Structural Biology and Drug Discovery

Graduate / Professional

A comprehensive introduction to the concepts and practical uses of structural biology and structural biology-related techniques in drug discovery. The first half of the course focuses on techniques used to discover and optimize small and macromolecule drugs. Students are introduced to topics such as small molecule lead discovery, interpretation of protein structures, X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, NMR, and other biophysical techniques. The second half of the course provides a deep analysis of protein kinases and helps students understand different methods of targeting this important class of protein for drug discovery. The course also provides real-world examples of drug development from faculty who have taken an idea from their lab through to clinical trials. The course includes a practical session in the macromolecular X-ray crystallography core facility on the medical school campus. The course also includes a field trip to the Yale Center for Drug Discovery on West Campus, where the students are introduced to the in-house Yale screening facilities for small molecule drug discovery. MW 9:25am-10:40am