Course syllabus

Drug Development BIO523/KMG046

Programs: Molecular Biology and Genomics/Systems Biology programs (GU), Biotechnology program (Chalmers)

Place in program: Year 4/5, optional

Number of students: No limitation

Course leader: Margit Mahlapuu, Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology (CMB), Göteborg University; Medicinaregatan 9C, 413 90 Göteborg/ Box 462 405 30 Göteborg
Phone: 0706310109
E-mail: margit.mahlapuu@gu.se

Changes in the schedule and other messages regarding the course will be distributed through e-mail and/or posted at Canvas or the Student portal (Chalmers). Handouts and literature will likewise be available at these sites.

Length: 7.5 ECTS

Prerequisites: Only compulsory courses in the the first 2 years of the Molecular Biology bachelor’s program (GU), the first 3 years of the Biotechnology program (Chalmers), or equivalent.

Time: Period 2, fall term 2019

Aim: The emphasis is put on the first steps in development of a new pharmaceutical, i.e. drug discovery. The premise is that this process starts with identification of the biomolecule (drug target) that the pharmaceutical is intended to affect. Examples are also given of existing drugs, how they have been developed, and their mechanisms of action. The course is intended to give an overview of the area, and will cover a wide spectrum of approaches. The course is mostly theoretical, but in certain parts practical demonstrations may be included.

Literature: Scientific review papers, see separate list.

Exam: Written, at the end of the course. In addition, essay subjects will be presented to be worked on individually during the course. These are submitted at the end of the course and will be graded. The grade for the essays and the written exam are combined to give the final score.

Items in course: Lectures, practical demonstrations, and individual projects.

Teachers:

Margit Mahlapuu margit.mahlapuu@gu.se
Per Sunnerhagen per.sunnerhagen@cmb.gu.se
Martin Billeter martin.billeter@chem.gu.se
Anders Blomberg anders.blomberg@cmb.gu.se
Marica Ericson marica.ericson@chem.gu.se
Leif Eriksson leif.eriksson@chem.gu.se
Morten Grötli grotli@chem.gu.se
Göran Karlsson goran.karlsson@nmr.gu.se
Marc Pilon marc.pilon@cmb.gu.se
Gisela Brändén gisela.branden@gu.se
Björn Löwenadler bjorn.lowenadler@toleranzia.com
Lorna Fletcher lorna.fletcher@ventures.gu.se
Camilla Björn camilla.bjorn@ri.se
Katja.Madeyski-Bengtson Katja.Madeyski-Bengtson@astrazeneca.com
Thomas Lundbäck thomas.lundback@astrazeneca.com

Individual projects: As part of the examination, individual projects in the form of essay subjects are used. At one specific time in the course, the subjects (usually three), which are of the essay type, are presented. Each topic is linked to one or more of the subjects in the course. Each student chooses one of these topics to answer. The topics can be of e.g. the type ”given a certain problem within the domain of the course, describe how you would go about to solve it”; or a literature study of a certain area. The essays can be written with free consultation of the literature; however, each student must produce an individual essay, and the essays should be produced independently of the teachers on the course.
The essays, in Swedish or English, are reported in written form, maximum 2000 words. They are submitted on paper or per e-mail at the end of the course and will be graded of the person who formulated the respective topic. The grades of the individual projects and the written exam are combined to produce the final score. The individual projects contribute about 20 % of the total.

SCHEDULE, Drug development 7.5 ECTS

Premises

Lectures: KS31, KS32: on Chalmers main campus (Johanneberg), chemistry building (main entrance, Kemigården 4). Go straight ahead from the main entrance through the doors into the stairway and go down one level to floor 3. Enter the corridor on the north side (the side away from the main entrance) and turn right. Both rooms are equipped with projectors.

NMR Center: Swedish NMR Center in Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 5C. Seminar room just inside the main entrance.

Demonstrations: a) chemical screening facility; b) transgenic facility. In both cases at AstraZeneca Mölndal. Meet in the main lobby, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal.