In this second issue of MedChemWatch we continue the presentation of the EFMC-sponsored Schools (ESMEC-Urbino, LACDR-Leiden, and the Swiss Course on Medicinal Chemistry), which represent valuable occasions for the continuous and advanced formation of both PhD students and junior researchers. Here, the School of Medicinal Chemistry organized by the Leiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug Research (The Netherlands) is presented.
For further information on EFMC approved schools, please visit http://www.efmc.info
Ever since 1992 the Leiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug Research has organized its annual School on Medicinal Chemistry. It has been shown to fulfill a clear need within the pharmaceutical industry of training their newly hired chemists. “What happens to your molecule” has always been the leading theme within the four days of teaching. The School offers a thorough background in anything that affects the fate of a medicinal chemistry program, from the selection and validation of novel drug targets, to the pharmacologic and toxicological follow-up of compounds.
Thus, the course provides a thorough introduction in pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and toxicology (ADME-Tox). The impact of molecular biology, genomics and computational chemistry on drug research are also discussed. Of course, new developments are carefully integrated in the course. As an example, fragment-based design approaches were recently introduced.
Highly appreciated are the “case histories”. Over the years our evening program has highlighted success stories from the pharmaceutical industry, with an open eye for trial and error, opportunities and sheer ‘luck’ when it comes to the full development of lead candidates into marketed drugs.
Henk Timmerman and Ad IJzerman have been the course directors from the very beginning, joined by Rob Leurs starting this year. Critical to the success of the School have been the excellent teachers, a careful mix of colleagues from industry and academia. We insisted on them being teachers – at least for the four days of the course – rather than excellent scientists presenting their latest but rather exotic data. All participants are asked to rate the contributions, and it is fair to say that on the basis of the participants’ recommendations we have not hesitated to search for substitutes. As mentioned, an additional flavour to the course are the case histories, which are presented by the ‘inventors’, those of us who have been intimately involved in the conception and further development of the drug of choice. Over the years we have had excellent accounts on taxol, citalopram, omeprazole, imatinib, etc.
The course is structured in a very interactive way. Next to discussions following the lectures participants are asked to join a case study, in which a disease strategy, such as cholesterol-lowering, is taken as the starting point. Before the course starts, relevant literature is distributed to all participants, to allow a comprehensive update on such a topic before the actual course starts. After a further introduction at the course the participants sit together in small groups, discuss and present a number of issues, such as emerging new targets in this disease area. For this reason we keep the number of participants, mostly young chemists from the pharmaceutical industry, rather low, i.e. a maximum of 35.
The 2007 course, the 16th in a row, will take place in Noordwijkerhout, the Netherlands, (close to Amsterdam airport), from October 16-19. You are very much invited to join the course, and have a great experience. Acclaim has been great over the years, e.g., excellent documentation…; case-study very useful….; very clear review of drug research today….; lectures very good….; beyond expectation….; intellectually most stimulating….; first class facilities
Just contact Mrs Martha van der Ham ( m.ham@lacdr.leidenuniv.nl ), and she will make sure to update you on the contents of this year’s course and the registration details.
By Ad P. IJzerman
