94191 - Advanced Pharmaceutical Analysis

Learning outcomes

The student, as a result of attendance and after passing the final exam, acquires the knowledge of the analytical problems peculiar to the different phases of the drug discovery process, the main techniques and the analytical approaches to support this process, with particular focus on a specific phase of the process itself.

Course contents

The ultimate goal of a drug discovery program is to generate a candidate drug compound that, besides being active and selective in vitro on the isolated target, is safe and efficacious in humans. In order to develop such a compound, many criteria including affinity, activity, selectivity, physico-chemical properties, and pharmacokinetics must be optimized. The definition of these criteria involves the availability and knowledge of appropriate analytical methodologies.

In detail, the course will address the most advanced analytical methods used for the analysis of drug candidates and/or their metabolites in biological fluids and will discuss application of these methods to the definition of the pharmacokinetic profile.

There will also be a special session dedicated to case reports discussed by R&D managers of companies operating in the field of drug discovery. Lectures will be delivered by recognized experts from the academic and industrial sectors.

Readings/Bibliography

A pdf file with the presented slides will be provided.

Teaching methods

The course is delivered in English. Few sessions are scheduled for lectures which will be delivered by experts.

Assessment methods

An oral exam will be set up to assess the acquisition on the learning outcomes.

Teaching tools

Video projector, PC. Educational material as pdf file

Office hours

See the website of Manuela Bartolini