The course objectives are to provide theoretical and hands-on experience with hot topics in molecular pharmacology currently used in the study of recombinant receptors and transporters.

Modern molecular pharmacology is characterized by the use of a broad variety of techniques in studies of receptor and transporter structure, function and pharmacology. In recent years increased focus has been on the use of fluorescent techniques to study signal transduction, activation mechanisms and trafficking. Another topic of current interest is the use of the increasing number of 3D structures and reliable models of receptors and transporters available to guide molecular pharmacological experiments, which have increased our understanding of the molecular basis for subtype selectivity, receptor activation and neurotransmitter transport.

These topics will be covered during the course by lectures, practical exercises and student presentations of scientific articles on current molecular pharmacological topics.

The lectures will cover:

• State of the art molecular pharmacological assays
• Theoretical background for the practical exercises

The practical exercises will cover:

• Pharmacological assays of G protein-coupled receptors and ligand-gated ion channels using:
  • measurement of intracellular Ca2+ levels by fluorescence probes
  • measurement of membrane potential by fluorescence probes
  • measurement of intracellular cAMP using time-resolved FRET and FRET-based biosensor
• Electrophysiological recordings in Xenopus oocytes using two-electrode voltage clamp
• Electrophysiological recordings in mammalian cells using a Port-a-Patch patch clamp rig
• Quantitative evaluation of surface expression by ELISA and whole-cell binding
• Use of GraphPad Prism software to evaluate pharmacological data

The course will be organised as an intensive 5-day course and will comprise approximately 26 hours of laboratory exercises, 10 lectures covering current topics in molecular pharmacology and student presentations of scientific articles. During the course it will be possible to discuss topics/problems in molecular pharmacology of special interest of the participants with the staff and fellow students.

Evaluation: A written report of the performed experiments will have to be submitted two weeks after the course. During the course, participants will prepare a presentation of a scientific article. The presentation and the slides will be evaluated by the course leaders. Furthermore, participants should have been present and demonstrated a satisfactory level of activity during 90 per cent of the course. A grade of passed/not passed will be given.

Experienced experimentalists from the Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen will supervise the lab-course. The participants will be supplied with study materials composed of notes and scientific publications.

16 to 20 January 2012.

4 ECTS credit points (European Credit Transfer System).

100 working hours (30 for preparation, 40 for course, 30 for report and evaluation).

Professor Hans Bräuner-Osborne, Department of Medicinal Chemistry at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

Total course fee: DKK 11,200 (including lunch),

of which operating costs: DKK 2,400.

15 November 2011.

15 participants.

The course is suitable for PhD students who have completed undergraduate courses in biochemistry, biology, molecular biology, pharmacology, medicine, or pharmacy, or researchers within the pharmaceutical industry who have previous hands-on experience with molecular biology and/or pharmacology.

Applicants enrolled in the part-time master's program MIND may participate in the course.

The course takes place at Symbion, Fruebjergvej 3, Copenhagen.