Ateneo - UPO

This academic course, as an integrated module of a three-module course, aims to provide the student with a background on the development of new drugs, the ATMPs. The differences between "small molecule drugs" and ATMPs will be discussed with mention of ATMPs currently applied in clinics to treat genetic and oncologic disorders.

Scientific reviews and articles (accessible from PubMed database) will be suggested as research materials.
The content of the lessons will also be described in the following textbook, although it also covers topics not directly linked to this course. That textbook can also be consulted in the University Library.
TEXTBOOK: Goodman & Gilman – Le basi farmacologiche della terapia di J.G.Hardman, L.E. Limbird, A.Goodman Gilman, Curatore edizione italiana: C.Sirtori, G.Folco, G.Franceschini, S.Govoni.

The goal of the module in pharmacology is the acquisition of knowledge and skills necessary to understand R&D and clinical development of ATMPs. The concepts of "small molecules" drugs and advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), their different pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, preclinical and clinical development, and the regulatory process will be discussed during the course. The student will acquire the fundamental knowledge to propose and develop new technologies, and to improve the portfolio of therapeutic strategies to treat several diseases.

Students are expected to have a good background in biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology and anatomy, in order to thoroughly understand the basics of pharmacology and apply them in a pathological context. In biochemistry, a good knowledge of the structures of nucleic acids, amino acids and proteins, as well as the chemical reactions regulating cellular metabolism is required. A thorough knowledge of the mechanisms of action and signal transduction of receptors and enzymes will be crucial to learn the pharmacodynamic properties of ATMPs. Basic knowledge of viral vectors and DNA editing techniques is required. Physiology and anatomy are necessary to understand the PDK properties of a drugs and its therapeutic effects.

Classroom lessons with presentation of Power Point slides, multimedia materials, and use of the blackboard to explain examples and/or formulas. Lectures are interactive: the student will be involved in the lesson with questions aimed at verifying the understanding of concepts, and he/she will be encouraged to ask questions and/or curiosities to stimulate discussion throughout the lesson. The student will be coached on how to identify reliable sources and how to develop critical thinking about scientific information.

The course on pharmacotherapy is an integrated module with two other modules including (i) advanced gene and cell therapy methods (Prof. Merlin), and (ii) tissue regeneration methods and applications (Prof. Bosetti).

Three-member examination committee (Professors Bosetti, Merlin and Meneghini). Oral exam with discussion (with power point presentation) of a paper/review correlated to a topic of the course.

- Introduction to the pharmacology of ATMPs - Cell therapy - Gene therapy - Engineered tissue therapy

The objective of the academic course is to provide the student with fundamentals of pharmacology applied to advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) and their pre-clinical and clinical developments. The student will understand the ATMP drug development path in terms of technologies, applicability and pre-clinical and clinical development. He/she will learn the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of cell/tissue therapies, and gene addition/gene editing strategies that he/she has previously studied. The student will also acquire scientific know-how on the correct terms to describe mechanism of action and structure of a drug.