapeutics course given during the second year of the medical curriculum. When needed, the department also provides its teaching expertise to other courses of the medical curriculum, such as Host Defenses and Infectious diseases.

Graduate Program
At the graduate level, there are several defined areas of study (tracks): oncopharmacology, neuropharmacology, pharmacological biotechnology, and mechanistic toxicology. All tracks incorporate: 1) training in modern techniques of pharmacology (molecular biology; receptor biochemistry; cell biology; tissue culture; electrophysiology; protein crystal structure analysis and ligand binding; drug design, synthesis and modeling; etc.); 2) research directed toward the study of new drugs and increasing effectiveness of existing drugs used in treatment of human diseases; and 3) research to better understand actions of drugs and toxins on various organ systems. The department encourages the participation of medical students in graduate research through the MD/PhD Program.

The Pharmacology Graduate Program is undergoing re-organization along with the other graduate programs in the School of Medicine and is found on the web at pharmacology.umaryland.edu. The program offers a broad range of courses including: biochemical pharmacology, developmental neurobiology, endocrine pharmacology, fundamentals of membrane transport, fundamentals of pharmacology, integrative pharmacology, introduction to membranes, ion channels, molecular neuropharmacology, molecular oncopharmacology, muscle cell biology and development, pharmacological biotechnology, and synaptic physiology and pharmacology.

Pharmacology and Street Drug Identification

To recognize the effects of substance use, human service professionals need basic information on brain anatomy and how substances impact brain functioning. Professionals need to know the major categories of mood altering substances; the specific effects of alcohol and other drugs of abuse, incidence and prevalence data, street terms, patterns of use and related problems.

Each participant will receive a copy of Uppers, Downers, All Arounders, (an in-depth pharmacology text valued at over $75); and will have the opportunity to participate in a hands-on drug identification module.

As a result of this training, participants will be able to:

• Describe the categories of substances.
• Identify common street drugs.
• Identify current drug/alcohol use trends.
• Recognize the physiological effects of alcohol and other drugs of abuse.
• . Identify behavioral and neurochemical manifestations related to the use of these substances.

Pharmacology and Toxicology

College of Pharmacy Department Office: 112 L.S. Skaggs Hall, 581-6287 Chair, William R. Crowley, Ph.D.

Faculty Professors. L. Barrows, S. Bealer, W. Crowley, A.E. Fleckenstein, M. Franklin, J. Gibb, G. Hanson, K. Keefe, D. Rollins, H.S. White, G. Yost. Professors Emeriti. D. Franz, S. Turkanis, H. Wolf. Associate Professors. D. Blumenthal, W. Nichols, L. Partlow, K. Wilcox. Assistant Professors. A. Bild, P. Moos. Research Professors. R. Foltz, D. Moody. Research Associate Professors. A. Alburges, C. Reilly, J. Veranth, D. Wilkins. Research Assistant Professors. S. Cutler, J.G. Lamb, M. Slawson, R. Smeal, T.J.Volz. Adjunct Professors. F. Fitzpatrick, J. Jensen, J. Roberts, K. Tolman, R. Ward. Adjunct Associate Professors. J. Albano, P. Bernstein, M. Movsesian. Adjunct Assistant Professors. S. Poelzing, D. Roussel, V. Sandoval, K. Statler. Division of Clinical Pharmacology Director, Douglas E. Rollins, Ph.D., M.D. Professor. D. Rollins. Pharmacology deals with the properties and effects of drugs and how they interact with living systems. Toxicology is concerned with toxicities of drugs and other chemicals and the demonstration of the safety and hazards of such substances. The department offers instruction in pharmacology and toxicology. Unusually fine instrumentation and ongoing research programs provide a stimulating learning environment for both undergraduate and graduate students. Teaching and research capabilities of the department are enhanced by the facilities of the Center for Human Toxicology and the Anticonvulsant Drug Development Program. No undergraduate degree is offered by the department.

