Prospectus

nl en

Biophysics and Bioengineering for Pharmaceutical Sciences

Course
2021-2022

Admission requirements

Master students of Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Life Science & Technology. Required background knowledge is thorough knowledge of human biology.

Description

Interdisciplinary approaches are being increasing used to addressed biomedical challenges.
In this course, students will be introduced to some of the recent developments at the interface of physics and engineering with biomedicine and pharmaceutical sciences.

Topics include:

  • Molecular biophysics: contributions and opportunities for biopharmaceutical sciences.

  • Cell biophysics: contributions and opportunities for biopharmaceutical sciences.

  • Systems biophysics for biopharmaceutical sciences.

  • Nanotechnology for biopharmaceutical sciences.

  • Organ-on-chips for biopharmaceutical sciences.

  • Theoretical biophysics and artificial intelligence for biopharmaceutical sciences.

This course aims to:

  • Raise students’ awareness of the contributions of the fields of biophysics and bioengineering to medicine and drug discovery.

  • Give an introduction of several key physics and engineering concepts and tools that are used in biopharmaceutical sciences.

Note that these are expert lectures series and that hence the content might change every year.

Course objectives

At the end of this course the student is able to:

  • Describe the working principles, advantages and limitations of several key structural biology techniques.

  • Describe the working principles, advantages and limitations of key single molecule techniques.

  • Describe the working principles, advantages and limitations of several key microscopy techniques.

  • Describe the working principles, advantages and limitations of several key single cell methodologies.

  • Describe the working principles, advantages and limitations of several key bioengineering approaches.

  • Read scientific literature, and can critically reflect on the rational and experimental approach of the study as well as on the results presented and conclusions drawn by the authors.

Timetable

This course is scheduled for semester 2 (March 2022).
A detailed course schedule will be published on Brightspace.

Mode of instruction

Lectures, tutoring and self-tuition.

Assessment method

The course will be concluded with a written essay and exam (multiple choice questions). The exam counts for 70% of the final grade and the essay counts for 30% of the final grade for the course.

The final grade is expressed using an integer between 1 and 10 and can be rounded off/up to a half integer, with the exception of the grade 5.5. Final grades between 5.50 and 5.99 will be rounded up to 6.0. The final grade should be 6.0 to successfully complete this course.

Reading list

Will be announced during the course.

Registration

Application via uSis for both the course and exam is mandatory. Registration for the course closes 14 days before the start of the course or earlier when the maximum number of students is reached. Registration for the exam closes 7 days before the exam date or earlier when the maximum number of students is reached.

Contact

Coordinator: Dr. Alireza Mashaghi Tabari (a.mashaghi.tabari@lacdr.leidenuniv.nl).

Remarks

A minimum of 5 participants is required with a maximum of 25. Placement is based on the registration date.

This information is without prejudice. Alterations can be made for next year.