The global drug delivery sector is set to attain significant growth over the next five years. This is driven by the introduction of technologies with improved product features. As the pharmaceutical industry continues to innovate in order to maintain growth and profitability, the use of new drug delivery technologies is being explored for many treatment areas.
The introduction of new routes of delivery combined with increasing research and development spend, has created a new market for drug delivery and there is a market need for employees with matched skill sets.
The programme provides specialist research training and practical experience in the design and development of effective drug delivery systems, as well as promoting directly applicable skills for career and professional development.
This course is designed to provide a robust postgraduate training and skills development for life science or physical science-based graduate students seeking employment in the pharmaceutical industry or at the life sciences interface.
The course aims to:
Within your project, you'll have the exciting opportunity to work alongside leading researchers developing the next generation of drug delivery systems. We offer a range of topics from nano to macro drug delivery systems and we consider a wide range of delivery strategies.
The Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences offers an excellent environment for research and teaching. It’s located in a new building with several laboratories. All are fitted with the latest equipment.
The course will also provide students with full experiential learning with facilities including:
The course is also supported by access to the full range of analytical spectroscopic and chromatographic instrumentation for the characterisation of drug and drug delivery components, including:
The course is delivered through lectures, tutorials and hands-on practical sessions.
If you successfully complete the required taught classes you may undertake a laboratory project for the MSc.
Assessment of taught classes is through multiple choice tests, computer quizzes, problem solving scenarios, poster and oral presentations, essays, and formal written exams. The laboratory project is assessed through a written thesis.
This Masters programme is designed to support your career journey into the field of drug delivery and pharmaceutical sciences and provide the support for you to take up an exciting role within the pharmaceutical industry or continue your research career into a PhD programme.
The Pharmaceutical Science and Drug Delivery Systems MSc has been designed to develop your understanding of how drug delivery systems are constructed for specific deployment and controlled release of therapeutic agents. If you're a science graduate with a desire to work in this field, then this course will help you develop the knowledge and skills you'll need.
A flexible modular course, this master's course is designed to promote your personal and professional development. You can choose to start in the autumn or spring and follow either a part-time or full-time study route, allowing you to fit study around your personal and working life. Learning support will be delivered through lectures, tutorials, seminars and practical workshops.
All modules are taught by experts in their field and are supported by our online web-based learning environment accessible from outside the University at any time of day or night.
You'll study five core taught modules and then have a choice of one optional module, from the list of taught MSc modules offered by the subject group, over two semesters. You’ll then carry out an independent research project under the guidance of an experienced academic supervisor during the summer term.
If you’re already be working for a pharmaceutical company and have ambitions to acquire greater knowledge of the field, then this course will greatly contribute to your career advancement and continuing professional development (CPD).
You'll be assessed through self-diagnostic testing, debates, group work, coursework, essays, and cumulative exams. Practical skills are assessed through the coursework assignments, including those in the research project module. Data handling skills are assessed by practical reports, problem solving exercises, information abstracting and reviewing exercises, poster presentations, exams and seminar presentations.
The Oncology Drug Discovery MSc course is designed to provide an insight into how existing and future drug targets are identified from biological samples isolated from the cancer clinic. This will include an industrial viewpoint into what makes an interesting target and how, through an iterative process, this target is validated. In addition, lectures will be provided to discuss how ‘hit’ compounds are identified, in both the academic and industrial setting, using compound screen assays and fragment based screening technologies. We will also provide an insight in computational methods for generating chemical ‘hits’. The module will also cover how these ‘hit’ compounds are prosecuted into tool compounds or Lead Optimisation candidates (LO), both historic and modern, that are used to further validate a potential drug target.
During this second module we will provide an insight into the challenges of moving a compound from an LO candidate to a pre-clinical candidate. How bio-marker companion tests are developed, validated and are used to underpin clinical trials. The lectures will also provide a keen insight into novel formulation strategies currently under development within Queen’s University Belfast. In addition, we will also provide an insight into the development of bio-therapeutics, such as antibodies, that are proving to be a powerful alternative to small molecule based therapeutics.
For further information email [email protected] or send us a message on WhatsApp
The strong links between us and the biotech and bio-pharmaceutical sectors provides a stimulating translational environment, while also expanding your career opportunities.
GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES
INDUSTRY LINKS
WORLD CLASS FACILITIES
INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED EXPERTS
Research Project
Research Translational: from Concept to Commercialisation (Full Year)
Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer
Cancer Biology
Target Identification and Development in Drug Discovery
Drug optimization, drug delivery and clinical trials
For further information email [email protected] or send us a message on WhatsApp
This programme provides a broad overview of the drug discovery and development process and is designed for graduates in science-based subjects as preparation for either PhD-level research or a career in the pharmaceutical industry or with a government regulatory body.