Graduate Program Degree. M.S., Ph.D. in pharmacology and toxicology. Joint Ph.D.-M.D. and PharmD-Ph.D for selected candidates under special circumstances. Areas of Specialization. Neuropharmacology, neurochemistry, behavioral pharmacology, drug abuse, drug evaluation, biochemical pharmacology, immunology, drug metabolism, biochemical toxicology and forensic toxicology, convulsive disorders and anticonvulsants, cardiovascular pharmacology, autonomic pharmacology, protein phosphorylation, second messengers, cellular and molecular pharmacology, cancer-related molecular biology, neurobiology, and neuroendocrinology. Master’s Degree. An undergraduate degree in chemistry, pharmacy, biology, or related area is required for admission. Degree requirements include satisfactory completion of 30 semester credit hours of graduate-level course work selected with the approval of the student’s supervisory committee. Also required is the preparation and defense of a thesis. Ph.D. Degree. To be admitted to the Ph.D. degree program, a student must have a B.S. degree in chemistry, biology, or related area. The GRE is required of all applicants; foreign applicants must also take the TOEFL. Degree requirements include completion of a program of study as determined by the Graduate Training Committee in consultation with the student. Components of this program include graduate courses in biochemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology and toxicology; three research rotations; attendance at departmental seminars; and the qualifying examination, dissertation research, dissertation, and final examination requirements established by The Graduate School. PH_TX Course Descriptions

Biochemical Pharmacology

Phospholipids are building blocks of the cell membranes, but phospholipids are also precursors for intercellular and intracellular signalling molecules that function as local hormones (autocoids) and as second messengers, respectively. Some of these bioactive lipids (e.g. eicosanoids) are formed from arachidonic acid, which again is formed from dietary linoleic acid. Both of these fatty acids have essential functions in mammals. Fish oils contain long-chain n-3 fatty acids, which can affect arachidonic acid metabolism, affect gene expression and affect membrane microdomains (rafts), and the dietary intake of n-3 fatty acids can thus affect different biological parameters. Furthermore, dietary n-3 fatty acids are essential for the development of the brain and the retina.

Other bioactive lipids comprise diacylglycerol, phosphatidic acid, platelet activating factor, lyso-phosphatidic acid, ceramide, sphingosine-1-phosphate, phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate, non-esterified fatty acids, oleamide, 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol, anandamide , N-oleoylethanolamine and other N-acyl-ethanolamines. We are interested in understanding where, how, and when these bioactive lipids are formed.

We are currently focusing on understanding the biological functions of N-acyl-ethanolamine phospholipids (NAPE) and of N-acyl-ethanolamines (NAE) in the brain and in other tissues. We are characterising the enzymes involved in the formation of NAPE (N-acyl-transferase) and in the formation of NAE (NAPE-hydrolysing phospholipase D), and measuring endogenous levels og NAPE and NAE.

NAPE and NAE can be formed in high amounts in cultured neurons exposed to excitotoxic concentrations of glutamate or other compounds, which can induce cell injury. NAPE is believed to have a membrane stabilizing effect, and NAPE is formed as a stress response in cultured neurons. Some molecular species of NAE, e.g. N-arachidonoyl-ethanolamine (also called anandamide) is a ligand for cannabinoid receptors and vanilloid receptor. N-Arachidonoyl-ethanolamine has the same biological effects as D⁹-tetra-hydrocannabinol, and N-palmitoyl-ethanolamine has antinociceptive and antiinflammatory effects mediated by unknown mechanisms, some of them probably via PPARa. N-Oleoylethanolamine can inhibit food intake via activation of PPARa and/or via the orphan receptor GPCR119. The signal is transmitted from the intestine where the receptors via vagus c-fibers to the appetite centre of the brain.

2-Arachidonoyl-glycerol, which can be formed during inositol phospholipid turnover, is also a ligand for the cannabinoid receptors. 2-Arachidonoyl-glycerol and anandamide are considered as endocannabinoids and they are suggested to be involved in retrograde communication in glutaminergic and GABAergic synapses.

We have found that these lipids are also elevated in human brain tumours where they are assumed to have a growth-inhibiting effect. Furthermore, we collaborate with others about the significance of these lipids in animal models of epilepsy and brain ischemia, in regulation of food intake, and in adipose tissue lipolysis.