University of Wisconsin–Madison

CNS Pharmacology Targets

What’s Going on in my Brain? Drug Abuse Liabilities and More

This 100% online course on CNS pharmacology provides an intensive overview of the nervous system. The course explores the central and peripheral nervous system (CNS and PNS respectively.) Course material covers pharmacology and physiology of the nervous system.

An image of a brain scan for CNS Pharmacology course

You will learn factors critical to drug discovery and development including:

  • diseases of the nervous system
  • pharmacological targets
  • drug abuse considerations
  • suicide assessment
  • peripheral neuropathy

Upon completion, you will be better informed to make crucial drug development decisions for targeting the brain. This course is part of the Drug Product Development Certificate. It fulfills the elective. You may take this course as is or part of the certificate. Scientists developing drugs targeting the brain are encouraged to take this course.

Registration Information

Register

Refund Policy

Course date:Dec 18, 2021 - Jun 30, 2024
Location:
Course fee:

$650 Regular registration
$325 Academic rate
$160 Graduate student

Please contact Eric Buxton to qualify for the academic and graduate student rate.

This course is online and self-paced. You may register at any time and complete the curriculum at your own pace by June 30, 2023

Course Objectives

Following completion of this course the learner will be able to:

  • Recognize the basic anatomy and physiology of the Nervous System
  • Describe Nervous System Receptor Pharmacology
  • Prepare for challenges of developing efficacious yet safe compounds by identifying common CNS and PNS diseases
  • Recognize the regulatory concerns for drug abuse of novel compounds.
  • Evaluate the new concerns and potential models to assess suicidality as well as peripheral neuropathy.

Course Outline

Module 1

One hour webinar plus one hour online activity each week

Nervous System Part 1: Understanding the CNS
Faculty: Dr. Kristy D. Bruse

CNS vs PNS

  • CNS- Brain and Spinal Cord (integration and processing)

Brain organization

  • Histology- cell types and what they do
  • Cerebrum, midbrain (regulatory region such as Basal Nuclei and Hypothalamus), Brainstem, Cerebellum, CSF, Blood Brain Barrier, Intranasal- Olfactory system (a target for drug route of administration)
  • Technologies for assessing brain function: (e.g. PET, MRI. EEG)

Module 2

Receptor Pharmacology and Drug Development
Faculty: Dr. Kristy D. Bruse

  • Neurotransmitters and Receptors
  • Neurotransmitter and pathways for Dopamine, Serotonin, Norepinephrine, epinephrine, GABA, Glutamate, opioid, cannabinoids, NPY, and more
  • Receptors- Muscarinic (especially Nicotinic), GABAergic, Glutamate, adrenergic, dopaminergic, serotonergic, opioid, cannabinoids, NPY, and more
    • Neuropathways- What we know about the brain communication pathways
    • Preclinical assays: Preclinical Assays for Early Discovery and IND-enabling
      • In vitro assays: Receptor screening; Hippocampal brain slices, etc.
      • In Vivo- Animal models for efficacy and safety/toxicity assessment. Include neurotransmitter measurements of selected brain regions, microinjections into the selected brain regions, Functional observational behavioral measurements, Morris water maze (learning and memory- video)
      • IND package studies: Toxicology and Safety Pharmacology
      • Supporting Clinical studies- based on preclinical signs what should the Clinicians be observing?
      • Risk:Benefit

Module 3

Nervous System Part 2: Peripheral Nervous System
Faculty: Dr. Mathew Abernathy

PNS- peripheral nerves, nerve ganglia and nerve terminals (sensory)

Peripheral Nervous System organization

  • Sensory, Motor, Autonomic Nervous System
  • Peripheral Pain
  • Peripheral Nervous system dysfunction: Multiple Sclerosis, etc
  • Technologies for assessing peripheral nerve function (EMG, etc).

Module 4

Pathology and Diseases and Research Models
Faculty: Dr. Mathew Abernathy

  • Cerebral Vasculature (stroke, vasospasm, thrombi, etc)
  • Dementia (e.g. Alzheimer’s, hypoxia-induced from Transient Ischemic Attacks)
  • Somatomotor dysfunction (e.g Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, etc.)
  • Peripheral Nervous system dysfunction: Multiple Sclerosis, etc.
  • Learning and Memory
  • Depression, Anxiety and Schizophrenia (understanding the receptors in the brain and mental illness)
  • Trauma
  • Addiction and Suicidal Behaviors
  • Pain

Module 5

Seizures and Preclinical Drug Development

Faculty: Dr. Monica Metea

  • Seizures

Module 6

Brain Dysfunctions, Neurodisease Research Models
Faculty: Dr. Kristy D. Bruse

  • Dementia (e.g. Alzheimer's, hypoxia induced from Transient Ischemic Attacks)
  • Somamotor Dysfunction (Huntington's, Parkinson's)
  • Trauma

Module 7

Drug Development: CNS Preclincial Assays
Faculty: Dr. Kristy D. Bruse

  • In vitro assays: Receptor screening; Hippocampal brain slices, etc.
  • In Vivo- Animal models for efficacy and safety/toxicity assessment. Include neurotransmitter measurements of selected brain regions, microinjections into the selected brain regions, Functional observational behavioral measurements, Morris water maze (learning and memory- video), drug abuse liability
  • IND package studies: Toxicology and Safety Pharmacology
  • Supporting Clinical studies- based on preclinical signs what should the Clinicians be observing?
  • Risk:Benefit

Module 8

Case Studies

Instructors

Kristy D. Bruse, PhD, (Consultant)
Dr. Kristy D. Bruse is a CardioRespiratory Disease Model (especially Pulmonary Artery Hypertension rat models) and Safety Pharmacology Expert Consultant. She has been involved in industry, academia and veterinary medicine for over three decades. Dr. Bruse has a strong belief that Safety Pharmacology is an integral component in the drug development process. Better identification of lead compounds and quality safety assessment will only increase the success rate for biotech and pharmaceutical companies as well as provide safe and effective drugs for patients. She has been an active member of the Safety Pharmacology Society since 2001 and was the 2008 Vice President-elect, 2009 Vice President and the 2010 President. Dr. Bruse can provide Assist in Discovery and Early Safety Assessment to streamline the drug discovery process.

Matthew Abernathy, PhD, (Eli Lilly)
Dr. Abernathy earned a BS in biology at Indiana University and a PhD in biological sciences at Western Michigan University. His research interest is to characterize the safety and/or efficacy of new drug candidates for use in otic or systemically administered formulations. He has a broad background in applied biology, having worked in various positions in contract research laboratories for the past nine years. He began as a research technician at MPI Research collecting data to evaluate potential off-target/adverse drug effects on the cardiovascular, respiratory, and central nervous systems in preclinical laboratory animal models. From there he transitioned to a surgical technician role at the Borgess Medical Device Research Laboratory where he worked with a team of Cardiovascular Interventionists to evaluate safety aspects of new stent prototypes, including incidence of stroke and restenosis. He returned to MPI Research to lead preclinical drug screening efforts.

Program Coordinator

Eric Buxton, PhD

Division of Pharmacy Professional Development
777 Highland Avenue
Madison, WI 53705
(608) 262-2431 FAX
(608) 265-2259
eric.buxton@wisc.edu

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