The International formation IsDD, created in 2010, responds to a request from the private sector (pharmaceutical companies) and the academic sector, to train students to design future medicines using computational approaches (in silico), and to accelerate the process of research for new therapeutic drugs. This IsDD training course offers high-level scientific training in a rapidly expanding field of drug discovery research, and offers many opportunities both nationally and internationally, opening the doors to the professional world in the public and the private sector.

This IsDD major, with a professional and research focus, supplements the training programme in Life Sciences and Chemistry through a training course with strong implications in the field of Health, whose cornerstone is interdisciplinarity. This interdisciplinarity is supported by excellence masters from several French and European universities (Paris Diderot, Strasbourg, DegliStudi di Milano), and byacademic and private sector “excellence” teams, with the participation of many international specialists from different countries.
This international major in IsDD offers two internationally oriented courses, which include many modules taught in English, an internship and/or study semester, and open internships abroad. It has international recognition.
The « Design bioactive molecules, IsDD-Bioactive Molecules » course offers the possibility of validating a double Franco-Italian diploma with the University degli studi in Milano (Milan).
The « Analysis of macromolecular complexes of drugs, IsDD-Macromolecules » course offers the possibility of validating a double Franco-Russian diploma with the University of Sechenov (Moscow). This course can also be done alternately. The Franco-Russian double degree with the University of Sechenov is currently on hold (Université Paris cité has decided to suspend its agreements with Russian universities due to the current conflict).

This «In Silico Drug Design» formation offers all the additional knowledge necessary for research processes of new therapeutic drugs, «Drug Discovery» via computer applications (in silico).
Students will gain solid knowledge of chemical compounds, and their toxicity and therapeutic targets (biological macromolecules), biochemistry and physics-chemistry, as well as concepts of medicinal chemistry and molecular medicine. They will acquire advanced skills on computer modelling of target interactions-chemical molecules. They will be trained in the modelling, analysis and prediction of therapeutic drugs, biological targets, and drug-target interactions. For example, in silico approaches such as biostatistics and data analysis («QSAR»), programming, chemoinformatics, structural bioinformatics, molecular dynamics and modelling, docking methods, and virtual screening will be addressed.#
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This master’s degree, sponsored by the University Paris Diderot, offers two international courses, based on two distinct and complementary M1s and a M2 common to both specialties, allowing students to work on projects at the interface of Chemistry-Biology:

• The course «Analysis of macromolecular complexes of drugs, IsDD-Macromolecules» focuses on the modelling of biological macromolecule targets and their interactions with their partners (drugs or other molecules). This specialisation is aimed more particularly at students with a background in biology/biochemistry, bioinformatics, or the biomedical field (or chemists with the required knowledge in biology), who wish to acquire in-depth knowledge in modelling therapeutic macromolecules. It includes participation by international experts, and a semester of study and/or internship abroad.
  Under certain conditions, this course offers students the possibility of obtaining a double Franco-Russian diploma: the Bioinformatics Master ISDD Course - Macromolecule Modeling, for the University of Paris and the Master degree "Infirmation Systems and Technologies", specialty "Computer modeling in pharmacology", for the University of SEchenov (Moscow)
  
  
• The «Design bioactive molecules, IsDD-Bioactive Molecules» specialty/course, dedicated to the modelling of bioactive molecules and pharmaceutical chemistry in silico. This specialisation is aimed more specifically at students with a background in chemistry or pharmacy (or biologists with the required knowledge in chemistry), wishing to acquire an in-depth knowledge in modelling of chemical molecules. This specialty includes a semester in chemoinformatics at Strasbourg University, and a semester focused on bioactive molecules at the University degli Studi di Milano. Under certain conditions, this specialty offers students the possibility to obtain a double Franco-Italian degree: Master’s Degree in In Silico Drug Design, Development specialty in Silico bioactive molecules, from the Universities of Paris Diderot and Strasbourg, and the «Laurea Magistrale» (Master’s Degree) in Chemical Sciences, from the University degli Studi di Milano.

This Master’s degree trains professionals from the private and public sectors, at French and European level, who are involved in research using in silico approaches in the field of therapeutic innovation and/or oriented towards the development of pharmacological molecules.

- Objective of this training course: The methods of in silico Drug Design facilitate the discovery of bioactive molecules by enabling cost reduction and faster identification of potentially therapeutic molecules, while following the new guidelines to reduce animal testing. Effectively, these methods rationalise the discovery of bioactive molecules and chemical probes needed to understand the Living, and facilitate the rapid exploration of a maximum number of hypotheses to focus on the molecules that offer the greatest probability of reaching the clinical phase. Several commercialised molecules are born this way, partly on a computer screen, such as oseltamivir (TAMIFLU), as well as some molecules used in the treatment of AIDS. They are now irreplaceable in the arsenal of discoverers of drugs, and form a field of research that is booming in France and in Europe.

