Learning objectives
Provide basic information and specific application examples in one of the most advanced sectors of post-genomic research, with special reference to the new frontiers of pharmacology and molecular toxicology, of “system biology” and of other biotechnology applications in the field of pharmaceutics.
Prerequisites
Fundamentals of general chemistry, biochemistry, molecular and genomic biology, and pharmaceutical chemistry.
Course unit content
<p>Aims and fields of application of chemogenomics <br />
Chemogenomics applied to a "drug discovery" "target / mode of action identification" and "drug validation" <br />
Phenomic, transcriptomic and proteomic chemogenomics. <br />
Chemogenomic yeast technologies: microarray and the compendium approach, the two-hybrid system and its variations, the deletion mutant collection. <br />
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"Genomic phenotyping" of small molecules in yeast and the use of interatomic databases (SGD) and specific software packages for data analysis (with practical demonstrations) <br />
Mechanism of action, side effects and new possible applications for “old” drugs or for "lead compounds" abandoned in advanced stages of development. <br />
New drugs and bioactive compounds of biological-molecular derivation: aptamers, nucleotides and peptides, RNA interfering agents. <br />
Drugs and vaccines based on recombinant protein/peptides: design, preparation in apyrogenous form and validation. <br />
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Analysis of the objectives, strategies and results of specific start-ups in the chemogenomic field (Cellzome, NASCA, Aptanomics and others) <br />
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Full programme
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Bibliography
Reviews, specialist articles in English and PowerPoint presentations made by sector specialists and companies, which will be put at students' disposal in electronic format.
Teaching methods
The course, which chiefly takes the form of classroom lectures, will also include practical demonstrations and seminars.
Assessment methods and criteria
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Other information
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