Drug discovery is a challenging field, but the pathway most drugs navigate from concept to market is predictable and based upon repeated experimentation. The process requires scientists with expertise in chemistry, biology, and medicine. This course focuses on four aspects of drug development.

• regulation - approval protocols for government regulatory agencies
• pharmacodynamics - how a drug affects the body
• pharmacokinetics - how a drug flows through the body
• lead discovery/optimization - the steps for finding and improving molecules as potential drugs

The course closes with two case studies of molecules that have advanced through the development process and into clinical trials.