Course Contents

Introduction and basic concepts of pharmaceutical biotechnology; properties of an effective drug; drug development process; selection of a lead molecule from available pool, lab scale studies, pilot scale studies and clinical trials (Phase I, II and III); drug toxicity; impact of genomics and other related technologies on drug discovery; use of DNA and protein microarrays in identification of disease targets and for monitoring effectiveness of drugs; pharmacogenomics; plants and microorganisms as sources of drugs; polymers: classification, polymerization and characterization; controlled drug release system and its advantages and disadvantages over conventional release methods; legal and regulatory issues.

Course Synopsis

To familiarize students with the general process of drug development, basic concepts of biopharmaceuticals and how they are better than conventional drugs.