Drug Discovery and Development

Profession

The master’s programme in Drug Design and Development trains high-qualified specialists in drug development and research, and management of this process. The programme in Drug Design and Development includes 3 most probable career paths:
— research work and research project management (Fundamental Biopharmaceutical Science, in vitro and in vivo research);
— pharmaceutical development and drug quality management;
— clinical trials of new drugs.

Educational Process

The programme contains four units of disciplines:
— basic disciplines;
— applied disciplines;
— business modules; and
— internships.
Basic disciplines allow students to master fundamental knowledge in such areas as Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Clinical Pharmacology, Mathematical Analysis, etc. The programmes of the disciplines include solutions of most of the practical tasks of processing and analyzing quantitative data. Laboratory classes, analysis of clinical cases form the skills a graduate needs for a comprehensive understanding of all stages of drug development. Basic disciplines are taught by experienced professors of the Department of Biochemistry, Department of General and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of General Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Technology, as well as other departments of RUDN University.
Mastering applied disciplines makes it possible to train future researchers who will be competitive in the pharmaceutical market and in world science (Pharmaceutical Development, Principles of Drug Quality Control, Pre-Clinical Research and Development, Clinical Research and Development, Clinical Research Management, Regulatory Issues and Marketing Medicinal Preparations, etc.). The emphasis in training courses is made on the coherence of general logic of drug development, specific research methods and management of these processes. Lectures delivered by leading industry experts with experience in managing research projects and scientific advising are essential in applied disciplines. Business modules form students' active participation in workshops, master classes, analysis of real business cases and acquiring practical skills. Classes are held in the format of interactive seminars when students actively participate in the discussion of urgent problems and look for ways to solve them together with the teacher by considering the experience of domestic and foreign pharmaceutical companies. Business modules consist of separate blocks conducted by acting top managers of leading pharmaceutical companies.

Practice

Students complete their research internships in the laboratories of the RUDN University Institute of Medicine (Department of Biochemistry named after T.T. Berezov, Department of Pharmacology, Department of Histology), as well as laboratories of the FSBI National Medical Research Center of Oncology named after N.N. Blokhin of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation and other leading research institutes of Moscow. Students will be able to master the basic in-vitro methods, PCR, Western blot techniques and a number of other modern techniques used in biomedical research to study pathogenesis of various diseases and identify potential targets for therapy. Students will get acquainted with the main methods of preclinical research and will be able to take part in in vivo experiments. They will gain experience as a Research Assistant in clinical trials, get acquainted with the documentation and basic principles of research center work and clinical trial monitor. Students complete their industrial and technological internship at the RUDN University Center for Collective Use (REC). The RUDN University Center for Collective Use (REC) has modern scientific, test, and manufacturing equipment, class D clean rooms.

Career

When completing training graduates from the programme will have competences to pursue a variety of careers in:
— pharmaceutical companies (R&D departments, medical/regulatory departments, business development departments, quality departments);
— biotechnology companies and start-ups (researchers, project managers);
— research institutes and universities (researchers in pharmacological science);
— venture investment funds and investment companies managing portfolios of pharmaceutical products;
— consultancy and expertise.