Uppsala University invests in lifelong learning for pharmacists
With four new courses in drug development, the Faculty of Pharmacy takes an important initiative in Sweden's ongoing investment in lifelong learning. "Our field is constantly moving forward and already ten years after graduation, professional pharmacists should update their skills," says Senior lecturer Per Larsson.
(Image removed)
The Swedish government is currently making extensive investments in lifelong learning. As part of the initiative, our nation’s institutions for higher education have been given the task to enable skills development in areas where society faces major challenges. In the autumn term of 2021, Uppsala University's Faculty of Pharmacy is therefore launching a selection of new courses in drug development that respond well to the field's extensive need for future competence, and the response is positive from both students and industry.
“The development of new drugs is dependent on the ability to deliver them right in the body, and when many potential drug molecules show poor solubility and low bioavailability, the need for new knowledge in drug delivery increases. We have created this range of new courses in close collaboration with several of the Faculty of Pharmacy's research environments, which guarantees up-to-date presentations from the area's absolute forefront,” says Senior lecturer Per Larsson.
The first course, Advanced Drug Delivery, is already successfully completed. The subsequent course Patient-Centred Drug Delivery is currently underway, and with a focus on targeted drug therapies, they arouse great interest. Among the participants are students from both undergraduate and master's levels, but also quite a few who have taken the opportunity to study the course outside a programme.
(Image removed) Per Larsson, Senior lecturer
“With the Faculty of Pharmacy's role as academic hub in the SweDeliver competence center, we have completely new conditions to clarify how the knowledge we convey is utilised and the courses direct connection to what the industry needs. It also provides us space to engage lecturers from SweDeliver's large network, providing insight into how the industry works with drug delivery systems, and already this autumn we will welcome experts from, among others, AstraZeneca and Ferring Pharmaceuticals” says Per Larsson.
The faculty has designed the new courses with an initial focus on adding essential knowledge in degree educations in pharmacy, biomedicine, drug development and related subjects. After the initial rounds, the initiative will be evaluated – hopefully in dialogue with industry representatives, and then accompanied by three smaller course packages that will be composed with the aim of attracting already professional pharmacists.
“Modern drug development is a discipline in constant motion forward, with new techniques and methods constantly being introduced. Already ten years after graduation, it is in all probability time to update your knowledge. In these course packages that we are to create, we will implement the best from our existing range of courses. Our ambition is to do this in collaboration with SweDeliver's industrial partners, and while at it, also develop a structure that strengthens our students' possibilities to carry out in-depth projects or internships at pharmaceutical companies.”
Facts
- The courses are given for the first time online in the autumn term 2021
- Language of instruction: English
More information
- Advanced Drug Delivery
- Patient-Centred Drug Delivery
- Computational Pharmaceutics
- Introduction to Nanomedicine
- Faculty of Pharmacy Freestanding courses 21/22
Contact
(Image removed) Per Larsson, The Faculty of Pharmacy
Course leader, Senior lecturer
per.larsson@farmaci.uu.se
text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Mikael Wallerstedt