Master's in Marine Drugs and Bioactive Compounds
This master's prepares you to take part in the discovery and development of drugs derived from marine organisms. You will study the main families of bioactive compounds from the sea, their isolation and characterization, the medicinal chemistry that turns them into candidates, pharmacology and toxicology, the problem of sustainable supply and the stages of preclinical and clinical development, with a realistic view of regulation, timelines and the risks of the pharmaceutical industry.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The program is designed precisely for that.
What is the Master's in Marine Drugs and Bioactive Compounds?
This master's prepares you to take part in the discovery and development of drugs derived from marine organisms. You will identify the main chemical classes of marine compounds and the organisms that produce them, apply separation, mass spectrometry and structure elucidation techniques, optimize activity, selectivity and pharmacokinetic properties through medicinal chemistry, design in vitro and in vivo studies of efficacy and safety, compare harvesting, aquaculture, chemical synthetic routes and biotechnological production as supply routes, and understand the clinical phases and the requirements of medicines agencies.
What sets this master's apart: the complete drug value chain, from the marine organism to the clinical candidate and its regulation; a solid scientific base in natural product chemistry, medicinal chemistry and pharmacology; an industry perspective covering intellectual property, supply, scale-up and business models; analysis of marine-derived drugs already approved and the lessons they offer; and a Final Project in which you prepare a development dossier for a marine bioactive compound.
Program highlights
- Complete drug value chain: from the marine organism to the clinical candidate and its regulation.
- Solid scientific base: natural product chemistry, medicinal chemistry and pharmacology.
- Industry perspective: intellectual property, supply, scale-up and business models.
- Real cases: analysis of approved marine-derived drugs and the lessons they offer.
- Sustainable supply: aquaculture, synthetic chemistry, synthetic biology and industrial fermentation.
- Final Project: a development dossier for a marine bioactive compound.
Syllabus of the Master's in Marine Drugs and Bioactive Compounds
11 modules. Select a module to see its content.
The Ocean as a Source of Medicines
- 1.1. History of marine-derived drugs
- 1.2. Organisms that produce bioactive compounds
- 1.3. Chemical ecology and the role of metabolites
- 1.4. Approved marine drugs
- 1.5. Candidates in clinical development
- 1.6. Main therapeutic areas
- 1.7. Comparison with terrestrial natural products
- 1.8. Challenges facing the sector
- 1.9. Academic and industry players
- 1.10. Research trends
Chemistry of Marine Compounds
- 2.1. Peptides and depsipeptides
- 2.2. Marine alkaloids
- 2.3. Terpenes and steroids
- 2.4. Polyketides
- 2.5. Macrolides
- 2.6. Nucleosides
- 2.7. Sulphated polysaccharides
- 2.8. Bioactive fatty acids and lipids
- 2.9. Halogenated compounds
- 2.10. Biosynthetic pathways of metabolites
Isolation and Structural Characterization
- 3.1. Sample collection and preparation
- 3.2. Solvent extraction
- 3.3. Preparative liquid chromatography
- 3.4. Bioassay-guided fractionation
- 3.5. High-resolution mass spectrometry
- 3.6. Nuclear magnetic resonance
- 3.7. Determining stereochemistry
- 3.8. Dereplication with databases
- 3.9. Molecular networking
- 3.10. Purity and stability
Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design
- 4.1. From hit to candidate
- 4.2. Structure-activity relationships
- 4.3. Molecular modeling and docking
- 4.4. Simplifying complex structures
- 4.5. Analogues and derivatives
- 4.6. Physicochemical properties
- 4.7. Pharmacokinetics and ADME
- 4.8. Prodrugs
- 4.9. Antibody-drug conjugates
- 4.10. Multiparameter optimization
Pharmacology of Marine Compounds
- 5.1. Molecular targets
- 5.2. Mechanisms of action
- 5.3. Cell-based assays
- 5.4. Animal models
- 5.5. Pharmacodynamics
- 5.6. Pharmacokinetics
- 5.7. Drug interactions
- 5.8. Biomarkers
- 5.9. Resistance
- 5.10. Translational pharmacology
Therapeutic Areas
- 6.1. Oncology
- 6.2. Pain and neuropharmacology
- 6.3. Infectious diseases
