Our approach to Chemistry of Drug Development is a unique combination of research areas that are closely related, but that requires a different type of expertise. All of three options are represented by well-established, top-of-the-line research groups: Bioorganic Group, Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry Group, Bioanalytical Chemistry together with Detection Technology Group, and Natural Chemistry Research Group.
The main target in studies of Bioorganic Chemistry is to master the key concepts of organic reactions, stereochemistry, and physical organic chemistry. This way the student can design and execute organic syntheses and understand chemical biology. The Bioorganic Group is specialized in the synthesis of biopolymers (oligonucleotides, oligosaccharides, and peptides), their interaction mechanisms at the molecular level, and the application of this knowledge to solving medicinal problems.
Students of Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry can specialize in radiosynthetic chemistry and applications of short-lived, isotopically labeled positron-emitting radiotracers. These tracers are used in positron emission tomography (PET) which enables imaging of biochemical processes in vivo in both health and disease. The synthesis of radiotracers involves both low molecular weight small molecules as well as macromolecules, typically peptides, proteins, and their fragments. The teaching of radiopharmaceutical chemistry takes place in close collaboration with the Turku PET Centre, a National Institute jointly owned by the University of Turku, the Åbo Akademi University, and the Hospital District of Southwestern Finland.
Students of Bioanalytical Chemistry will learn the most prominent (bio)analytical detection and separation techniques and are capable of applying the techniques to medicinal chemistry and drug discovery. The student knows how to design bioanalytical assays and separation methods for the identification, quantification, and property mapping of potential drugs and target molecules – also in practice. Courses are provided by the Natural Chemistry and the Detection Technology Research Groups. The content of the courses is considered to meet the needs of the neighboring industries for bioanalytical chemistry.
The facilities of Chemistry of Drug Development are state-of-the-art. We have direct access to the Turku PET Centre preclinical and clinical groups. The PET Centre has four cyclotrons for radionuclide production and 25 hot cells for radiotracer synthesis. At the Department of Chemistry, we have recently updated NMR facilities with modern 500 and 600 MHz magnets with cryo-probes that facilitate operation at low drug concentrations. We have direct access to UPLC-MS/MS instruments with both triple quadrupole and high-resolution mass spectrometry detectors. An efficient ECD spectrometer complements the equipment needed for the accurate identification of the produced and purified drug candidates. To know how to master this equipment and techniques is a true advantage to the chemist who graduates from our programme.
