Pharmacokinetics from Coursera

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.

What's inside

Syllabus

Pharmacokinetics, part 1

Welcome, by the end of the course students will be able to: Summarize the key concepts of pharmacokinetics (PK), ADME (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion), volume of distribution, half-life and clearance. Differentiate between different routes of drug administration and their impact on PK parameters. Define and describe the influence of transporters, plasma protein binding (PPB) and drug-drug interactions (DDIs) on the PK of a drug molecule. Explain how PK/PD relationships are derived and their importance for defining the anticipated human dose.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

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

Emphasizes in vitro assays that allow rapid prediction of ADME and PK properties for evaluation of new compounds

Taught by recognized experts in the field of pharmacokinetics, including Stephanie Dodd, MSc., Sabine Guth, PhD, Thomas M. Smith, PhD, Alan P. Brown, PhD, DABT, Erland Stevens, PhD, W. Ross Tracey, PhD, Sujal Deshmukh, PhD, and Douglas S. Auld, PhD

Provides a comprehensive study of pharmacokinetics and its applications in drug discovery

May be useful for individuals seeking a foundation in pharmacokinetics or those looking to strengthen their existing knowledge

Reviews summary

Applied pharmacokinetics for drug development

According to learners, this "Pharmacokinetics" course offers a fantastic deep dive into the subject, particularly valuable for those in drug development. Students consistently highlight the Novartis instructors' expertise and the course's strong focus on practical applications, including PK/PD relationships and dose predictions, which are deemed highly relevant for professionals. Many appreciate the clear explanations and real-world examples and case studies that make complex topics digestible. However, some learners noted that the course assumes a strong prior background in biology and chemistry, finding certain sections quite dense and hard to follow or the pace inconsistent. While the overall sentiment is largely positive, some suggested more detail on early concepts or additional interactive elements.

Instructors from Novartis are knowledgeable and clear.

"The instructors from Novartis provided very clear explanations, making complex topics digestible."

"The Novartis instructors clearly know their stuff and presented it in an engaging way."

"The depth of knowledge shared by the Novartis team was outstanding."

"The instructors are clearly experts."

Highly relevant for drug development and clinical work.

"The use of real-world examples and case studies was incredibly valuable, showing how PK principles are applied in drug development."

"The focus on practical applications, particularly around clinical dose prediction, was a major plus."

"I use these concepts daily now in my lab. Highly recommend for any scientist in the drug discovery pipeline."

"This course is a gem for anyone involved in preclinical or clinical drug development."

Could benefit from more practice problems or interactive content.

"More interactive elements or practice problems would have improved my learning experience."

Some modules were dense or inconsistent in pace.

"I found some parts quite dense and hard to follow without constant pausing and re-reading."

"The pace felt inconsistent at times. Some early modules were very basic, then suddenly it jumped into very complex topics without enough bridging."

"The delivery could be improved. I sometimes felt that the explanations were too academic and lacked practical context..."

"Some of the slides were very text-heavy, making it difficult to follow while listening to the lecture."

Requires a solid background in biology and chemistry.

"It's definitely tailored for those with a strong science background, but it builds upon that well."

"The course assumes a good grasp of biology and chemistry, which is fair, but a brief refresher might have been helpful..."

"I have a background in biology, but maybe not as strong in the chemistry aspect, which might be why I struggled more with certain sections."

"Felt like it required more prior knowledge than explicitly stated. I found the chemistry sections (especially metabolism pathways) challenging..."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Pharmacokinetics with these activities:

Review basic principles of organic chemistry

Show steps

Refresh your understanding of the fundamental concepts of organic chemistry, preparing you to better grasp the structure and properties of drugs.

Browse courses on Organic Chemistry

Show steps

Review your notes or textbooks from a previous organic chemistry course.
Practice drawing and naming organic molecules.
Solve practice problems related to organic chemistry concepts.

Join a study group

Show steps

Engage in discussions and collaborate with peers to reinforce concepts, clarify doubts, and expand your understanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

Browse courses on Pharmacokinetics

Show steps

Find a group of peers with similar interests.
Meet regularly to discuss course materials and share insights.
Work together on assignments and projects.

Solve pharmacokinetic calculations

Show steps

Practice applying pharmacokinetic principles to solve real-world problems, enhancing your understanding of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.

Browse courses on Pharmacokinetics

Show steps

Identify the appropriate pharmacokinetic parameters to calculate.
Use appropriate equations and data to perform the calculations.
Interpret the results and draw conclusions.

Four other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all seven activities

Explore online tutorials on pharmacokinetic modeling

Show steps

Enhance your understanding of pharmacokinetic modeling techniques through interactive tutorials, solidifying your grasp of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.

Browse courses on Pharmacokinetics

Show steps

Identify reputable online resources offering tutorials on pharmacokinetic modeling.
Follow the tutorials, taking notes and experimenting with different parameters.
Apply the techniques to real-world scenarios to test your understanding.

Create a presentation on a pharmacokinetic topic

Show steps

Solidify your understanding of pharmacokinetic concepts by creating a presentation that explains a specific topic in depth, enhancing your communication and critical thinking skills.

Browse courses on Pharmacokinetics

Show steps

Choose a specific pharmacokinetic topic to present on.
Research the topic thoroughly and gather relevant data.
Organize the presentation logically and visually.
Practice delivering the presentation to improve clarity and impact.

Design a pharmacokinetic simulation model

Show steps

Develop a practical understanding of pharmacokinetic principles by creating a simulation model that predicts drug concentrations over time, strengthening your ability to analyze and interpret pharmacokinetic data.

Browse courses on Pharmacokinetics

Show steps

Identify the appropriate software or platform for the simulation.
Design the model structure, including compartments, parameters, and equations.
Validate the model using experimental data or literature.
Use the model to predict drug concentrations and evaluate different scenarios.

Contribute to open-source pharmacokinetic projects

Show steps

Gain hands-on experience and contribute to the scientific community by participating in open-source pharmacokinetic projects, deepening your understanding of real-world applications.

Browse courses on Pharmacokinetics

Show steps

Identify open-source pharmacokinetic projects on platforms like GitHub.
Contribute to the project by reporting bugs, fixing issues, or adding new features.
Collaborate with other contributors to enhance the project's capabilities.

Career center

Learners who complete Pharmacokinetics will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

We haven't picked any books for this reading list yet.

Pharmacokinetics

Two deals to help you save

What's inside

Syllabus

Traffic lights

Save this course

Reviews summary

Applied pharmacokinetics for drug development

Activities

Career center

Reading list

Share

Similar courses