UCT GSB - Introduction to Small Molecule Drug Discovery & Development
- Offered byCoursera
Introduction to Small Molecule Drug Discovery & Development at Coursera Overview
Duration | 17 hours |
Start from | Start Now |
Total fee | Free |
Mode of learning | Online |
Difficulty level | Beginner |
Official Website | Explore Free Course  |
Credential | Certificate |
Introduction to Small Molecule Drug Discovery & Development at Coursera Highlights
- Earn a certificate from University of Cape Town
- Add to your LinkedIn profile
- October 2023
- 8 quizzes
Introduction to Small Molecule Drug Discovery & Development at Coursera Course details
- What you'll learn
- The different stages of drug discovery and development, including the tools and technologies influencing how we think about new medicines.
- Investigate drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics and drug safety all the way to clinical development and beyond from the needs of the patient.
- What does it take to advance a new drug from the laboratory bench to the patient's bedside? Historically, drugs were discovered serendipitously and were usually isolated from natural sources. Today, drug discovery efforts take many years and cost hundreds of millions of dollars. They also require the input of dozens of specialists from a multitude of backgrounds to ensure that therapeutic molecules are efficacious and safe.
- This four-week course takes a high-level tour of what it takes to research and develop a new drug. We will meet different scientists and professionals across the drug discovery value chain as we explore the different stages of discovery and development, including the different tools and technologies that are influencing how we think about new medicines today.
- Starting off with the needs of the patient and the early phases of drug discovery, we will cover drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics and drug safety all the way to clinical development and beyond. This course is relevant for scientists who are new to drug discovery research or already have some experience, health professionals, or anyone who is interested in knowing what had to happen to ensure that their medicine is effective and safe.
Introduction to Small Molecule Drug Discovery & Development at Coursera Curriculum
The starting point for drug discovery: The needs of the patient
Course introduction
Introduction to week 1
Case study 1: Malaria
History and overview of drug discovery
Different approaches in drug discovery
Identifying a good drug candidate
Panel discussion: How do academia and industry select and prioritise projects in the global health space?
Conclusion for week 1
A day in the life of a drug discovery researcher (VIDEO)
How the course works
About the H3D Foundation, H3D Centre and Global Health at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
Meet the course team
Concepts in week 1
Reference infographic: Drug discovery and development value chain
The four levels of validation in infectious disease drug discovery programmes
Case study: MMV390048 – from a hit to the clinic
Additional readings for week 1
A day in the life of a drug discovery researcher (PODCAST)
Practice quiz for week 1
Graded quiz for week 1
Identify characteristics of an unmet medical need
Identify disciplines involved in the various phases of drug discovery
Are you considering a career as a drug discovery researcher?
The early phases of drug discovery
Introduction to week 2
Case study 2: Tuberculosis (TB)
Disease biology and understanding mechanism of action
Druggable targets and target vulnerability in various physiological environments
Differentiating between host and pathogen biology
Medicinal chemistry optimisation
Interview with chemists in the lab as they optimise different physicochemical and biological properties
Introduction to screening cascades
Panel discussion: Industry versus academic approaches to early-stage drug discovery
Concluding week 2
Concepts in week 2
Introduction to medicinal chemistry
Continuing the MMV390048 case study
Additional resources for week 2
Practice quiz for week 2
Graded quiz for week 2
Disease area and target product profile considerations
Drug metabolism, pharmacokinetics and drug safety
Introduction to week 3
Introduction to in vitro absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME)
Introduction to drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK)
In vivo efficacy (NSG mouse model)
Panel discussion: The role of animal testing in drug discovery
Introduction to pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) modelling and human dose predictions
Preclinical development: Selecting a compound for clinical trials
Preclinical pharmacology: Understanding toxicology
Panel discussion: Process chemistry and API manufacturing
Concluding week 3
Concepts in week 3
Supplementary reading: ADME and DMPK
Additional readings for week 3
Information about the Honors peer-reviewed assessment
Practice quiz for week 3
Graded quiz for week 3
Selecting an antimalarial drug candidate for development
Development phase
Introduction to week 4
Introduction to clinical trials
Panel discussion: Submission and approval by authorities to conduct clinical trials in humans
Panel discussion: Informed consent process at the clinical research site
Optional - Panel discussion: Site dynamics during the conduct of a clinical trial
Panel discussion: Study management budgets, contracts and vendors
Panel discussion: Data management and quality oversight during clinical trials
Commercial considerations in global health
Panel discussion: New technologies changing the landscape of drug discovery and development
Concluding week 4
Concepts for week 4
Roles in clinical trials
Concluding the MMV390048 case study
Introducing the topic of regulations
Introducing the topic of clinical trial phase considerations
AI in drug discovery
Additional resources for week 4
More information
Practice quiz for week 4
Graded quiz for week 4
Introduction to Small Molecule Drug Discovery & Development at Coursera Admission Process
Important Dates
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