Entry requirements

150 credits including 120 credits in biomedicine, pharmaceutical sciences, drug development and/or natural sciences/engineering. Previous studies must include (1) pharmaceutics and pharmacokinetics 15 credits or (2) Molecular Biopharmaceutics 7.5 credits. Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6.

Learning outcomes

After course completion, the student should:

• Explain and analyse individual physiological, biochemical and cell biological changes that can be used for personalized, controlled drug release during disease as well as different types of cancer and inflammation
• Describe and apply different strategies for personalized, targeted drug delivery systems (gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system, lymphatic system)
• Analyze how different personalized drug delivery systems can be used for biological drugs
• Apply formulation strategies to develop new drug delivery systems for personalized medicine that confirm to given criteria and clinical aspects (patient and doctor)
• Plan experiments, compile, analyse and report in written experiments and scientific literature that are of relevance for the development of drug delivery systems, using correct English.

Content

The course gives in depth understanding of different types of controlled, targeted and selective drug delivery. This includes diffusion of drugs from matrix systems, hydrogels as well as responsive and particle-based drug delivery systems and how these are applied to specific locations in the body as well as to the central nervous system, the lymphatic system and the gastrointestinal tract.

It further covers how disease causes physiological, biochemical and cell biological changes and how this creates conditions for targeted and personalized drug therapy. We study how physiologically initiated release of drugs can be used, as well as metabolic and microbial activation. The course will further give an increased understanding of how the uptake of drugs in cells can be stimulated by binding to receptors on specific cells and drug delivery principles that utilize conjugation to ligands such as antibodies.

We will also investigate aspects of personalized dosage forms and theranostic drug delivery systems that combine diagnosis (especially image-guided diagnosis) and therapy, as well as stimuli-responsive systems. This includes drug delivery systems for macromolecules, e.g. proteins and peptides, vaccines, genes and oligonucleotides, and their intracellular release. Finally, the course will cover novel formulation technologies (e.g. microfluidics), additive manufacturing (3D printing of dosage forms) and continuous manufacturing.

Instruction

Teaching is in the form of lectures, discussion seminars, laboratory exercises and a project work. Certain parts of the instruction will be carried out digitally.

The course is given in English.

Project work and laboratory exercises are compulsory.

Assessment

A written examination is conducted at the end of the course. The following is required to pass the course: passed written examination (5 hp) and passed on compulsory parts of the course (laboratory exercises: 1 hp, project work: 1.5 hp).

If special reasons apply, the examiner may make exceptions from the described examination and allow a student to be assessed differently. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the coordinator of the university.