Department of Pharmacology

Excellence in Teaching and Research

The Department is located at Monash University's Clayton Campus in Building 13E, which is on the West Ring Road

The Department strongly supports excellence in teaching with staff involved in teaching various aspects of pharmacology, toxicology and neuroscience to students undertaking degrees in Medicine, Science, Biomedical Science, Behavioural Neuroscience and Radiography.

The Department strongly supports research with all staff being involved in high-calibre research involving diverse areas of pharmacology, in many cases in collaboration with Australian and/or International colleagues in academia and in industry. Major research activities within the Department include: Molecular Pharmacology, In Vivo and In Vitro Cardiovascular Pharmacology, Toxinology (venoms and toxins), Use of novel microscopic imaging techniques for early diagnosis of disease states and Neuropharmacology.

Departmental researchers have access to excellent facilities within the Department for confocal and fluorescence microscopy, histology and immunohistochemistry, tissue culture, cytosensor microphysiometry, electrophysiology, molecular biology and image analysis. Sophisticated telemetry and haemodynamic equipment is used to conduct cardiovascular studies, and computer-based data acquisition systems are used for functional pharmacological studies in both research and student laboratories.

The Department hosts a strong honours course. Students wishing to undertake honours in Pharmacology should discuss the various projects available with Assoc Prof Robert Widdop (telephone +613 9905 4858; email:-  robert.widdop@med.monash.edu.au)

The Department currently has 22 PhD students participating in various research programs within the department. Students wishing to undertake advanced research in Pharmacology should enrol in a PhD. In most cases an Honours Class I or equivalent is required. Further information can be obtained by contacting Assoc Prof Wayne Hodgson, (telephone +613 9905 4861; email:- wayne.hodgson@med.monash.edu.au)