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DETAILED CURRICULUM

Semester 1 – Foundations of Natural Product Drug Discovery 📍 Sapienza University of Rome (SUR) – 30 ECTS

 

The first semester provides the scientific foundations for drug discovery from natural sources, introducing students to plant biology, pharmacology, biotechnology, and laboratory methods used in natural product research.

Courses include:

• Plant Biology and Pharmaceutical Botany (8 ECTS) – Introduces the fundamental principles of plant biology, taxonomy, and metabolism, with emphasis on medicinal plant identification, phytochemical diversity, ethnopharmacological uses, and modern biotechnological approaches for the sustainable production of bioactive compounds.

• Pharmacology in Drug Discovery (6 ECTS) – Provides an overview of the drug development process from target identification and preclinical pharmacology to clinical trials, regulatory approval, and pharmacovigilance, including ethical and safety considerations.

• Biotechnologies in Pharmacognosy and Regulatory Aspects of Natural Products (8 ECTS) – Examines biotechnological strategies for the production and quality control of natural products alongside the regulatory frameworks governing herbal medicines, nutraceuticals, and cosmeceuticals, including safety evaluation and pharmacovigilance.

• Laboratory Practice & CIVIS Open Lab (6 ECTS) – Offers hands-on training in the identification and sustainable study of medicinal plants through fieldwork and microscopy, while promoting science communication and critical evaluation of ethnobotanical knowledge.

• Seminars (2 ECTS) – This seminar series presents interdisciplinary perspectives on natural products research, including biotechnology, authentication methods, bioinformatics tools, and the regulatory framework of natural product-based medical technologies.

 

Semester 2 – Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Development📍 National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) – 30 ECTS

 

The second semester focuses on the chemical characterization, pharmacokinetic evaluation, and pharmaceutical formulation of natural products, bridging natural product chemistry with drug development.

Courses include:

• Natural Products: Chemistry and Analysis (8 ECTS) – Provides comprehensive knowledge of the chemistry, structural diversity, and analytical characterization of natural compounds.

  • Module 1: Chemistry of Natural Products (Terrestrial and Marine) (4 ECTS) – Examines the biosynthesis, structural classes, and chemical properties of natural compounds derived from terrestrial plants and marine organisms.
  • Module 2. Analytical (green) techniques, NMR Spectroscopy & Computational Chemistry (4 ECTS) – Introduces advanced analytical techniques used for natural product identification, including chromatography, NMR spectroscopy, and computational approaches for structure elucidation.

  • Ethnobotany / Ethnopharmacology – Uses of Herbal Products (6 ECTS) – Explores traditional knowledge of medicinal plants and its role in the discovery and development of modern therapeutic agents.

  • Module 1: Ethnopharmacology of Mediterranean / African Regions (3 ECTS) – Examines traditional medicinal practices and plant-based therapies used in Mediterranean and African ethnomedical systems.
  • Module 2. Uses of Herbal Products (3 ECTS) – Discusses therapeutic applications, safety considerations, and evidence-based evaluation of herbal medicinal products.

  • Principles of Biopharmaceutics & Pharmacokinetics (6 ECTS) – Introduces the processes governing drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.

  • Module 1: ADME and Routes of Administration (3) – Explains how drug physicochemical properties and different administration routes influence drug drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.
  • Module 2. Special Topics in Biopharmaceutics & Pharmacokinetics (3 ECTS) – Covers advanced pharmacokinetic concepts including modelling, bioavailability, population pharmacokinetics and factors influencing pharmacokinetics in special populations.

  • Formulations of Natural Products (7 ECTS) – Focuses on the development and evaluation of pharmaceutical formulations containing natural compounds.

  • Module 1: Formulation Technologies – Development, Evaluation and Applications (4 ECTS) – Examines formulation strategies and evaluation methods for natural product-based medicines, including in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo (preclinical) testing.
  • Module 2. Laboratory Practice (3 ECTS) – Provides hands-on training in formulation development and experimental evaluation of natural product-based pharmaceutical systems.

• Seminars (3 ECTS) – Lectures and discussions highlighting advances in natural product chemistry, pharmacokinetics, and formulation science.

 

Semester 3 – Advanced Biomedical Applications 📍 University of Bucharest (UB) – 30 ECTS

The third semester develops advanced knowledge in pharmacology, molecular biology, and synthesis of natural products.

  • Applied Pharmacology and Herbal–Conventional Drug Interactions (6 ECTS) – Examines pharmacological effects of natural compounds and potential interactions between herbal medicines and conventional pharmaceuticals.
  • Module 1: Exploring Drug Interaction (3 ECTS) – Investigates the chemistry, pharmacological properties, and structure–activity relationships of natural and synthetic bioactive compounds relevant to drug discovery.
  • Module 2: Applied Pharmacology (3 ECTS) – This module explores molecular mechanisms of drug action, pharmacodynamics, and metabolism, with emphasis on therapeutic agents affecting major physiological systems and diseases.
  • Cellular Biology + Laboratory Practice (6 ECTS) – Provides an understanding of cellular organization, gene expression, and signaling pathways, complemented by laboratory training in microscopy, cell culture, and protein localization techniques.
  • Principles of Medical Biochemistry: The Molecular Basis of Health and Disease + Laboratory Practice(6 ECTS) – Explores molecular mechanisms underlying health and disease through advanced concepts in protein biochemistry and proteomics, supported by laboratory training in biochemical and analytical techniques.

Semi-synthesis and Total Synthesis of Natural Products + Laboratory Practice (7 ECTS) – Introduces synthetic and semi-synthetic strategies used to modify natural compounds to improve therapeutic activity or pharmacokinetic properties.

  • Seminar (5 ECTS) – Advanced seminars focusing on emerging chemical, biochemical, and technological aspects of drug discovery while developing students’ critical analysis, interdisciplinary thinking, and scientific communication skills.

 

Semester 4 – Internship and Master’s Thesis 📍 Host University of Student Choice (NKUA, SUR, or UB) – 30 ECTS

 

The final semester focuses on research and professional training.

Components include:

  • Internship in aresearch centre or pharmaceutical industry(8 ECTS) – Independent research project conducted under academic supervision, culminating in the preparation and oral defence of a Master’s thesis.
  • Master’s Thesis (22 ECTS) – Internship is one month in a pharmaceutical industry or research centre. Programme language: English. Dissertation includes written thesis and oral defence.

Students conduct their internship and thesis in the same host institution, culminating in the submission and oral defence of the dissertation.

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