Principles of Modern Drug Design

This course addresses the basic principles of the modern drug discovery and validation process, with emphasis on applications in cancer therapy. The course begins with the identification and characterization of disease-specific molecular targets using genetic and biochemical techniques. The second section describes the selection of lead drugs through high-throughput screening assays, combinatorial chemistry, and computer-assisted rational drug design. The final section covers preclinical and clinical trials and the potential use of database analysis to ensure that the drugs are safe and effective, and that the chosen therapeutic regimen will yield the best outcome for any given patient.