Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences

Drug Discovery and Safety is a specialisation of the Master’s programme Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences. It offers scientific training with a range of techniques, required for the discovery and characterization of novel drug targets and the synthesis and optimization of new drugs.

This master's specialisation provides you research-oriented education into the discovery of new drug targets and safe and effective lead molecules, particularly in the field of cancer, through a combination of advanced imaging techniques ('systems microscopy'), in vitro and in vivo model systems, organic synthesis, molecular biology and pharmacology, and computational approaches.
The Division Drug Discovery and Safety of the LACDR, and the Division of Bio-organic Synthesis and Molecular Physiology of the Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC), are involved in the master specialisation Drug Discovery and Safety. Admission to this specialisation may be restricted by available places.

Systems Biomedicine and Pharmacology is a specialisation of the Master’s programme Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences. It offers research-orientated education into understanding and predicting drug-induced modulation of disease networks at the systems level. This master's specialisation offers a unique combination of cutting-edge experimental training in the field of metabolomics and translational systems biology as well as quantitative pharmacology education in the area of computational modelling of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) relationships. The Division Systems Pharmacology and Pharmacy, the Metabolomics and Analysis centre of the Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, and the Center for Human Drug Research (CHDR), are involved in the MSc specialisation Systems Biomedicine and Pharmacology. Admission to this specialisation may be restricted by available places.

The master's specialisation Bio-Pharmaceutical Sciences and Education prepares you for a career as a teacher in Dutch secondary schools. After completion you obtained the qualifications to be a chemistry or biology teacher.
The programme comprises a one-year BPS component, followed by an education component in the second year. This master's specialisation uniquely enables you to make a relevant impact on society by educating today's secondary school pupils for tomorrow's challenges in the field of chemistry or biology.
As the main education component is taught in Dutch, all applicants must provide proof of proficiency in Dutch language.