SLVKA0342U Research Project in Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery

Problem-oriented and case-based teaching.

Students work in groups of 3 to 4 on a research project dealing with selected aspects of formulation and in vitro testing of types of drugs. Advisers provide students with a project topic and students are then expected to conduct independent literature studies, formulate the project together with the process adviser, conduct practical laboratory work, and practise making a presentation in a discussion class mid-way through the course. The project is concluded by a project report and subsequent individual oral examination.
The project starts with a planning phase, in which the groups define the project. Then the groups draft research protocols, which includes purpose of the experiment, materials and methods, a detailed step by step procedure, as well as statistical deliberations. The research protocol will be discussed with- and approved by the adviser prior to experimental start. The nature of the laboratory work will vary from project to project, but may consist of method setup, pre-formulation studies and testing in vitro. The students will make ongoing laboratory journals to give them practice in process evaluation. All students must contribute equally to the group work.
Mid-way through the course, a discussion class will be held where each project group present their project and its current status in PowerPoint format. The advisers will participate and provide the students with constructive feed-back in order to prepare for the final individual oral exam.
At the end of the course each group will write up a project report based on literature studies and the research conducted. The report is expected to be build up as a scientific report containing an abstract, introduction, theoretical background, materials and methods, reults, discussion, and a conclusion.