Pharmacokinetics

Course Overview

This course begins with a review of routes of administration, ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, & excretion), and the use of in vivo drug concentration-time data to determine key pharmacokinetic parameters, like volume of distribution, half-life and clearance. The course then emphasizes in vitro assays that allow rapid prediction of ADME and PK properties for evaluation of new compounds. The later stages of the course focus on how drug discovery teams study this PK/PD relationship, as well as dose size and frequency predictions which ultimately assist in selection of a compound for advancement into the clinic. This course is suitable for life scientists, clinicians, and individuals from fields that support drug discovery (e.g., patents, finance, licensing, etc.) interested in learning more about the pharmaceutical/biotechnology sector. Advanced undergraduate coursework or practical familiarity/working knowledge in biological sciences and organic chemistry is recommended.