FARM5230 ¨C Radiopharmacy: Making Drugs for Diagnosis and Treatment

Course content

This course provides a foundation in radiopharmacy, with a focus on the radiochemistry principles and methods underlying the design, preparation, and quality control of radiopharmaceuticals. Students will learn about the production of medical most-relevant radionuclides, labeling strategies for small molecules and biomolecules, and the chemical and physical factors that influence stability, targeting, and biodistribution described on clinically relevant examples. Core concepts in clinical translation, radiation safety, and regulatory frameworks for radiopharmaceutical development will also be covered. The course emphasizes how radiochemical methodology is applied to create targeted agents for both diagnostic imaging and therapeutic use.

Learning outcome

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Explain the fundamental principles of radiopharmacy and radiochemistry relevant to the preparation of radiopharmaceuticals.
• Understand methods for radionuclide production, including reactor- and cyclotron-based approaches.
• Describe basic radiolabeling techniques and methods to small molecules and biomolecules, considering chemical reactivity and stability.
• Evaluate factors influencing the targeting, biodistribution, and pharmacokinetics of radiopharmaceutical agents.
• Evaluate standard quality control procedures to assess radiochemical purity, stability, and safety based on monographs of the European Pharmacopiea.
• Identify key radiation safety measures and regulatory requirements for radiopharmaceutical preparation and use.
• Discuss current trends and challenges in the development of diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals.

Admission to the course

The course is primarily open to students who have been admitted to:

• Farmasi (master) at the Department?of Pharmacy who have:

  • passed all courses up to and including FARM3130 and have all compulsory activities approved in the courses FARM4100, FARM4110 and FARM4120 or:

  • passed FARM4910K, FARM4920K and FARM4930K

• Nuclear Science (master)

• Physics (master): Biological and Medical Physics (programme option) and Nuclear and Particle Physics (programme option)

• PhD at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (phd programme) who follow an individual education plan where FARM5230 is included

If there is available space, others may also apply to take the course, provided their academic background is adequate. For more information, please contact the Study Administration at the Department of Pharmacy at?studieinfo@farmasi.uio.no.

Application deadlines:

• The application deadline for Physics students and PhD candidates from the University of Oslo to apply for admission through Studentweb is January 15, 2026.

• Other master's students from the University of Oslo and single course students (master's and PhD candidates from outside UiO) must contact the Study Administration at the Department of Pharmacy at?studieinfo@farmasi.uio.no?for course registration by January 15, 2026.

• Note the application deadline for single course studies is December 15, 2025.

How to apply:

• Pharmacy students are registered for the course by the Study administration. Information about course registration and deadlines will be posted in Canvas. For more information, please contact the Study administration at the Department of Pharmacy at studieinfo@farmasi.uio.no.

• Physics students who are admitted to the Nuclear Science (master) and Physics (master): Biological and Medical Physics (programme option) and Nuclear and Particle Physics (programme option) must apply for the course in Studentweb.

• PhD candidates from the University of Oslo who follow an individual education plan where FARM5230 is included should apply for classes and register for examinations through?Studentweb.

• PhD candidates who have been admitted to another higher education institution must ?apply to take this course as a single course student.

• Students enrolled in other master's Degree Programmes can, on application be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme and if the course is in the education plan. For admission to the course, please contact the Study administration at the Department of Pharmacy at studieinfo@farmasi.uio.no.

• Nordic citizens and applicants residing in the Nordic countries may?apply to take this course as a single course student. If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about?admission requirements and procedures for international applicants.For admission to the course, please contact the Study administration at the Department of Pharmacy at studieinfo@farmasi.uio.no.

Applicants are ranked according to the following criteria:

1. Students admitted to the Master's Degree Programmes Farmasi (master), Nuclear Science (master), Physics (master) study options Biological and Medical Physics and Nuclear and Particle Physics.

2. PhD candidates from the University of Oslo

3. Students enrolled in other Master`s Degree Programs at UiO

4. Single course students (master students and ph.d. candidates from outside UiO)

Applicants are ranked by credits in each group; all applicants within 1st rank before applicants in 2nd etc. If admission is limited to a fixed number of participants, admission will be decided by drawing lots for students who are ranked equally.

Teaching

The course runs in two courses blocks in two weeks. Studying and preparation is required in the two weeks in between. The course includes an excursion to Norwegian Medical Cyclotron Centre (NMS) to visit radiopharmaceutical chemistry laboratories.

Approximately 32 teaching hours in total. The introductory lecture is compulsory.

The course may be cancelled, if the number of enrolled students are low.?First round will be a pilot.

Examination

Final written exam, which counts 100 % towards the finale grade.?

Examination support material

No examination support material is allowed.

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and must be answard in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F?is a fail. Read more about?the grading system.

Resit an examination

This course offers both postponed and resit of examination. Read more:

• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Withdrawal during an examination / Resitting an examination

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• How to use AI as a student
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.