Drug Discovery and Development: Overview of the End-to-End Therapeutic Development Pipeline
- HMX
Group Enrollment Option A program that is a popular choice for organizations and institutions to purchase in bulk.
Deadline Approaching Enroll now to secure your seat.
Understand advances in drug discovery and development and how new therapeutics are developed.
- Online; Instructor-Paced
Lessons are released weekly and remain available until the course ends.
Available Start Dates
$1,025
Multi-course bundle pricing is also available across enrollment periods.
Certificate
Earn a Certificate of Completion upon successfully completing all coursework.
10 Weeks, 1-2 Hours/Week
Most people can expect to spend around 15–20 hours total, but this depends on your baseline knowledge and how carefully you take notes.
- Online; Instructor-Paced
Lessons are released weekly and remain available until the course ends.
Available Start Dates
$1,025
Multi-course bundle pricing is also available across enrollment periods.
Certificate
Earn a Certificate of Completion upon successfully completing all coursework.
10 Weeks, 1-2 Hours/Week
Most people can expect to spend around 15–20 hours total, but this depends on your baseline knowledge and how carefully you take notes.
On This Page
Overview
Drug discovery and development has evolved dramatically over recent decades. More sophisticated approaches and models, new technology, and exciting drug modalities continue to emerge. With all of the advances in science and with closer collaboration between different scientific disciplines, a multifaceted approach is now being applied to drug discovery and development. 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.
In this advanced HMX course, you will explore the latest methodologies in drug development, from preclinical research through the clinical phases. Through engaging examples of real-world applications, you will gain an overview of the drug discovery pipeline, starting with the conception of an idea, advancing through preclinical testing, and progressing through all stages of clinical development. Additionally, you will build an understanding of the role of independent regulatory and review boards in ensuring the safety and ethical conduct of clinical trials.
Learning Objectives
- Learn about project selection and initiation and how the indication and unmet need are identified
- Learn about drug discovery and how this occurs for different drug modalities
- Gain an understanding of the various stages of nonclinical drug development and how the therapeutic profile is established for a new compound with emphasis on drug toxicity
- Get an insight into clinical drug development and how an investigational therapeutic is assessed for safety and efficacy in humans
Who Should Participate
Pharmaceutical professionals or researchers; professionals in related sectors; health care professionals
Overview
Drug discovery and development has evolved dramatically over recent decades. More sophisticated approaches and models, new technology, and exciting drug modalities continue to emerge. With all of the advances in science and with closer collaboration between different scientific disciplines, a multifaceted approach is now being applied to drug discovery and development. 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.
In this advanced HMX course, you will explore the latest methodologies in drug development, from preclinical research through the clinical phases. Through engaging examples of real-world applications, you will gain an overview of the drug discovery pipeline, starting with the conception of an idea, advancing through preclinical testing, and progressing through all stages of clinical development. Additionally, you will build an understanding of the role of independent regulatory and review boards in ensuring the safety and ethical conduct of clinical trials.
Learning Objectives
- Learn about project selection and initiation and how the indication and unmet need are identified
- Learn about drug discovery and how this occurs for different drug modalities
- Gain an understanding of the various stages of nonclinical drug development and how the therapeutic profile is established for a new compound with emphasis on drug toxicity
- Get an insight into clinical drug development and how an investigational therapeutic is assessed for safety and efficacy in humans
Who Should Participate
Pharmaceutical professionals or researchers; professionals in related sectors; health care professionals
Questions?
Have questions about HMX courses, enrollment, or learning options? Contact our team by email—we’re happy to assist.
About the Course
HMX online courses bring complex material to life through engaging biomedical visualizations, clinical applications, and true-to-life scenarios paired with lectures from Harvard Medical School faculty and leading experts.
Who Should Enroll
This advanced course is appropriate for professionals new to the drug development industry and looking for an introduction to the basic principles and future directions of the drug development pipeline; learners planning a career in pharmaceutical or medical research; health care professionals aiming to deepen understanding of drug discovery and development.
Course Format
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. Lessons from the courses are released toward the beginning of the course session and remain available until the courses end, so you can work at your own pace. There is a final exam at the end of each course that can be taken at any time during the multi-week final exam period. The flexible course format makes this an ideal choice for working professionals.
Group Enrollments
HMX courses are ideal for organizations looking to train teams or larger groups. Group pricing is available, making it a cost-effective investment in team development.
Faculty
- Lecturer in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology | Harvard Medical School
- Lecturer in Medicine, Harvard Medical School
- Attending Physician in Hematology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
- Member of Board of Directors at Avacta Group PLC
Mark Namchuk
PhD
- Senior Lecturer in Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School
- Executive Director of Therapeutics Translation in Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School
- Professor of Anesthesia, Harvard Medical School
- Pediatric Critical Care Physician, Boston Children’s Hospital
Paul Ridker
MD, MPH
- Eugene Braunwald Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
- Senior Physician, Brigham and Women's Hospital / Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Brigham and Women's Hospital
David Altshuler, MD, PhD, Executive Vice President of Global Research and Chief Scientific Officer, Vertex Pharmaceuticals / Senior Lecturer in Genetics, Harvard Medical School
Julie Buring, DSc, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School / Epidemiologist, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Rory Collins, FRS, FMedSci, Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Oxford / Principal Investigator and Chief Executive, UK Biobank
Elizabeth Garner, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President, Agile Therapeutics / Owner and President, KNI Health Consultants / Harvard Medical School alumna
Sam Moskowitz, MD, Executive Medical Director, Vertex Pharmaceuticals / Lecturer, Harvard Medical School
Paul Negulescu, PhD, Senior Vice President and Site Head of San Diego Research, Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Saurabh Saha, MD, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, Centessa Pharmaceuticals / Associate Member, Harvard Medical School
Priya Singhal, MD, MPH, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Safety & Regulatory Sciences, Biogen / Harvard Medical School alumna
Frank Slack, PhD, Shields Warren Mallinckrodt Professor, Harvard Medical School / Director of the Institute for RNA Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Vishal Vaidya, PhD, Senior Director and Head of Clinical Biomarker Technologies, Pfizer / Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School
ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTORS
Juli Coraor Fried, MD/PhD candidate, Harvard Medical School
Michael Poeschla, MD/PhD candidate, Harvard Medical School
Course Quiz
Are you ready for an advanced course? We recommend knowledge of basic chemistry, biology, and physics, as well as knowledge of key pharmacology concepts. Gauge your knowledge of pharmacology by taking this short quiz.
From Our Learners
Hear from HMX students as they share their experiences learning online with Harvard Medical School.
"[The course] was a game changer for the learners to understand the real-life scenarios and understand that evidence generation isn’t always perfect."
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