HMX Pro Pharmacology
Drug Discovery and Development
Advance your career with a Harvard Medical School certificate.
Drug discovery and development has evolved dramatically over recent decades and the field continues to advance today. More sophisticated approaches and models are being developed, new technology is being incorporated into the entire pipeline of development, and exciting drug modalities continue to emerge. With all the advances in science and with closer collaboration between different scientific disciplines, a multifaceted approach is now being applied to drug discovery and development. Therefore, the likelihood of being able to discover a compound, transform this into a safe and effective therapeutic, and improve the lives of patients has increased.
Learning about the process of drug discovery and development has important implications for anyone working in health care and related sectors. This advanced course offers a unique way for professionals to learn from leading Harvard Medical School faculty about how drugs are discovered and developed and about the advances happening in this field that are ultimately helping to improve the treatment and prevention of disease.
Fill out the form below to get more information on this exciting learning opportunity:
Course Information
Upcoming course periods
January 14 – March 28, 2025 | Apply for Fundamentals and Pro courses now through January 6
April 15 – June 27, 2025 | Application opens December 11
June 3 – August 15, 2025 | Application opens March 26
Course length
The course period is 10 weeks long. New lessons are released periodically, and all material remains available until the course closes. Expect to spend a total of 10-20 hours for this course.
Course cost
US$995 for an individual course
Think others at your company would be interested? We offer group discounts and direct enrollment options – contact us to learn more.
Course Topics
Overview of Drug Discovery and Development
- Introduction to Drug Discovery and Development
- The Promise of Drug Discovery and Development
Project Initiation and Selection
- Introduction to Drug Research and Development
- Understanding the Disease/Indication Being Targeted
- Understanding the Drug being Developed
- Understanding the Mechanism of Action of the Drug
- Understanding the Effect of the Drug on the Disease/Indication
- Having a Clear Plan for Drug Development
- Genetics in Drug Discovery
Drug Discovery
- Pharmacological Principles
- Biochemical Models and Cell Models
- Disease Models
- Small Molecules
- Protein Therapeutics
- RNA Therapeutics
- Clinical Linkage: Cystic Fibrosis
Nonclinical Drug Development
- Goals of Nonclinical Drug Development
- Animal Pharmacology
- Good Laboratory Practice
- Toxicology and Safety Pharmacology
- Toxicology Testing
- Genotoxicity, Carcinogenicity, and Reproductive Toxicity
- Early Clinical Studies
Clinical Drug Development
- Establishing a Causal Pathway
- Chance and Bias
- Confounding and Effect Modification
- Basic Epidemiologic Considerations
- Surrogate Endpoints
- Fundamentals of Randomized Trial Design
- Anatomy of a Randomized Trial
- Clinical Linkage: PCSK9 Inhibitors
Wrap-up
- The Future of Drug Discovery and Development
Download the Drug Discovery and Development course outline
More Information
Frequently asked questions
Who should take this course?
This course is designed for professionals in health care, life sciences, and related industries who want to have a better understanding of drug discovery and development for their work.
What do participants need to know to succeed in this course?
We recommend basic knowledge of chemistry, biology, and physics, as well as an understanding of key pharmacology concepts. If you need further background in pharmacology, we also offer an introductory course, HMX Pro Pharmacology – Essentials.
Not sure? Take this short quiz to gauge your knowledge of pharmacology concepts.
What is the time commitment?
Most people can expect to spend around 15–20 hours total, but this depends on your baseline knowledge, how carefully you take notes, and how seriously you take the assessments. New course material is released periodically, and remains available until the course period ends, so participants can work at their own pace. There is a final exam at the end of each course that can be taken any time during the final exam period.
Can participants earn certificates from Harvard Medical School?
There are two certification levels, based on participant scores:
- Certificate of Achievement
- Certificate of Completion
HMX Learner Testimonials
Siyan Xu
Biostatistician, Novartis
“I’ve found all the courses to be tremendously helpful.”
Mariam Fida
Medical geneticist
“It was amazing the way all the animations were conducted, and how they show concepts in a very basic, nice way.”
Eugenia Prohin
Clinical operations manager
“Everybody involved in clinical research would benefit from these courses.”
Matthew Tagliaferro
Account executive, Ambry Genetics
“Being able to hear from the doctors and clinicians themselves about the different treatments and disease states, I think it gives such a good perspective.”