Pharmacology is an interdisciplinary field that explores many aspects of drug discovery, development and preclinical drug safety. It integrates knowledge from multiple scientific disciplines including chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology and physiology, providing a significant positive impact on human health. The scientific knowledge gained through pharmacologic studies provides a foundation for a number of medical treatments.
The discipline of pharmacology is distinct from the profession of pharmacy which addresses more of the formulation and dispensing of drugs for human use. Pharmacologists, however, focus on how drugs (both chemical and biologic molecules) interact with biological systems. Our bodies have the incredible ability to respond to chemical and biological molecules but at the same time these molecules have the incredible ability of influencing our biological responses. It is through the study of pharmacology we are able to identify novel molecular targets, develop unique chemical and biological molecules, and explore their preclinical impact.