Drug Design MSc/PG Dip/PG Cert

The programme covers all aspects of drug design, including genomics, bioinformatics, structural biology, cheminformatics, molecular modelling and fragment-based drug design, drug target selection, intellectual property and marketing. New therapies and research areas such as antibodies, siRNA, stem cells and high throughput screening are covered. Students will develop essential skills such as research methods and techniques of drug design.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The programme consists of eight core modules (120 credits) and a research project (60 credits).

A Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits) is also offered.

A Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits) is also offered

• Bioinformatics and Structural Biology
• Target Identification and High Throughput Screening
• Cheminformatics and Computer Drug Design
• Biological Molecules as Therapeutics - Antibodies, siRNA, and Stem Cells
• Biophysical Screening Methods, Protein NMR and Phenotypic Screening
• Fragment Based Drug Design (FBDD)
• Target Selection - Scientific Grounds
• Target Selection - Commercial and Intellectual Property

There are no optional modules for this programme.

All MSc students undertake an independent research project which can take the form of a wet lab or dry lab computational or modelling based project or an external project with an industrial sponsor.

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, self study, practical sessions and discussion groups. The research project forms one third of the programme. Each of the taught modules is assessed by unseen written examination (50%) and coursework (50%). The research project is assessed by the dissertation and viva.