Message from the Head of Department

Welcome to the Department of Pharmacology! Join me as I take you on a brief journey to highlight our activities.

Currently the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Pretoria boasts the largest postgraduate training in the discipline in South Africa. The Department has a very strong research-based postgraduate programme and has several well-equipped laboratories which are tailored to the needs of our research focus areas. Our courses attract students both nationally and internationally.

Our courses consist of three tracks: Basic, Clinical Trials and Regulatory Affairs pharmacology which are offered at the Honours, Masters and Doctoral levels. Clinical Trials and Regulatory Affairs pharmacology involve clinical trials and regulation of medicines, respectively, whereas Basic pharmacology has an emphasis on method development and drug discovery. The department also hosts an MPharmMed course tailored to the needs medical professionals who would like to specialise in medical pharmacology.

Staff members serve as board members of various scientific societies both locally and abroad and have recognized expertise. The department fosters collaboration in the Faculty of Health Sciences, between other faculties in the University of Pretoria, as well as other universities and institutions both nationally and internationally. Both staff and students remain updated with recent developments in the field by attending national and international conferences. The high standard of research from the department is evident in the number of awards received by both students and academic staff at congresses and the Faculty of Health Sciences' Faculty Research Day. Our service to the community, in particular to ongoing medical education, is reflected in our volunteer activities, which include presenting CPD events and contributing CPD review articles to the local Family Practice journal.

We take pride in our role in the training and development of high qualitypost graduates which has an impact on science and technology as well as health care in our country.