Pharmacologist

In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.

The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.

Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.

2006 NOC

• 2121.2: Microbiologists and Cell and Molecular Biologists

2006 NOC-S

• C021: Biologists and Related Scientists

2011 NOC

• 2121: Biologists and related scientists

2016 NOC

• 2121: Biologists and related scientists

2021 NOC

• 21110: Biologists and related scientists

2023 OaSIS

• 21110.01: Biologists

A pharmacologist’s duties and responsibilities vary from one position to another. In general, pharmacologists conduct basic, clinical, or translational research. They work in laboratories in universities, hospitals, research institutions, or the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. They:

• Take part in training physicians, pharmacists, dentists, future pharmacologists, and other health-care professionals in post-secondary institutions
• Conduct basic, clinical, or translational research in laboratories in academia, hospitals, or commercial organizations
• Help to evaluate and market drugs and related products for the pharmaceutical industry
• Provide expert opinions to health-care professionals, lawmakers, law enforcement, and the public on emerging drug use issues, such as opioid abuse and cannabis legislation
• Provide expertise to government agencies in detecting, regulating, and licensing drugs and related products

Pharmacology is multidisciplinary, combining principles from biomedical and other sciences. For example, it may incorporate principles from physiology, biochemistry, molecular and cell biology, pathology, microbiology, chemistry, nutrition, and psychiatry. Pharmacologists develop and evaluate drugs to treat a wide range of conditions. Conditions can include bacterial or viral infections or psychiatric, neurological, endocrinological, or cardiovascular diseases. Pharmacologists also may use drugs and chemicals as tools to help research physiological and pathophysiological processes. Increasingly, biopharmaceuticals produced by genetic engineering are being used as new therapeutic agents.

Pharmacologists may specialize in one or more of the following areas:

• Pharmacodynamics - the study of the mechanisms of drug action. This may involve experiments to learn how drugs affect biological processes in purified proteins or cellular organelles (such as mitochondria), and in isolated cells or organs and whole organisms, including humans. Examples may include studying gene regulation, structure and function of proteins, cell biology, or tissue and organ responses to physiological and pathological stimuli.
• Pharmacogenomics - the study of how genetic variations affect drug responses. This research pursues the hope that drug therapy (the choice of drug and its dosage) can be tailored to the genotype of each patient (an example of personalized medicine).
• Pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism - the study of the time-dependent processes of absorption, distribution, biotransformation, and elimination of drugs in animals and humans, and how these vary between individuals. The goal is to develop dosage regimens that maximize therapeutic benefit, minimize unwanted side effects, and circumvent drug resistance.
• Toxicology - the study of noxious substances, including their mechanisms of action, as well as the detection and treatment of the adverse effects of drugs. For related information, see the Toxicologist occupational profile.

Basic pharmacologists study drug and chemical responses in biological systems using in vitro cell and tissue models, and sometimes experimental animals.

Clinical pharmacologists usually are physicians who specialize in the study of therapeutic and pharmacokinetic (movement of drugs within the body) properties of drugs in humans. For more information, see the Family Physician occupational profile.

Junior pharmacologists usually work in research laboratories. Senior or more experienced scientists spend more time planning and analyzing experiments, writing reports or manuscripts for publication, and applying for funding. Overtime may be needed to complete projects on time. Travel may be required to attend scientific workshops or present research findings at conferences.

Pharmacologists work for:

• Agricultural chemical companies
• Commercial cannabis producers
• Food processing companies
• Forensics firms
• Health authorities
• Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies
• Provincial and federal governments
• Universities
• Research institutes

Pharmacologists who have just earned their B.Sc. often working at a technical level. With a PhD and several years of experience, they become qualified to work in universities or large pharmaceutical firms.

Pharmacologists work closely with other science and health professionals to ensure new products are safe and effective. Pharmacologists often work in advisory roles. They may work in activities related to developing, formulating, producing, and marketing new drugs for clinical use.

Industry Concentration

This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.

In the 2121: Biologists and related scientists occupational group, 79.3% of people work in:

• Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• Public Administration
• Educational Services
• Health Care and Social Services

Employment Outlook

Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

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Employment Outlook

Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors. Learn how these factors can affect your career decisions.

• Time of year (for seasonal jobs)
• Location in Alberta
• Employment turnover (when people leave existing positions)
• Occupational growth (when new positions are created)
• Size of the occupation
• Trends and events that affect overall employment, especially in the industry or industries from the previous list

In Alberta, the 2121: Biologists and related scientists occupational group is expected to have an above-average annual growth of 2.1% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 58 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.

Note
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For example, only some of the new positions to be created will be for this occupation. It also applies to other data for the NOC group such as number of people employed.

Source: 2019-2023 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook

Suitably qualified integrative pharmacologists at the M.Sc. and PhD levels are in high demand in the pharmaceutical industry. The ability to study drugs in vivo (for example, conduct pharmacokinetic and toxicology analyses) is a definite asset.

Competence in the field of bioinformatics is likely to become an increasingly valuable asset for pharmacologists over the next decade.

Canadian Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (CSPT) website: www.pharmacologycanada.org

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