Course overview
This course will provide a comprehensive understanding of the drug discovery process including past, current and future trends in discovery and to develop skills in designing discovery, lead optimisation and preclinical development programs. Overview of classical drug discovery, serendipitous discovery and the changing perspectives in drug discovery; role of traditional medicine knowledge in the development of new pharmaceutical agents; identification and validation of physiological targets for drug discovery; introduction to the biochemical and molecular basis of drug action; computational data mining, rational drug design and structure activity relationships; compound selection for drug discovery; combinatorial chemistry, natural products and product extracts as chemical starting points. Radioactive, colorimetric, luminescent, fluorescent and label-free assay technologies for compound profiling; biotechnology and gene manipulation for biochemical and cell-based assay development; methods for the preclinical evaluation of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion; principles of toxicology and preclinical evaluation of drug safety; predicting the factors that may lead to the failure of a new drug candidate and maximising the chance of success; animal studies in drug discovery; case studies in drug discovery - success stories and failures.
Course learning outcomes
- Demonstrate an understanding of the drug discovery process and the relative advantages and disadvantages of the various approaches to drug discovery
- Provide an overview of a successful drug discovery project and the outcomes associated with the specific approach used
- Provide an overview of the challenges facing a drug discovery program, including the needs to compromise between activity and other features of the drug (eg oral absorption)
- Identify simple strategies that a pharmaceutical company may implement to ensure that its drug discovery program is sustainable
- Evaluate a range of prospective approaches that a company may take in identifying a new lead compound for treating a specific human disease
- Demonstrate skills in group work and oral presentations
Availability
Class details
Adelaide City Campus West
Class number 54599
Section LE01
Size 50
Available 37
Class number 54600
Section TU01
Size 30
Available 24
Class number 54601
Section TU02
Size 30
Available 23
Class number 54602
Section WS01
Size 50
Available 37
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