This minor is only available in English. The minor takes place in Oss at Pivot Park.
For content information:
E-mail: minor.atbc@han.nl
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- For minors starting in September, after the registration period in March, a draw takes place in April if there are at that time more subscribers than available places.
- For minors starting in February, after the registration period in October, a draw takes place in November if there are at that time more subscribers than available places.
For the minors with places still available applies until the closing of the subscription period: Once a minor is full, it is closed!
In addition, if the number of subscribers after four weeks is below the norm; this minor may possibly be withdrawn. So if you are interested, sign up immediately!
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Even then: Once a minor is full, it is closed!
A good overview of the HAN minors can be found in the minors app! The app is accessible via: http://www.minoren-han.nl/
Do you want to contribute to the early stages of drug discovery? Do you want to help find new targets for diseases and create possible new drugs to cure these diseases? And do you want to do all of this together with other students and companies in the inspiring environment of Pivot Park, Oss? Then sign up for the Drug Discovery minor!
Drug Discovery & Development
The Netherlands has a strong history of pharmaceutical industry. Already in the region Oss-Boxmeer-Nijmegen there are over 50 companies involved in the process of developing medicines. This can be either in the research part (Drug Discovery) as well as in the development part. The main focus of this minor is the research part. Pharma industry has a close relationship with life science related educations like chemistry and biology/biochemistry. The minor is developed under the supervision of HAN lectoraat Drug Discovery. The minor will take place on Pivot Park (Oss) and is developed by the HAN, Avans Hogeschool and pharma-related companies.
Multidisciplinary
Drug Discovery is a multidisciplinary effort and therefore we strive to make this minor also as much multidisciplinary as possible. Chemist and biologist are introduced together to the different aspects of Drug Discovery and will work together to solve challenges and make plans of actions for projects. In this minor you will work as much as possible on a real-life problems of pharma companies. In this way, you will learn to work in multidisciplinary team and you will get all the necessary knowledge and skills to be able to work together.
Example: hypothetical example of a project
As an example of a project; a company could ask for setting up and optimizing an assay from a biological target and validate this which reference compounds which have to be synthesized. To tackle such a problem, a multidisciplinary approach is needed: A biologist will investigate how to set up and optimize the assay and together with the chemist they have to decide which reference compounds are needed to validate this assay. Thereafter the chemist has to design the chemical route and finally has to synthesize the compound(s).
Structure
This minor is made up of two parts:
- In the first weeks you are introduced into the 5 phases of the Drug Discovery process. This will be done in close contacts to the companies involved in these phases.
- In the second part, you will work in a multidisciplinary team (chemistry and biology) in a lab on projects handed over mainly by pharma companies.
Study goals
In this minor you will learn to look beyond the boundaries of your own study program and to cooperate with other disciplines. You will learn about the various aspects of Drug Discovery, such as target identification/validation, assay development, High Throughput Screening, Hit and Lead Optimalisation and pre-clinical activities.
Through the modules you gain basic knowledge of other disciplines and learn how you can contribute to drug discovery from your own field of study. For chemist and biologist this will be advanced knowledge about techniques on target identification and validation, assay development, high throughput screening, compound library design principles, drug-like physical chemistry properties for compounds, automated synthesis, metabolic stability, toxicity and more.
You apply the acquired knowledge in a multidisciplinary project in which you learn to perform research within the drug discovery area.. You will practise this knowledge in realistic projects.
During this minor you work on the following competences:
- Design of experiment
- Experimentation
- Analysis
- Quality control
- Administration
- Reporting and presentation
- Project-based work / project management
- Collaboration
- Professional development.
Entry requirements
The minor is for students of Chemie/Chemistry and Biologie en Medisch Laboratoriumonderzoek/Life Sciences.
- The minor is only accessible for HAN and Avans Hogeschool students. Max 18 students. 9 from the HAN (BML/LS & Chemie/Chemistry) and 9 from Avans Hogeschool (Chemie & BML). The chemistry students from Avans must come from Chemie - Food and Pharma Den Bosch.
General admission requirements:
- Earned your propaedeutic certificate.
- Competences are at least practised on level 2.
- For chemistry (HAN) at least second year followed and C8T and C8P or C6T and C6P are successfully achieved.
- For chemistry (Avans Hogeschool) at least second year followed and organic chemistry and Pharmacology as well as the project in p3 and p4 are successfully achieved.
- For BML/L (HAN) at least second year followed in which BM6B successfully is achieved
AVANS Chemistry and BML students will match similar requirements.
Admission requirements per degree program:
- Chemistry/biology/life sciences: A pass for all practical (lab skills) subjects including all corresponding reports from the second year.
HAN Students must register via Alluris.
Avans Hogeschool register via Kies op Maat (KOM).
Examination
- You will have a theoretical exam on the subject matter from the common introduction.
- You will also have to make a plan of approach (within a group).
- You will be assessed on a written project report and on a presentation of the result.
- Finally, you will be assessed on the practical performance while executing the project.
Schedule
The minor is offered in semester 2.
The semester begins on 1 February; classes may be planned from the Monday of that week.
In the introductory weeks of this minor you gain knowledge on:
- Target identification and validation.
- Assay development: different techniques and their pro’s en con’s.
- HTS and compound libraries: drug-like and hit-like properties of compounds.
- Hit and lead optimization.
- Pre development phase
From week 6 till week 20 there is a practical phase in which you will work on real life assignments. In tutor meetings the progress will be discussed weekly.
Studenten van de HAN kunnen zich eenvoudig aanmelden via OSIRIS.
Mocht het inloggen in OSIRIS niet lukken via bovenstaande link ga dan naar de site van OSIRIS.
Externe studenten kunnen zich eenvoudig aanmelden via Kies Op Maat.