In general, the Master's Program Drug Design and Development aims to train and educate scientists in the following specializations:
1. Medicinal Chemistry
2. Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry
3. Pharmacology
It aims to promote research conducted by the Section of Pharmaceutical Chemistry of the Department of Pharmacy at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA).
The goal of the program is to produce scientists capable of contributing to the educational and economic development of the country. Furthermore, it seeks to establish postgraduate studies of advanced international standards, helping retain scientific talent within the country and reducing the need to pursue similar studies abroad.
Graduate students become familiar with the methods and fundamental principles of drug design and development, from computational drug design to pharmacology and biological evaluation, leading to the discovery of a lead compound, the synthesis of compound analogues and structure–activity relationships, spectroscopic methods and analytical techniques, examples of drug development in selected areas, as well as regulatory frameworks.
In-depth knowledge of the demanding and complex process of designing, discovering, studying, and evaluating new pharmaceutical and radiopharmaceutical compounds is particularly valuable both for researchers and for scientists working in Research or Public Services, Healthcare Institutions (hospitals, insurance funds, the National Organization for Medicines), or in the Pharmaceutical Industry in Greece and/or abroad. Such professionals must possess advanced skills to address issues related to the proper management of medicines. These qualifications are also crucial for society, as they relate to the critical issue of drug safety and proper use.
Medicinal Chemistry Specialization
This specialization focuses on the design and synthesis of drug molecules and the study of structure–activity relationships. It is carried out in collaboration with the Democritus Research Institute, which is the only center in Greece capable of handling radioactive nuclides. The Department of Pharmacy at NKUA has decades of experience and tradition in this field.
Faculty members are active in modern areas such as computational methods and the use of artificial intelligence for drug design and the interpretation of biological activity.
Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry Specialization
This is, to our knowledge, the only specialization in Greece dedicated to Radiopharmacy. The program equips students with both theoretical and applied knowledge related to modern medical and diagnostic applications of radiopharmaceutical products.
Graduates acquire the necessary qualifications to work in hospitals and radiopharmaceutical production units in Greece (e.g., the National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos”) and abroad.
Pharmacology Specialization
This specialization provides students with comprehensive knowledge across all areas of pharmacology, from molecular to clinical pharmacology. Students complete internships within hospitals and pharmaceutical industries, particularly in the field of clinical trials.
The scientific expertise of the academic staff from the Department of Pharmacy (NKUA) is high and is reflected in both the quality and quantity of their published research work. Detailed CVs are available on the department’s website. http://www.pharm.uoa.gr/.
To achieve its objectives, the Section of Pharmaceutical Chemistry has developed collaborations with other departments of the School of Health Sciences and with recognized research institutions in Greece and abroad. At the research level, existing collaborations of faculty members participating in the program are utilized, involving researchers from other departments within the same or other universities, as well as internationally recognized institutions. For example, in the Medicinal Chemistryspecialization, teaching and supervision of research theses involve faculty members from the Department of Pharmacy (NKUA), as well as faculty from other institutions, such as the Department of Chemistry (NKUA), the School of Chemical Engineering (National Technical University of Athens), the Department of Biotechnology (Agricultural University of Athens), the University of West Attica, and the National Hellenic Research Foundation. In the Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry specialization, teaching is provided by faculty from the Department of Pharmacy (NKUA) and researchers from the National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos.” The program also aims to strengthen connections with the pharmaceutical industry, hospitals, and other productive sectors. It is important to note that the pharmaceutical industry is a key sector of the national economy, and such a postgraduate program at the country’s largest and one of its oldest universities should be supported and further developed. External instructors participating in the MSc program are also highly qualified scientists, carefully selected to meet the program’s educational needs.
The Master’s Thesis is a research project aimed at training students in scientific methods and technologies, conducting research in areas covered by the program, utilizing scientific literature, and developing skills in data recording, analysis, evaluation, and presentation of results. Efforts are made to ensure that graduates receive high-level research training, enabling them to pursue doctoral studies in universities in Greece or abroad if they wish. As a result, the Master’s Thesis work is typically published in reputable international scientific journals.
It is also worth noting that many students have the opportunity, in agreement with their supervising professor, to conduct part of their experimental work at European universities (e.g., through Erasmus and CIVIS programs). Likewise, international students may carry out part of their research work at the Department of Pharmacy of NKUA.
The Master’s Program “Design and Development of New Pharmaceutical Compounds,” as an integral part of the Department of Pharmacy, is housed within the School of Science campus. It has access to three lecture halls with capacities of 120, 40, and 20 seats, respectively.
Fully equipped laboratories are available for the program, including nine experimental research laboratories and two in silico laboratories within the Section of Pharmaceutical Chemistry (NKUA), as well as one Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry laboratory at the “Demokritos” research center. These facilities are equipped with modern instruments and educational tools for teaching and conducting experimental or computational thesis research. The in silico laboratories include computer workstations with GPUs for molecular simulations of biological systems. Access is also provided to the “ARIS (GRNET)” supercomputer.
Students can use major departmental instruments such as NMR and mass spectrometers, gas and liquid chromatography systems, as well as equipment available in nearby research infrastructure (Core Facility). Additionally, students have access to computer labs with 36 HP computers equipped with Windows 10 or Windows XP and specialized software (e.g., Microsoft Office, Phoenix Certara, Stella, SimCYP, Lixoft). All computers are connected to the internet via the university’s broadband network.
The degrees are awarded by the Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.