Drug Discovery and Safety: Molecular Toxicology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Sixty per cent of all diseases are still incurable. So there are plenty of opportunities to tackle complex challenges. If you are fascinated by the idea of developing new pharmacological therapies and medicines, then this is the Master’s programme for you.

If you study Drug Discovery and Safety at VU Amsterdam, you will gain insight into drug discovery research from a unique chemical perspective. From the characterisation of molecular causes of pathology to the generation of new therapeutics to treat diseases, and from small molecules and proteins to complex diseases and medicines.

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Drug Discovery and Safety: Molecular Toxicology

Within the Molecular Toxicology specialisation, you will learn how chemicals are processed in the body and how they can can interfere with cellular and biological processes. This includes biological systems involved in biotransformation and transport of xenobiotics, adaptive stress response pathways and toxicity mechanisms. The specialisation also deals with biological and analytical tools and the application of this information to safety assessment of chemicals. The ultimate aim is to develop better and safer drugs and to identify patients at particular risk for certain outcomes.

The Master’s in Drug Discovery and Safety is a two-year programme. This specialisation will be part of  your first year of study.

The Molecular Toxicology specialisation contains compulsory (core) and track-specific courses (30-36 EC), a major research project (42-60 EC),  a literature thesis and colloquium (12 EC), ethics and academic skills portfolio (6 EC) and there is an elective space for a minor research project, a traineeship abroad or at a local company, and optional courses (6-30 EC).

The Molecular Toxicology specialisation offers several research topics to choose from. For example, you can study the identification of molecular mechanisms and risk factors underlying rare adverse drug reactions, the differentiation of iPS cells into specific cell types for toxicity studies or the role of mitochondria in drug toxicity.

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Drug Discovery and Safety: Molecular Toxicology

The most obvious ones are in medicinal research, the pharmaceuticals industry and hospital laboratories, but there are also plenty of opportunities within research institutes and governmental agencies. Graduates in Drug Discovery and Safety have excellent employment prospects and can generally expect to earn a good salary.

About 50% of VU Amsterdam graduates pursue a career in research. Within the university or a research institute, you can be employed as a PhD student, but with your Master's degree, you can also work as a researcher at a pharmaceutical company.

You can also obtain a job as a consultant or a manager. These jobs can mainly be found in the pharmaceutical industry, in government agencies and in drugs inspectorates. Entering a carreer in science journalism is also possible. You can combine your knowledge of the pharmaceutical sciences with insights into communication processes.

If you choose the Science Education specialisation in your second year, you can become involved in improving science education, both as a teacher and in other positions in the academic world.

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Drug Discovery and Safety: Molecular Toxicology

I have an international degree

The Drug Discovery and Safety programme is open to both Dutch and international students. The Faculty’s Admission Board will decide upon your admission after having evaluated your complete online application.

In order to gain admission to the Drug Discovery and Safety Master’s programme, you will need to have at least a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited research university including at least three full years of academic study amounting to a minimum of 180 ECTS or equivalent. We do not require a GRE or GMAT test score. A Bachelor degree obtained at an applied university or higher vocational education (HBO in Dutch) in most cases does not grant direct access to the programme (only exceptionally high ranking students stand a chance of admission).

Specific requirements for the Drug Discovery and Safety Master’s programme

Mastering of the material highlighted in the matrix is judged by grade(s) obtained for key courses in the respective field. The Master’s coordinator will determine if you meet these requirements.

1. Biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology and pharmacology, including techniques such as protein expression, purification, mutagenesis. An indication of the expected knowledge is given by textbooks Essential Cell Biology (Alberts et al.), chapters 1-16, and Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry (Patrick), chapters 1-18.
2. Pharmacokinetics, enzyme kinetics and pharmaceutical toxicology. An indication of the expected knowledge is given by textbook Pharmacology (Rang & Dale), chapters 1-10 & 21-26.
3. Analytical chemistry, including techniques such as HPLC, spectrophotometry, fluorimetry, NMR, mass spectrometry. An indication of the expected knowledge is given by textbook Quantitative Chemical Analysis (Harris), chapters 1-10, 17-25.
4. Organic chemistry, including practical laboratory experience with organic chemical techniques. An indication of the expected knowledge is given by textbook Organic Chemistry (Clayden et al.), chapters 1-30.
5. Physical chemistry. An indication of the expected knowledge is given by textbook Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences. Peter Atkins and Julio de Paula, chapters 1-4.

General English language proficiency requirements

VU Amsterdam requires all applicants to take an English test. You can, however, begin your application without having the test results. Exceptions are made for students who have completed a Bachelor's or Master's in Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand or Australia.

The minimum English language proficiency requirements for admission to this Master's programme are:

• • IELTS: 6.5 overall
• • TOEFL Internet-based test: 92 overall
• • Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE): A, B, C
• • Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): A, B, C

I have a Dutch university level (WO) Bachelor’s degree (VU Bachelor's degree, VU pre-Master's programme or Bachelor's degree at another university)

In order to gain admission to the Drug Discovery and Safety Master’s programme, you will need to have at least a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited research university including at least three full years of academic study amounting to a minimum of 180 ECTS or equivalent. We do not require a GRE or GMAT test score. 

The Master’s programme in Drug Discovery and Safety is open to students:

• with a Bachelor's degree in VU Pharmaceutical Sciences / Pharmacochemistry; 
• with a Bachelor's degree in VU Chemistry; 
• with a Bachelor's degree in VU Medical Natural Sciences; 
• who have followed a similar programme at another university*; 
• with sufficient knowledge of the English language (level of Dutch VWO-examination).

Mastering of the material highlighted in the matrix is judged by grade(s) obtained for key courses in the respective field. The Master’s coordinator will determine if you meet these requirements.

1. Biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology and pharmacology, including techniques such as protein expression, purification, mutagenesis. An indication of the expected knowledge is given by textbooks Essential Cell Biology (Alberts et al.), chapters 1-16, and Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry (Patrick), chapters 1-18.
2. Pharmacokinetics, enzyme kinetics and pharmaceutical toxicology. An indication of the expected knowledge is given by textbook Pharmacology (Rang & Dale), chapters 1-10 & 21-26.
3. Analytical chemistry, including techniques such as HPLC, spectrophotometry, fluorimetry, NMR, mass spectrometry. An indication of the expected knowledge is given by textbook Quantitative Chemical Analysis (Harris), chapters 1-10, 17-25.
4. Organic chemistry, including practical laboratory experience with organic chemical techniques. An indication of the expected knowledge is given by textbook Organic Chemistry (Clayden et al.), chapters 1-30.
5. Physical chemistry. An indication of the expected knowledge is given by textbook Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences. Peter Atkins and Julio de Paula, chapters 1-4.

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