Key facts

Overview

The Drug Development, Pharmacokinetics and Imaging module is a one-week module of the MSc in Experimental Therapeutics programme. Offered by the Department of Oncology and the Department for Continuing Education’s CPD Centre, the module will be led by Prof Stefan Knapp, and will feature face-to-face lectures and tutorials from some of Oxford's leading clinicians and scientists.

The module can also be taken as a stand-alone short course. It includes group work, discussions, guest lectures, and interaction and feedback with tutors and lecturers.

For more information about what the course includes and how to apply please see below.

Please send me an email about future Drug Development, Pharmacokinetics and Imaging courses.

Description

This five-day course touches on the basic principles of designing and identifying new drug molecules improving their properties, and monitoring their effect in cellular model systems and in vivo. The course comprises principles of medicinal chemistry, structural biology, structure-based design, in vitro and cell based screening technology, as well as principles of pharmacokinetics and optimisation of drug in vivo properties.

The course also covers aspects of target validation and identification. Finally it explores several state-of-art imaging technologies, aiming to assess the drug distribution and activity as well as to gain a broader view of disease pathology.

The Pharmacokinetics and Drug Therapy course will provide students with the opportunity to learn more about and discuss the following topics:

• Principles of Medicinal Chemistry
• Introduction to Structural Biology and its use in rational drug design
• Introduction to Structural Biology and its use in rational drug design
• In vitro screening technology
• In silico screening
• Cell based screening technology
• Principles of pharmacokinetics
• Optimization of inhibitor properties for in vivo use
• Cellular and in vivo imaging technologies

Programme details

This course can be taken:

• as a 5 day short course (for credit or not for credit)
• as part of the MSc in Experimental Therapeutics

Venue

This course will be held at the Department for Continuing Education, Rewley House, Oxford.

Staff

Professor Stefan Knapp

Role: Speaker

Professor Stefan Knapp is leading the Phosphorylation Dependent Signalling group within the SGC. Research activities are focused at the...more production, purification, functional characterization and structure determination of human kinases and phosphatases of medical relevance.

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Course aims

The course has been designed to:

• enable students to understand the basic principles of modern drug design
• enable students to understand principles of protein structural biology and its role in rational ligand design
• enable students to design experiments to monitor drug/inhibitor action in vitro, in cell based systems and in vivo

Assessment methods

Assessment will be based on submission of a set written assignment, not exceeding 4,000 words.

Academic credit

Those wishing to may apply to take the course with accreditation. The University of Oxford Department for Continuing Education offers Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS) points for the course. Participants attending at least 75% of the taught course and successfully completing assessed assignments are eligible to earn credit equivalent to 20 CATS-equivalent points which may be counted towards a postgraduate qualification.

Those who do not wish to undertake the assessed work required for academic credit will receive a certificate of attendance at the end of the course.

Level and demands

This course is aimed at qualified doctors, especially specialist registrars in clinical pharmacology or in training for other medical sub-specialities; clinical research fellows in other specialities; pharmacists; nurses; graduates working in the pharmaceutical industry.

Teaching methods

The module will be led by Prof Stefan Knapp, and will feature talks from guest lecturers leading these areas of research, and there will be significant time programmed to discuss the scientific and sometimes ethical issues raised by this area of medical research.

The module includes practical sessions, group work, discussions, guest lectures, and interaction and feedback with tutors and lecturers.

Accommodation

Accommodation is available at the Rewley House Residential Centre, within the Department for Continuing Education, in central Oxford. The comfortable, en-suite, study-bedrooms are rated 3-star, and come with free high-speed internet access and TV. Guests can take advantage of the excellent dining facilities and common room bar, where they may relax and network with others on the programme.

Payment

The course fee includes tuition, course materials, refreshments and a three course lunch on each day of the course.

Please see the MSc in Experimental Therapeutics page for more information regarding module fees when taking this course as a part of the MSc Programme.

Scholarships

Details of funding opportunities, including grants, bursaries, loans, scholarships and benefit information are available on our financial assistance page.

Fee options

Programme Fee

For students enrolled on the MSc: £1575.00

Apply for this course

Programmes including this module

This module can be studied as part of these programmes:

• Experimental therapeutics
• MSc in Experimental Therapeutics
• Short courses in health sciences