Modern Methods in Drug Discovery

Registration

Registration for this course is available from September, 1st via Moodle:

1. Visit the Moodle enrolment page.
2. Click on “Standard-Login” and select “Universität des Saarlandes”.
3. Log into the Moodle system using the usual credentials of your university account.
4. Join the course by clicking on “Enrol me” below “Self enrolment”.

You will be added to the corresponding MS-Team subsequently by the lecturer.

LSF registration is mandatory to participate in the exam. The deadline is seven days before the exam date.

Requirements

Students should possess

• basic knowledge of Organic Chemistry and Genetics.
• knowledge spanning the scope of the lectures:
  • Bioinformatik I + II
  • Computational Chemistry
  • Softwarewerkzeuge der Bioinformatik or Structural Bioinformatics

The questionnaire gives you an idea about the required knowledge.

Furthermore, students need to have successfully passed one of the following courses to be admitted:

• Bioinformatik II
• Computational Chemistry
• Softwarewerkzeuge der Bioinformatik
• Structural Bioinformatics (Master Program Bioinformatics)

Content

The focus of this course is the computer based prediction of suitable pharmaceutical drugs and the search for new potential targets in the human genome. Following topics are covered:

• molecular origin of typical diseases and the mode of action of drugs
• virtual substance libraries and query strategies
• in silico eADMET models and filters, bioavailability
• statistics and QSAR methods
• metabolism, toxicology and adverse side effects, also considering biomarkers
• polymorphism and susceptible genes
• identification of orthologous genes to derive new targets and model organisms
• current trends and strategies of drug design

This course can be used as a “Spezialvorlesung der Bioinformatik/Special-topic Lecture Bioinformatics”

Certification

To pass the course, students have to pass the written exam (or the re-exam). The grade for the course equals the grade of the (re-)exam. While the course is taught in English, the exam will be available in German as well.

Condition for participation in the final exam

To participate in the final exam, students have to pass the two intermediate tests, which will be available in the Moodle system.

Lecture Schedule

If conditions allow, lectures take place in presence in building E2.1 room 001 and hybrid via Microsoft Teams. Tutorials take place every second week online in Microsoft Teams.