Human Digestion and Absorption - a mechanistic understanding
Provider: Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Activity no.: 3117-14-00-00 
Enrollment deadline: 03/03/2014
Date and time07.04.2014, at: 09:00 - 11.04.2014, at: 16:00
Regular seats16
Course fee3,120.00 kr.
LecturersAnette Müllertz
ECTS credits4.20
Contact personJanne Steen Kjærulf    E-mail address: janne.kjaerulff@sund.ku.dk
Enrolment Handling/Course OrganiserPhD administration     E-mail address: phdkursus@sund.ku.dk

Aim and content
Aim
The course objectives are to give participants an in-depth insight into the anatomy and physiology of the gastrointestinal tract,, including human digestion and absorption systems and to present methodologies and models for optimized oral delivery of drugs, nutraceuticals and functional ingredients.

Content
Although oral drug delivery is the most common and convenient way for patients to take medicine, the existence of a variety of enzymes and barriers in the gastrointestinal tract presents a challenge. When optimizing oral drug delivery systems, it is important to have a fundamental knowledge of digestive processes and the impact of intestinal fluid composition, the microbiota, as well as the intestinal immune system and barriers on the stability, dissolution and absorption of drugs. In addition, selecting suitable methodology and in vitro models for oral drug delivery will ensure success for in vitro and in vivo correlations.

The lectures will cover the following key topics:
- Organoleptic assessment of oral products
- Gastrointestinal physiology
- Characterization of gastric and intestinal fluids
- Hydrodynamic conditions in the gastrointestinal tract and effect on transit time
- Effect of food intake on transit time and gastrointestinal fluids
- Understanding of digestive processes, enzymatic, pH-dependent, etc.
- Mucosal barrier in gastrointestinal tract
- Use of enhancers to increase absorption of nutrients and drugs
- Lipid digestion, absorption and metabolism
- Solubilization and emulsification of nutrients and pharmaceutical drugs
- Encapsulation of nutrients and drugs
- The gut microbiota - species and functionalities
- Targeting and site-specific delivery
- Delivery to the colon
- Regional absorption and controlled release
- Drug formulation principles
- Suitable animal models for studies of human digestion and absorption
- In vitro models simulating the digestion

Participants
The course is relevant for PhD students with in life and medical sciences.

Language
English

Please note that all courses have to be provided in English if required by non-Danish participants.

Form
It is a 5-day course comprising about 25 lectures and group works. The group work will be finalized with a report.

Course director
(Name and e-mail address)
Anette Müllertz, anette.mullertz@sund.ku.dk
Huiling Mu, huiling.mu@sund.ku.dk
Jette Jacobsen, jette.jacobsen@sund.ku.dk
Daniel Bar-Shalom, Daniel.barshalom@sund.ku.dk

Teachers
(Names)

Anette Müllertz
Huiling Mu
Jette Jacobsen
Daniel Bar-Shalom
Thomas Rades
Peter Vilmann
Jens Rikardt Andersen
Hanne Frøkiær
Thomas Leser
m.fl.

Dates
07 - 11 April 2014

Course location
U24
Universitetsparken 2