SFKKIL005U Radiopharmaceutical chemistry

Volume 2016/2017
Education

Elective course in Medicinal chemistry, cand. pharm., cand.scient.pharm., MSc (Pharmaceutical Sciences)

Content

This course covers the basic concepts of radiopharmaceutical sciences: From radiochemistry to biological evaluation processes, from clinical diagnostic to therapeutic applications. The course also focuses on the impact of radioactive probes in drug design and development processes. The course is based on lectures, a project work and lab exercises, which revolve around central subjects in the field of radiopharmacy/chemistry.

The following topics will be covered in the lectures:

Basic concepts in radiopharmacy and nuclear chemistry; decay modes; the tracer principle; differences in radioactive labeling to conventional organic chemistry; labeling methods of for example carbon-11, fluorine-18, gallium-68, copper-64, tritium, and iodine-131; diagnostic and therapeutic approaches of radioisotopes; positron-emission-tomography (PET); PET modeling approaches; PET in the clinic; PET in drug design and development processes; GMP/GLP in radiochemistry; application of nuclides in autoradiography and in vitro assays; radionuclides in cancer and brain diseases; generators; in vivo generators; bioorthogonal chemistry; personalized medicine.

The laboratory exercises will focus on practical handling issues of radioactive materials. Thereby, the students will take part in a whole PET tracer synthesis and application circle.

The topics of the laboratory exercises will be:

PET tracer synthesis, application and evaluation; PET modeling; fluorine-18, gallium-68 and iodine-131 chemistry; autoradiography and in vitro assays; labeling kinetics; radio TLC and HPLC; specific activity; generators; nuclide characteristics; GMP/GLP aspects of radiotracer synthesis.

The Project work will cover current topics in radiopharmaceutical chemistry: From current labeling techniques to clinical applications. The project work will deepen the students’ understanding of radiopharmaceuticals from bench to bedside.

Suggested topics:

PET tracers for the serotonergic or dopaminergic system; applied PET tracers for Alzheimer’s or Schizophrenia imaging; companion diagnostics; multi-modal imaging; tumor antibody imaging; radiotherapy; etc.

Learning Outcome

The students will be introduced to nuclear chemistry, radiochemistry and radiopharmaceutical concepts and will be able to apply them to current state of the art problems in drug research and development and clinical applications. The students will be able to plan and carry out radioactive synthesis procedures in a drug development (DD) environment as well as they will be able to understand the differences of DD and clinical productions under GMP/GLP conditions. Furthermore, students will learn to perform in vitro and in vivo evaluations.

At the end of the course, students are able to:

Knowledge

•Explain basic radiopharmaceutical and nuclear chemistry concepts

•Explain and understand various labeling procedures

•Understand regulatory aspects in regards to radioactive labeling procedures

•Understand the use of radionuclides in therapeutic approaches

•Understand the tracer principle and apply it to diagnostic approaches

 

Skills

•Be able to work with radioactive materials

 

Competences

•Separate between functional and anatomical imaging

•Perform a critical evaluation of original scientific literature within the field

•Understand the difference between organic chemistry and radiochemistry

•Understand the role of functional imaging in clinical applications

•Understand the role of functional imaging in drug discovery and development

•Understand radioactive in vitro and in vivo evaluation

Nuclear- and Radiochemistry, Frank Roesch, Volume 1: Introduction, De Gruyter, ISBN 978-3-11-022191-6

Nuclear- and Radiochemistry, Frank Roesch, Volume 2: Moden Applications, De Gruyter, ISBN 978-3-11-022185-5

The course is open for students with a bachelor's degree in either natural, health, or technical sciences, or a corresponding qualification at bachelor’s level. The student must have accumulated at least 15 ECTS credits in chemical subjects, of which at least 10 ECTS credits must be in the subject area of organic chemistry.
Laboratory exercises in a max group size of 6
Exercises, Classroom discussions
Project work in groups of 3
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Course Preparation
  • 50
  • Exam
  • 1
  • Exam Preparation
  • 20
  • Exercises
  • 8
  • Laboratory
  • 34
  • Lectures
  • 30
  • Project work
  • 64
  • Total
  • 207
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Continuous assessment
Course certificate
The examination consist of three parts:
1) Oral examination
2) Assessment of the laboratory reports
3) Oral presentation of the project work (5 min) and assesment of the written project

1) Oral examination
At the end of the course (week 9) each student will take an oral exam, which consists of a 20 minute examination in two randomly chosen subject from the curriculum or the presented project works. The two parts of the examination will contribute equally to the grade (60% of the final grade).

2) Assessment of the laboratory reports
Each laboratory report will be assessed and will contribute 3% to the grade (21% of the final grade).

3) Project work
The project work will be handed in a written form (max 6 pages). The project work will be presented to other students (each student 5 min, week 7 or 8). The project work report and the project presentation will contribute equally (19% of the final grade).

The course will be passed with >50 % of the final grade.
Marking scale
passed/not passed
Censorship form
No external censorship
Re-exam

If the final grade is below 50%, students are allowed to hand-in improved laboratory reports and improved versions of the project work to the course director before the re-exam period after block 4. The 20 min oral re-exam will take place in the re-exam period after block 4.

If the final grade – after the oral re-exam – is still below 50%, the whole course has to be repeated.

Criteria for exam assesment

To obtain a course certificate the student must be able to:

 

Knowledge

•Explain basic radiopharmaceutical and nuclear chemistry concepts

•Explain and understand various labeling procedures

•Understand regulatory aspects in regards to radioactive labeling procedures

•Understand the use of radionuclides in therapeutic approaches

•Understand the tracer principle and apply it to diagnostic approaches

 

Skills

•Be able to work with radioactive materials

 

Competences

•Separate between functional and anatomical imaging

•Perform a critical evaluation of original scientific literature within the field

•Understand the difference between organic chemistry and radiochemistry

•Understand the role of functional imaging in clinical applications

•Understand the role of functional imaging in drug discovery and development

•Understand radioactive in vitro and in vivo evaluation