323104 VU Biophysics in Drug Discovery - MPS5 (2025S)

The online course provides an overview on the biophysical methods used in drug discovery and development. This includes isothermal microcalorimetry, surface plasmon resonance, NMR, X-ray and methods for elucidating protein structures. This is paired by reviewing fundamentals in thermodynamics and well as kinetics and structure based drug design.

The course will follow a flipped classroom approach and students are handed out the lecture slides plus videos prior to the in-person seminars. during the seminars we will discuss the content of the lecture. Hence, self-study of the material is a prerequisite for the successful participation. During the in-person seminars students will present papers that directly relate to the subjects of the lectures to further expand their understanding for the subject.