Recruitment streams for highly diversified students: This Master's degree is open to students from various initial courses (university or engineering schools): biochemistry, chemistry, biology, computer biology, medical sector, pharmacy, biomedical sciences, students of biotechnology or the Health sector.

For admission to M1:

Bachelor’s degree, equivalent degree, or professional experience. In addition to the administrative file, a curriculum vitae and a letter of motivation are requested from the candidates. After an initial selection of written applications to check the adequacy of the training, the candidates will be interviewed by the admissions committee to evaluate if the student has the prerequisites and to guide the preliminary work of upgrades in science and in the language of the student during the summer, as well as to guide him/her towards the specialty most suited to his/her career choice.

For admission to M2:

M1 or equivalent degree or professional experience. Recruitment is made on the basis of a written application followed by an interview with the Admissions Committee to assess the suitability of the student’s training and to advise him/her on optional UEs, refresher courses, and internship opportunities. A list of EU prerequisites will be indicated for students in the Health and Pharmacy sector.

In both cases, minimum knowledge in the field of chemistry, structural biochemistry, and a minimum level of English are required.

# This training course offers many opportunities with a very strong demand in the job market.
This master trains professionals from the private and public sectors, who are involved in research through in silico approaches in the field of therapeutic innovation, oriented towards obtaining therapeutic targets, and the development of pharmacological molecules. The skills acquired by the students in the various modules and their joint projects, offer them opportunities in the initial phase of rationalisation and optimisation of the discovery of new molecules with the potential to become the drugs of the future, and in the control (and/or development) of methodologies and software to accelerate the process of finding new molecules for potential drugs.
There are many opportunities to pursue a doctorate in France or internationally, as well as opportunities for direct placement in the workplace (pharmaceutical industry or EPST) after the Master. This master offers opportunities in pharmaceutical industries and "start-ups", national or international research laboratories, both private or academic, or allows them to continue their studies by completing a French or international PhD. Students could obtain positions of engineer, research assistant or manager directly after the M2, or as project manager, researcher, platform manager, after a thesis.

Job opportunities will be in research and professional sectors, with the option in the choice of research courses in academic laboratories or private companies. 98% of students are recruited within the 2 years following their master’s degree, and more than 60% in the two months following the defence of the Master. Since its creation, the master has chosen to have a strong international orientation, since its goal is to train students for a growing field of research at the international level, and so that they would be able to integrate into international research projects. The international aspects of the Master (the classes given by international professors, the semesters of study and internship abroad, the double diploma) open up a wide scope of career opportunities at the international level, both for a PhD and a fixed-term contract, as well as recruitment opportunities in France.

The pie chart illustrates the distribution of students between the private sector and a national or international PhD.

Since its creation in 2011, this international master’s degree has been based on a joint accreditation between the Paris Diderot and Strasbourg Universities, University degli Studi di Milano, and, since 2016, offers two courses, including a double Franco-Italian diploma.

It offers two complementary international courses each including at least one semester abroad:

1)The «ISDD-Macromolecules» course focuses on the modelling of biological macromolecule targets and their interactions with drugs and other chemical molecules.
This course is aimed more particularly at students with a background in biology/biochemistry, bioinformatics, or the biomedical field (or chemists with the required knowledge in biology), who wish to acquire in-depth knowledge in modelling therapeutic macromolecules. It includes participation by international experts, and a semester of study and/or internship abroad.
In this specialty, semesters 1, 2 and 3 are completed at the Paris-Diderot University (with the possibility of completing semester 2 at the University degli Studi di Milano in Erasmus), and semester 4, an initial research internship, is strongly encouraged abroad.
As part of the double degree for Russian students, they will do their 1st year of master at the University of Sechenov, the S3 at Paris Diderot University and the S4 internship at the University of their choice.
As part of the double degree, students from Paris will be able to do their semester 2 and / or their semester 4 internship at Sechenov University.

2) The «IsDD- bioactive molecules» course, jointly run by the Universities of Strasbourg and Paris Diderot, is dedicated to the modelling of bioactive molecules and pharmaceutical chemistry in silico. This course is aimed more specifically at students with a background in chemistry or pharmacy (or biologists with the required knowledge in chemistry), wishing to acquire in-depth knowledge in modelling of chemical molecules. This specialty includes a semester in chemoinformatics at the University of Strasbourg, and a semester focused on bioactive molecules at the University degli Studi di Milano. Under certain conditions, this specialty offers students the possibility to obtain a double Franco-Italian degree: Master’s Degree in In Silico Drug Design, with specialty in in Silico Development of bioactive molecules, from the Paris Diderot and Strasbourg Universities, and the Master’s Degree in Chemical Sciences, from the University degli Studi di Milano.
This specialty offers semester 1 at Strasbourg University, semester 2 at the University degli Studi di Milano, then semester 3 at the Paris-Diderot University, and a final semester in internship in France or abroad. As part of the double degree for Italian students, they will complete their first year of master's degree at the University degli Studi di Milano, the S3 at the University Paris Diderot, and the S4 in internship at the University degli Studi di Milano.