Medical Pharmaceutical Sciences

Radu Bulai - Student of the MSc Medical Pharmaceutical Sciences

During my Bachelor of Chemistry, I became interested in the application of organic chemistry in drug discovery. I therefore took the opportunity to gain more in-depth knowledge of themes around drug discovery by embarking on the Master of Medical Pharmaceutical Sciences. During that Master’s programme, I soon realised how in-depth the programme is and how they try to relate the different parts of the drug design process to each other. It’s not just about focusing on one part of the drug manufacturing and marketing process, but also about trying to keep in mind all the past or future steps that will be involved.

The Master’s programme offers you an opportunity to complete different research projects. At the moment I am doing my final research project, which focuses on a protein that promotes cancer. I am involved in designing, synthesizing, and testing a particular type of molecule that triggers degradation of this particular protein. Once I graduate, I would like to continue research in the field of drug design and drug syntheses. I am already applying for a position to continue research as a PhD student. After obtaining a PhD I’ll be open to industrial or commercial career opportunities where I can broaden my knowledge further.

Lotte de Vries - Medical Pharmaceutical Sciences

I have completed a bachelor's degree in Chemistry at the Hanze University of Applied Sciences before enrolling for an MSc in Medical Pharmaceutical Sciences. I initially had to complete a pre-master before starting the master's program, which lasted for one semester (30 ECTS credits). The pre-master was challenging, but it served as excellent preparation for the master's program.

In the first year of the master's programme, I pursued the Research track in Pharmaceutical Design and Engineering, and in the second year, I switched to Science Business and Policy (SBP). During the first year, I conducted a research project in Molecular Biology in the group led by Ody Sibon. This research focused on PKAN disease and explored a potential pathway for a future medication. In the second year, I completed an internship at the Trimbos Institute, where I focused on providing policy advice regarding cannabis vaporizers. I investigated both the scientific and policy aspects to ultimately offer recommendations.

I chose the master's programme because, after my bachelor's degree, I realized that I wanted to be closer to finding solutions in the field of medicine, particularly medications. Despite my passion for chemistry, it felt distant from the ultimate goal of finding cures for diseases. My dream was always to design pharmaceuticals, which was achievable within MPS, especially in the Pharmaceutical Design and Engineering track. Additionally, I appreciated the flexibility within MPS, where you could shape your entire master's programme according to your preferences. You could choose any course you liked and even switch tracks during the two years. The freedom appealed to me because I hadn't yet defined exactly what I wanted to do. In the end, I went in a completely different direction than I had originally planned. I also noticed a great deal of passion from alumni and lecturers, which was highly motivating.

What I find remarkable about the program is that everyone I encountered, from students to professors, was always very motivated to help. Every lecturer I had was deeply passionate about their subject and was always willing to assist students. By the end of the programme, I truly felt like a professional and was treated as such. I couldn't have been better prepared for the working world, thanks to the attitudes of the people who make this master's program possible.

Some tips I have for incoming master's students are to make choices within your programme that align with your career goals. In my first year, I realized that I preferred not to work in a lab, so I switched to SBP. Additionally, I recommend talking to as many people in the programme as possible about their experiences to discover where your passion lies. There are numerous opportunities, but it requires a bit of assertiveness. Don't hesitate to seek help when needed; everyone is very helpful!

My ambitions after the master's program are diverse. I will soon start as a scientific sales representative at a large Canadian biotech company. Ultimately, I want to have a policy-related role in the pharmaceutical industry or a management position within a scientific company. My main goal is to stay close to research in a part that has a significant impact.

What I truly like about the MPS programme is that you can tailor your programme to match your own interests and skills. I still benefit from the interdisciplinary and hands-on character of the Master at my current job as mathematical modeller and health economist at Public Health England in London.

I am still working on several questions that are being addressed during the Master, including how we can fight antibiotic resistance, how to make optimal use of Big data to improve healthcare and how to assess the potential economic value of new drugs. The opportunity to design and perform two large research projects in areas of your choice allows you to make a better informed decision about your future career path. These research projects learned me what I like to do most and inspired my further career choices. By providing the opportunity to work with and learn from various experts from pharmacy and medical sciences, the programme offers an excellent preparation for a future career in academia, government or industry.