- 6.4. Antivirals
- 6.5. Inflammation and immunology
- 6.6. Cardiovascular diseases
- 6.7. Neurodegenerative diseases
- 6.8. Dermatology
- 6.9. Wound healing and tissue regeneration
- 6.10. Neglected diseases
Toxicology and Safety
- 7.1. Principles of toxicology
- 7.2. Marine toxins as models
- 7.3. In vitro toxicity
- 7.4. In vivo toxicity
- 7.5. Genotoxicity
- 7.6. Cardiovascular safety
- 7.7. Therapeutic margin
- 7.8. Good laboratory practice
- 7.9. Animal welfare and alternative methods
- 7.10. Preclinical safety report
Sustainable Supply of Compounds
- 8.1. The supply problem
- 8.2. Harvesting from the wild
- 8.3. Aquaculture of invertebrates
- 8.4. Culturing symbiotic microorganisms
- 8.5. Fully synthetic production
- 8.6. Semi-synthetic production
- 8.7. Synthetic biology and heterologous expression
- 8.8. Industrial-scale fermentation
- 8.9. Quality and manufacturing
- 8.10. Sustainability and traceability
Clinical Development and Regulation
- 9.1. Stages of medicine development
- 9.2. Regulatory preclinical studies
- 9.3. Phase I clinical trials
- 9.4. Phases II and III
- 9.5. The EMA and FDA regulatory agencies
- 9.6. Orphan medicine designation
- 9.7. Good manufacturing practice
- 9.8. Pharmacovigilance
- 9.9. Ethics of clinical research
- 9.10. Market access
Intellectual Property and the Pharmaceutical Business
- 10.1. Patents on natural compounds
- 10.2. Access to genetic resources and the Nagoya Protocol
- 10.3. Freedom to operate
- 10.4. Licenses and collaboration agreements
- 10.5. Funding biopharmaceutical projects
- 10.6. Start-ups and spin-offs
- 10.7. Asset valuation
- 10.8. Alliances with industry
- 10.9. Managing R&D portfolios
- 10.10. Communicating with investors
Final Project
- 11.1. Choosing the compound and the indication
- 11.2. Scientific review
- 11.3. Chemical and structural analysis
- 11.4. Optimization strategy
- 11.5. Pharmacology plan
- 11.6. Toxicology plan
- 11.7. Supply strategy
- 11.8. Clinical development and regulatory plan
- 11.9. Intellectual property and market analysis
- 11.10. Presentation before an assessment panel
Duration and format of the Master's in Marine Drugs and Bioactive Compounds
It is 1,500 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Master's in Marine Drugs and Bioactive Compounds
Career opportunities after the Master's in Marine Drugs and Bioactive Compounds
Questions about the Master's in Marine Drugs and Bioactive Compounds
Yes. Authorized medicines of marine origin are analyzed, together with the lessons learned during their development, from discovery and supply to clinical trials and approval.
It is delivered online. You work with protocols, data and real cases, but the program does not replace hands-on laboratory training.
No. It is a specialist program of Navalis Institute and does not replace any officially recognized qualification or professional license.
Yes. Module 9 covers clinical development and the general requirements of agencies such as the EMA and the FDA, including orphan designation, good manufacturing practice and pharmacovigilance.
You prepare a development dossier for a marine compound, from its chemistry and optimization strategy to its pharmacology, toxicology, supply, clinical and regulatory plan and market analysis, presented before an assessment panel.
Fully online, with a virtual campus available 24/7, live sessions that are recorded and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The program has a workload of 1,500 hours, and you can progress at your own pace within the schedule you are given when you enroll.
Yes. Module 10 deals with patents on natural compounds, access to genetic resources under the Nagoya Protocol, freedom to operate, licensing, asset valuation and start-ups.
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Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at graduates in pharmacy, chemistry, biochemistry, biology, biotechnology, medicine or a related field, pharmaceutical industry professionals, medicinal chemistry and pharmacology researchers, biotech company staff and R&D and innovation managers; professional experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry is also a valid route.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a camera for live sessions and project presentations.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.