Is this course for me?

Pharmaceutical bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary subject in the frontier of the biomedical and pharma- ceutical scientific areas. What you learn in this course is very useful in an interdisciplinary way, connecting the areas of biomedicine and chemistry. It introduces novel computer based informatics method which you will find useful in areas such as pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, medicine, biology and toxicology. The genomics revolution necessitates knowledge and mastering of informatics and computational approaches in virtually all areas of biomedicine. The pharmaceutical industry desires well-educated people in these areas. The future developments of the life science areas will also rely heavily on mastering such knowledge. However, unfortunately many of the traditional academics curricula have been slow in adopting the new knowledge and they have thus largely failed to do offer the proper education. Still all the cutting edge frontiers in the medical, biological and medicinal chemistry fields will need good knowledge here in order to sustain progress.

The focus on this course is not theoretical. It does not require extensive knowledge on computers, and it does not require you to know software programming. Instead it is based on easily followed Internet based lectures, tutorials and exercises. The focus is on how to use bioinformatics tools and not on abstract math or difficult-to-understand theories. All through the course the teacher will follow you, checking your exercises and guiding you. You are free to ask the teacher questions any time! And the course does not need any regular hours - you perform it at your speed and at the times that suits you the best. The examination is written, arranged through internet, and can be taken at any time convenient for the course participant. Each student receives individual set of tasks and questions. Grading is passed with excellence, passed, and not passed.

If you are about to finalize an education in any of the areas related to pharmacy, biology, medicine or chemistry this course is for you. The ECT system will allow you to add the credits gained from this course to your grade or certificate of education.

If you already hold a degree in any of the areas related to pharmacy, biology, medicine or chemistry this course is for you. The knowledge you gain is highly desired among the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries and increases your chances to get a good position.

If you are working in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry, or if you perform research in the biomedical or medicinal chemical areas this course is for you. It will help you in your research, how to plan experiments better, and how to use novel computer based tools to more effectively make drugs, and how to use computers to unravel the mysteries of the life processes by digging data in ways that you previously thought was not possible.

Observe that you don’t need to travel to Uppsala to attend this course! All is Internet based and all what you need is a computer and an Internet connection. Therefore, you can attend this course from any place in the world!