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Create new medicines from a chemical perspective

Drug Discovery Sciences

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Master
English
EN
2 years
Full-time
Sixty percent of all diseases still have no cure, presenting a major challenge in modern medicine. As a Master’s student Drug Discovery Sciences at VU Amsterdam, you will approach drug research and development from a unique chemistry-driven perspective. You will gain insight into the molecular causes of disease, explore new therapies, and work with everything from small molecules to complex medicines – all within the field of pharmaceutical sciences.

Fascinated by developing new pharmacological therapies and medicines? Then this programme is perfect for you.

Drug Discovery Sciences offers five specialisations:

Molecular Pharmacology
Focus on how drugs affect biological systems at the molecular and cellular levels, and gain expertise in receptor pharmacology, drug efficacy, and molecular techniques like PCR and cell-based assays. Read more.

Synthesis of Drugs
Design and create biologically active compounds using modern synthetic methods, purification, and characterisation techniques. Read more.

Molecular Toxicology
Study how chemicals cause cellular stress or damage, focusing on pharmaceuticals and pollutants. Use tools like cell culture, imaging, omics, and LC-MS. Read more.

Computer-Aided Drug Design
Use molecular modelling, AI, and simulations to design and optimise drug-target interactions, from virtual screening to lead refinement. Read more.

Bioanalytics
Analyse drug candidates and biological systems using mass spectrometry, NMR, and proteomics. Focus on biomarkers, drug metabolism, and therapeutic monitoring. Read more.

VU Online Master's Event

Thursday 27 November 2025

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Discover your Drug Discovery Sciences programme

You’ll focus on the chemical and molecular aspects of early drug discovery. From the identification of new protein targets, computational design and synthesis of new molecules and radiopharmaceuticals, the affinity towards its target and the cellular response, to eventually the metabolism and toxicity of the molecule. You will choose an in-depth specialisation that suits your interests, while gaining knowledge in all drug discovery disciplines.

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