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Pharmacology and Toxicology was established as a department at the Medical College of Georgia in 1943.

 

Originally developed to discover how remedies and poisons effected man, modern pharmacology lays the groundwork to discover and develop future generations of therapeutics. Pharmacology's scope has broadened to include: computer-assisted drug design; genetic screens; protein engineering; and new drug-delivery vehicles like viruses and artificial cells.

 The department's history of accomplishments include the discovery of the adrenergic receptor subtypes-alpha and beta which led to developing several drugs used to treat cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular and neuroscience studies are the focuses of the department's research programs.

Raymond P. Ahlquist, working in this Department, first defined α and β adrenergic receptors in 1948. This discovery eventually led to the development of “β blocker” drugs for hypertension and heart disease.

β adrenergic receptors (blue) clustered into artificial microdomains on the surface of a living COS7 cell (red).

β adrenergic receptors (blue) clustered into artificial microdomains on the surface of a living COS7 cell (red).  

Contact Us

Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology

Health Sciences Campus

Carl T. Sanders R & E Building

706-721-2345

Ashley Davis

RM 3530

Pharmacology & Toxicology News

Group of medical researchers, all wearing lab coats, standing in a lab.

$11.3 million NIH grant to help identify causes of vascular disease

A key problem is the loss of “redox balance” between harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species and helpful molecules like nitric oxide.

Continue reading $11.3 million NIH grant to help identify causes of vascular disease
Man wearing glasses and a lab coat stands in a medical lab

MCG researcher secures prestigious grant for research to prevent blindness in premature infants

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is among the most common illnesses that affect premature or low birth-weight infants and is a major cause of long-term vision impairment and blindness.

Continue reading MCG researcher secures prestigious grant for research to prevent blindness in premature infants
Two men in white coats sit in front of lab

Long molecule of RNA essential to our GI tract’s ability to contract and move food along

Without CARMN, a long, noncoding RNA, the 30-foot-long GI tract doesn’t contract as it should.

Continue reading Long molecule of RNA essential to our GI tract’s ability to contract and move food along
Three people in white coats stand in lab

Medical College of Georgia scientists work to protect the vision of premature babies

With preterm birth, the still-immature retina can develop a potentially blinding eye disorder known as retinopathy of prematurity.

Continue reading Medical College of Georgia scientists work to protect the vision of premature babies

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