SIIK17003U Immune Pharmacology
MSc in Immunology and Inflammation, elective course
This course will cover many interdisciplinary disciplines within immune pharmacology giving to the students a broad understanding of therapeutic strategies for treatment of immune-mediated diseases, biological consequences and adverse effects upon treatment, in addition to basic knowledge of drug discovery and development. With teachers trained in both basic science and clinical disciplines, the course will give the opportunity to learn how immunological understanding and techniques can support drug pharmacology, e.g. pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics, as well as implementation of experimental platforms for drug design, development and delivery. In addition, the course will also introduce to intellectual property and patent laws and regulations.
The student will be introduced to different strategies for treatment of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases including anti-inflammatory and/or immuno modulatory small molecular inhibitors together with the concept of biopharmaceuticals e.g. immunoglobulin therapy, vaccination and gene therapy, as well as effects of immune modulators and probiotics.
One important aspect of this course is to introduce the students to different experimental preclinical in vitro and in vivo platforms translating to human diseases, and their importance for clinical development of immune active pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, the course will cover use of biomarkers for diagnosis and the assessment of response to immune therapy with emphasis on the importance of identification, and use, of biomarkers for monitoring drug efficacy.
Through this course the students will gain insight into drug discovery and development of drugs for immune-mediated diseases. . The ultimate goal is that the students will acquire substantial knowledge to be capable to understand and critically discuss new drug development projects, with researchers in both academia, and the industry.
The overall objective of this course is to give the student a substantial insight into the field of therapy for immune related diseases.
After completing the course the student is expected to be able to:
Knowledge:
- explain basic pharmacological concepts within pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
- discuss acute and chronic inflammatory conditions, common drugs for treatment, and adverse effects of the drugs used
- describe drugs within the group of biopharmaceuticals; efficacy and adverse effects
- discuss gene therapy for immune related diseases
- discuss immunotoxicology caused by drugs
- explain how some immune diseases are diagnosed and describe specific diagnostic tools
- discuss biomarkers and their use for disease diagnosis and monitoring of drug efficacy
- briefly summarize the general drug development phases, including drug discovery, clinical trials, and regulatory affairs
- briefly summarize the intellectual property and patent laws and regulations
Skills:
- hypothesize different treatment regimens for a common inflammatory disease, based on old and new therapy
- design experimental set-ups for testing of novel drug candidates
- suggest new strategies for studies of novel drug targets in immune diseases
- propose strategies for developing new diagnostics for diseases in the immune system
- design experiments to investigate adverse effects of novel drugs
Competences: (the student will obtain these general competences)
- Will be able to discuss drug development projects within immune therapy and assess the project design
- Can critically analyze and discuss data from drug development projects
- Will be able to discuss scientific projects and new findings within the area of immune therapy with researchers, clinicians, stake holders, patients associations, and others
Principles of Immunopharmacology. Edited by Nijkamp, F.P.; Parnham, M. J. Springer, 2011 (new edition expected before start of the course).
Basic Principles of Drug Discovery and Development. Edited by Blass, B. Elsevier, 2015.
Original articles and reviews.
- Category
- Hours
- Class Instruction
- 12
- Exam
- 3
- Lectures
- 25
- Preparation
- 166
- Total
- 206
Open for credit transfer students and other external students. Apply here:
Credit transfer students:
http://healthsciences.ku.dk/education/other-programme-options/credit-transfer-students/
Other external students:
http://healthsciences.ku.dk/education/exchange_guest_students/guest-students/
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Written examination, 3 hours under invigilationThe exam consists of a set of issues that draw from course content. In addition, the student should be prepared to suggest a conceivable plan for a specific drug development project.
- Aid
- All aids allowed
Apart from the standard programs and IT tools listed under The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at http://pc-eksamen.ku.dk/pc_exam students will at this exam also have the possibility to use a USB stick (for notes etc.)
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
Criteria for exam assesment
To achieve the maximum grade of 12, the student shall be able to:
Knowledge:
- explain basic pharmacological concepts within pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
- discuss acute and chronic inflammatory conditions, common drugs for treatment, and adverse effects of the drugs used
- describe drugs within the group of biopharmaceuticals; efficacy and adverse effects
- discuss gene therapy for immune related diseases
- discuss immunotoxicology caused by drugs
- discuss pre- and probiotics and immune modulators in the context of treatment for immune diseases
- explain how some immune diseases are diagnosed and describe specific diagnostic tools
- discuss biomarkers and personalized medicine for inflammatory diseases
- briefly summarize the general drug development phases, including drug discovery, clinical trials, and regulatory affairs
Skills:
- hypothesize different treatment regimens for a common inflammatory disease, based on old and new therapy
- suggest experimental set-ups for testing of novel drug candidates
- suggest new strategies for studies of novel drug targets in immune diseases
- propose strategies for developing new diagnostics for diseases in the immune system
- suggest experiments to investigate adverse effects of novel drugs
Competences:
- discuss drug development projects within immune therapy and assess the project design
- critically analyze and discuss data from drug development projects
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- SIIK17003U
- Credit
- 7,5 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree MasterPart Time Master
- Duration
- 1 block
- Placement
- Block 4
- Schedule
- A
- Course capacity
- 40
- Study board
- The Study Board for Human Biology and Immunology
Contracting department
- Department of International Health, Immunology and Microbiology
Course Coordinators
- Anders Woetmann Andersen (awoetmann@sund.ku.dk)
Lecturers
KU employes, hospital and industry scientists (national and international).