Description: Biomarkers are essential elements in translational medicine and play an important role in therapeutic discovery and development. Biomarker selection, validation, and application are critical for several steps, such as target validation, assessments of safety and efficacy, pharmacodynamic or pharmacokinetic responses, patient selection, clinical endpoints, and understanding of the mechanism of disease progression and therapeutic intervention during the course of therapeutic developments. Successful application of validated biomarkers is the key strategy to improve the drug discovery and development towards new medical entities.

Generally, an optimal biomarker development requires a multidisciplinary approach due to the multi-dimensional nature of biomarkers employed in therapeutic development ranging from biological samples to imaging techniques. This PhD course is designed to present biomarker development and validation with a focus on transitioning biomarkers from the development and validation phases to clinical applications incorporated into clinical trials. A large spectrum of medical areas (e.g., neurology, cardiovascular, and oncology) will be covered, in which biomarker development has been known critical to facilitate pre-clinical and clinical development of potential therapeutic compounds. PhD candidates with a variety of interests and backgrounds such as biomedical engineering, biochemistry, biotechnology, and medical sciences can benefit from this course.
The course is arranged over three days, and speakers are national and international key scientists from academia and pharmaceutical industries actively engaged in the field.
Literature
Selected papers and book chapters will be announced to the participants shortly before the course.
Prerequisites
Basic understanding of drug development phases and principles of preclinical evaluations
Evaluation
Completion of a small project in association with target validation and biomarkers in therapeutic development.

Organizer: Associate Professor Parisa Gazerani, e-mail: gazerani@hst.aau.dk

Lecturers: Associate Professor Parisa Gazerani, and invited speakers

ECTS: 1.5 (subject to changes)

Time: 30 March, 31 March and 1 April 2015 (8.15-16.00)

Place: Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7C, room C3-204

Zip code: 9220

City: Aalborg

Number of seats:

Deadline: 9 March, 2015