Medicinal Chemistry – (M.Sc.)

Development of new effective drugs is an important task for chemists. Examples of drugs that are produced with modern technology is L-DOPA (for Parkinson’s disease) and Nexium (stomach ulcer medicine). Production methods behind these medications was awarded the 2001 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Swedish pharmaceutical industry will for a long time to come have a great need for qualified chemists in research and development. An important part of pharmaceutical research is to find new compounds with good therapeutic properties and to develop methods for their production. Master’s Program in Medicinal Chemistry is for people who want to understand how the small drug molecules interact with biological systems to cure us when we become ill. You will also learn how to design and manufacture of new drug tp become in the future “super builder in the world of molecules.” The program is a collaboration between the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Neurochemistry and the Department of Organic Chemistry. The training consists of compulsory courses of 60 credits in which two drug-specific courses (30 credits) is the base. Also included are at least three elective courses (45 credits) at an advanced level. The program ends with a compulsory independent project, involving at least 30 credits. In addition, other courses at university level can be taken. The program aims to provide knowledge about drugs and their effects in biological systems. The courses have a close link to pharmaceutical research in various host institutions.