Methods in Pharmaceutical Research
Undergraduate course
- ECTS credits
- 3
- Teaching semesters
- Spring
- Course code
- FARM301A
- Number of semesters
- 1
- Teaching language
- Norwegian
Course description
Objectives and Content
The course consists of two parts:
Spectroscopy, 2 sp
Biochemical methodology, 1 sp
Spectroscopy:
This part entails spectroscopic techniques used in the analysis of organic compounds. Infrared (IR) and ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy will be discussed, while the main focus will be on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS). Students will learn how to identify unknown compounds by using information from IR, UV, MS and NMR spectra.
Relevant pharmaceutical examples will be discussed.
Biochemical methodology:
Biochemical Methodology covers the theory behind and practical implementation of some basic techniques in molecular biology and biochemistry. The main focus is on purification of plasmids, transformation of these into competent bacteria, PCR, use of restriction enzymes, SDS-PAGE and western/spot blotting (recognition of native protein with antibody). The course also covers selected topics of applied bioinformatics (important databases for DNA and protein sequences, sequence alignments, sequence similarity searches, and homology modelling, including AlphaFold).
Learning Outcomes
Spectroscopy
Knowledge:
The student can
- Explain/discuss the different spectroscopic techniques (IR, UV/vis, NMR and MS) and interpret spectroscopic data from IR, UV/vis, NMR and MS either by themselves of combinations of these in order to determine the structures of organic compounds.
Biochemical methodology
Knowledge:
The student can
- Master the basic priciple of the practical methods that are used in this course, be able to perform basic cloning techniques, PCR and to express recombinant protein in bacteria and to perform the SDS gel electrophoresis and Western / spot blot techniques. The student should be able to master basic molecular biological techniques in general and be able to carry out similar experiments
- Know about important databases to find information about protein and DNA sequences
- Master the basic priciple of the computational methods that are used in the course (searches for DNA and protein sequences in databases, sequence alignments, homology modelling)
ECTS Credits
Level of Study
Semester of Instruction
Required Previous Knowledge
Recommended Previous Knowledge
Credit Reduction due to Course Overlap
Access to the Course
Compulsory Assignments and Attendance
It is mandatory to be present and participate in the biochemical methodology part of the course, and to hand in an bioinformatics assignment that has been carried out as group work.
The biochemical methodology part must be passed in order to sit for the exam in Spectroscopy. Compulsory activity is valid for five semesters.
Forms of Assessment
Spectroscopy: Written exam (2.5 hours). The total time inlcudes uploading of files.
Permitted examination support materials, The textbook (Williams and Fleming: Spectroscopic methods in organic chemistry 6th Edition.). It is not allowed to have notes in the textbook, which can be used in the exam. Underlining of text, figures and tables in the textbook are allowed.