You will gain hands-on experience of molecular modelling and computer-based drug design, and analytical and synthetic techniques and be exposed to modern platforms for drug discovery and methods of drug synthesis.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of three core modules (90 credits), two optional modules (30 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits).
Core modules
Optional modules
Students choose two from the following:
Dissertation/report
All students undertake a laboratory-based research project which is assessed at the end of the year by a written report and oral presentation.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials and seminars supported by the Blackboard e-learning system and practical classes. Assessment is through a combination of written examination and coursework. The research project is assessed by written report and oral presentation.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Drug Discovery and Development MSc
Students who complete the Drug Delivery and Development MSc will progress to careers in the various aspects of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries including research, product development and manufacturing, clinical trials and regulatory affairs.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Careers data is taken from the ‘Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education’ survey undertaken by HESA looking at the destinations of UK and EU students in the 2013–2015 graduating cohorts six months after graduation.
Lectures and seminars from industry-based scientists and visits to industrial and biotechnological research laboratories are key features of this programme.
Our graduates include international students from 24 different countries
The programme covers marketing, licensing and the regulatory affairs that form an integral part of the development process
The Research Excellence Framework, or REF, is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. The 2014 REF was carried out by the UK's higher education funding bodies, and the results used to allocate research funding from 2015/16.
The following REF score was awarded to the department: School of Pharmacy
87% rated 4* (‘world-leading’) or 3* (‘internationally excellent’)
Learn more about the scope of UCL's research, and browse case studies, on our Research Impact website.
We have scientists and clinicians working together on all aspects of pharmaceutical sciences and clinical pharmacy. This spans the fundamental understanding and concepts of drug action, the discovery of new drugs and development of medicines, the clinical management and rationale use of medicines, through to the professional role of the pharmacist in improving public health.
As a postgraduate research student studying for an MPhil or PhD, you will be based within the School of Pharmacy and a research institute in the Faculty of Medical Sciences relevant to your proposed research. Our research institutes are as follows:
If your research involves clinical components there may be a partnership with the NHS.
The School of Pharmacy's focus is on multidisciplinary translational research, work that is relevant to real life. We combine world-class laboratory and clinical research facilities with an open environment where scholars, clinicians and researchers benefit from working side-by-side. You will spend your time within research teams led by experts in their field, in a friendly and supportive atmosphere.
We offer MPhil and PhD supervision in the following research areas:
The discovery and development of new small molecule therapeutics with improved disease selectivity and reduced systemic toxicities, through the use of rational drug design and synthesis, lead optimisation, and preclinical evaluation in cellular disease model systems. We are particularly interested in the development of cancer prodrugs with tumour specific activation and reduced systemic toxicity, and novel therapies for improved treatment of infective diseases including Dengue and other haemorrhagic fever viruses and Tuberculosis, amongst others.
Understanding the molecular mechanisms that generate and maintain the symptoms and processes of chronic pain, and its translation to effective strategies for pain control, including opioid treatment.
Understanding the pathways that allow hormones to control epithelial ion channel activity and physiological action, particularly the control of sodium channel activity in the distal nephron and consequent hypo/hyper-tension.
Development and utilisation of new preclinical tools for identification of therapeutics with potential safety liabilities, particularly novel clinically relevant cell models and systems for detection of effects upon the heart.
Pharmaceutical formulations to deliver active molecules to treat disease. We have active research on intermolecular interactions, nanoscale pharmaceutics and nanotherapeutics, including dosage form design from intermolecular interactions, and delivery of biopharmaceuticals. In particular research is focused on:
The role of community pharmacy as a central fulcrum to address health inequalities and behaviour change in relation to smoking, alcohol and substance misuse, sexual health and obesogenic behaviours, amongst others. As the community pharmacy is the most frequent point of contact for patients and public within the wider primary healthcare team, we evaluate the dynamics and interactions of this relationship and the potential role for pharmacy within the early diagnosis of disease and improvements in public health.
The safe and efficient use of medicines in primary and secondary care is central to the role of every pharmacist. However, medicines are becoming increasingly complex and patients are being given more preventative medicine focused at improving their health, which poses clear risks and significant potential for complications. Rationalisation of medicine usage crosses care boundaries, applies both within primary and secondary care, and furthermore at the care interface. We investigate prescribing habits and the mechanisms to support patients who may take complex medicines for a significant portion of their life
Medication errors can result in patient injury or death, and are preventable. These errors can occur at the stages of ordering, transcription, dispensing and administration. We conduct studies around key technological advances targeted towards intercepting these errors and improving patient safety. Our research focuses on evaluation of specific health information technology prevention strategies throughout the medication use process, with a particular emphasis on health information technology, including its broader implications for medical care and policy. We also explore the different types and causes of errors that occur during the prescribing process when using electronic systems, providing national and international recommendations for their improvement.
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