Prospectus

nl en

Drug Delivery

Course
2021-2022

Admission requirements

Master students of Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Life Science & Technology, Molecular Science & Technology. Basic knowledge in chemistry, pharmaceutical science, cell biology, immunology is required.

Description

Part 1:
Nanomedicine is by definition the use of nanotechnology for medical applications. In the lecture I will provide a brief introduction to the area of nanomedicine with a focus on drug/gene delivery systems and in vivo diagnostic or theragnostic systems. The history of the field is discussed from the origins to clinical products. Moreover, materials and functional systems will be introduced and discussed ranging from polymeric micelles for drug delivery to protein polymer conjugates and mRNA formulations in the clinics. Besides, analytical methods are introduced and explained. Limitations and applications are highlighted allowing the participants to decide what methodology is applicable for a certain task. We will also discuss on-going clinical developments of nanomedicines and discuss some parameters for success or failure. The lecture includes a seminar, in which the participants prepare and present a brief talk (15-20min) based on a scientific publication related to the themes of the lecture. Afterwards, the individual presentations are critically discussed with the aim of interconnecting knowledge and understanding.gg

Part 2:
Vaccines are the most cost effective medical intervention and in some cases the only effective one, as the Covid-19 pandemic has shown. Vaccines are to a large extent responsible for almost complete elimination of infectious diseases like smallpox, polio, diphtheria and measles. Extensive research in other areas holds promise for therapeutic vaccines against cancer, Alzheimer and atherosclerosis. Vaccinology is a multidisciplinary area ranging from epidemiology and immunology to pharmaceutical sciences and process technology. In this course you will get an overview of the field. We will address, in the form of lectures, vaccine related immunology, delivery and characterization of vaccines. Case studies on SARS-Cov2 and polio vaccines will be presented. Apart from lectures, you will be actively involved by working on assignments in small groups. The results will be presented by you with the aim to discuss the possibilities and problems related to vaccine development.

Course objectives

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

  • Understand the basic principles of nanomedicines and nanoparticle characterization.

  • Has an overview on the application areas and clinical developments of nanoparticles in diagnosis and therapy.

  • Understand the different phases in vaccine development from lead finding and concept development to formulation and route of administration.

  • Understand the differences and similarities between vaccines and other biopharmaceuticals.

  • To read and understand relevant scientific literature (both parts).

  • To judge the results presented in scientific literature critically and propose follow up experiments (both parts).

Timetable

This course is scheduled for semester 1, period 2.
A detailed course schedule will be published on Brightspace.

Mode of instruction

Lectures, tutorials and self-tuition.

Assessment method

Each of the two parts of the course will be concluded with a written exam. Each exam counts for 50% of the final grade for the 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: Prof. Dr. Matthias Barz.
E-mail: m.barz@lacdr.leidenuniv.nl; tel: +31 71 527 2727.

Remarks

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