Pharmaceutical Analysis in the Production and Quality Control of Medicines

Profession

The Master’s course “Pharmaceutical Analysis in the Production and Quality Control of Medicines” is aimed at providing students with modern theoretical and experimental knowledge in the synthesis, research of substances and materials, and quality control of medicines. Within the framework of the acquired competencies and qualifications, graduates can perform work in other areas of professional activity, including the field of metrology, certification and technical quality control of raw materials, semi-finished products and finished products of the pharmaceutical industry, in the field of chemical and toxicological research, as well as in the field of optimization of existing and development of new technologies, methods and techniques of obtaining and analysis of new materials and substances.
The graduates who have mastered the course can work as employees of scientific and educational organizations, laboratories of the chemical, biochemical, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, as well as researchers in scientific and educational organizations.

Educational Process

The course is aimed at building the skills required for successful work in a modern scientific environment, as well as General, General Professional and Specialized Professional Competences necessary for the implementation of professional activities of a chemist in the research field related to the use of chemical phenomena and processes. Teaching is conducted in accordance with the international standards of good practice (GMP — Good Manufacturing Practice and GLP — Good Laboratory Practice). Training is carried out by the leading representatives of the faculty of the departments of pharmaceutical and toxicological chemistry and organic chemistry of the RUDN University. Compulsory Module of the course includes fundamental training in chemistry and active research work. During the course, students study the following disciplines:
First year of study:
— Current tasks of modern chemistry;
— The Foreign language in professional activities of master students;
— Chemistry of natural compounds;
— Pharmaceutical Chemistry;
— Pharmacopoeia and pharmacopoeia analysis of medicines;
— Chemical methods of quality control of medicines in world pharmacopoeias;
— Physic-chemical fundamentals of quality control of medicines;
— Elemental analysis methods in quality control of medicines;
— Optical methods in pharmaceutical analysis;
— Methods of working with the database, Organic chemistry;
— Modern information technologies in pharmacy;
— Experimental research methods in pharmaceutical analysis;
— Experimental research methods in organic chemistry.
Second year of study:
— Current tasks of modern chemistry;
— The Foreign language in professional activities of master students;
— Standardization and quality control of medicines;
— Electrochemical methods in pharmaceutical analysis;
— Stereochemistry;
— Biopharmaceutical analysis and personalized medicine;
— Pharmacokinetic studies in assessing the bioequivalence of medicines;
— Mass-spectral analysis of organic compounds;
— Basics of medicines design;
— Experimental research methods in pharmaceutical analysis;
— Experimental research methods in organic chemistry.
During the entire period of study, master students conduct scientific research in current areas of pharmacy and do research internships in laboratories and control and analysis centers. The learning is accomplished with the defense of a Master’s thesis.

Practice

Research and pre-diploma internships are real opportunities for students to try themselves as research chemists. The Pharmaceutical and Toxicological Chemistry Department of the Medical Institute of the RUDN University and the Department of Organic Chemistry of the Faculty of Science (the RUDN University) are the degree-granting departments under this program. Practical training and academic research are conducted in educational and research laboratories equipped with modern instrumentation and analytical equipment at the degree-granting departments. Scientific centers of the Joint Institute for Chemical Research have been established at the faculty to carry out scientific work and research:
scientific center “Crystal Chemistry and Structural Analysis”;
scientific center ”Cluster of Streamlined Synthesis of Natural Compounds”;
scientific center “Microwave-assisted Organic Synthesis”.
Students of the Master’s program participate actively in research grant work. There are opportunities for international collaborations and study abroad.

Career

This Master’s course graduates can work in quality control departments of pharmaceutical enterprises, in centers and analytical laboratories where medicines, phytoparates and biologically active substances are studied to identify non-compliance with quality standards. The graduates can also work in scientific and research institutes and pharmaceutical companies which develop and deploy new medicines.
Acquired knowledge can also be applied in ecology, agricultural sector and in the field of processing and certification of edible and medicinal plants. Furthermore, chemists with a master’s degree can teach in schools, universities or colleges.
Over 80% of graduates pursue their career in foreign universities and institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) (in the postgraduate course of the Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry of the RAS, A.V.Topchiev Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis of the RAS, Utah State University in USA etc.); laboratories of research centers which conduct research in fields of chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacy and ecology (Hemacore Ltd., Testing Laboratory “Alba-test”, “Krka-farma” Ltd., “Procter&Gamble”, Mass Spectrometry Consulting Ltd. etc.); research and analytical labs of various enterprises (SERDIX pharmaceutical plant, Pfizer Ltd., Bayer AG etc.); institutions of higher and secondary vocational education (the RUDN University, Russian State Agrarian University — Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy, Moscow State Academy of Public Utilities and Construction, Denis' School).