In-depth exploration of critical decision points in the development of new medicines, from discovery and refinement, to preclinical assay selection, clinical trial design, and societal, ethical and regulatory challenges.
| Paper title | Drug Discovery and Development |
|---|---|
| Paper code | PHAL221 |
| Subject | Pharmacology |
| EFTS | 0.15 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Semester 2 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees (NZD) | $1,141.35 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Prerequisite
- Two of (BIOC 192, BIOL 112, BIOL 123, CELS 191, CHEM 111, CHEM 191, HUBS 191, HUBS 192) and 54 further points
- Schedule C
- Science
- Contact
Course Co-ordinator: Associate Professor Lyn Wise (lyn.wise@otago.ac.nz)
- Teaching staff
Associate Professor Lyn Wise
Dr Jonathan Falconer
Dr Greg Giles
Professor Paul Smith
Professor Debbie Hay
Dr Sarah Baird- Paper Structure
Lecture Modules:
- The Drug Pipeline
- Nature is the Best Medicine
- Drug Safety
- Drug Design & Refinement
- Drug Action
- Studying Drug Effects
- Clinic & Beyond
- Challenges for the Future
Practical Series:
- Industry Research Contract: to extract, characterise and test the anti-microbial efficacy of a NZ-derived natural product.
- Drug Refinement Challenge: to use in silico tools to modify a drug structure and to predict changes in its safety and efficacy.
- Regulatory Panel: to simulate the processes involved in approving drugs for human use.
Assessments:
- Industry Lab Report - 10%
- Drug Critique and Proposal - 10%
- Panel Participation (oral presentation and written opinion) - 10%
- Mid-term test - 10%
- Final exam - 60%
- Textbooks
No textbooks required.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Global perspective, Interdisciplinary perspective, Scholarship, Communication, Critical
thinking, Cultural understanding, Ethics, Information literacy, Research, Self-motivation,
Teamwork.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
Students who sucessfully complete this paper will:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the critical steps and decision points in drug discovery and development
- Explore the laboratory, computer and clinical models and tools used to assess drug safety and efficacy
- Develop an awareness of the societal, ethical, and regulatory challenges associated with developing medicines
- Demonstrate the principles of good laboratory practice and experimental design
- Develop skills to identify, use and critically evaluate information from appropriate and reliable sources
- Demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively, through written and oral means, to scientific and non-scientific audiences
