Online Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine Diploma and Master’s Program

Project number: 617303-EPP-1-2020-1-EG-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP.

Funding agency: The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA).

Submitted to the call: Erasmus+ KA2 (Capacity Building in Higher Education).

Description

The OPPM project presents a two-year postgraduate academic program, which has already been granted accreditation in both Egypt and Lebanon. The first year focuses on a diploma comprising 9 courses, divided into two modules that total 60 ECTS credits, designed for a diverse group of students, including those from pharmaceutical and medicinal backgrounds. The second year, which is optional, advances students towards a master’s degree, involving 30 ECTS credits from hybrid courses and a 30 ECTS credit thesis. The program offers a blend of hybrid and in-person classes.

Virtual laboratories (e-labs) are a key feature of this program, simulating experiments that would otherwise require expensive equipment, thus making cutting-edge scientific research accessible to all students. With accreditation now secured, the OOPM program stands as a validated educational pathway, recognized for its quality and relevance in Egypt and Lebanon.

Vision

Achieving regional and global excellence in the ﬁeld of personalized medicine and pharmacogenomics.

Mission

OPPM Program’s broader mission is to train professionals in Pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine.

The audience will be equipped with deep knowledge about how genetic factors influence drug responses and potential adverse effects. This education aims to enhance participants’ capacity to integrate pharmacogenomics principles into clinical practice effectively.

Objectives/Contribution:

Create a multidisciplinary collaboration platform for consortium member organizations.
Unite academia, stakeholders, and NGOs into a single team. In this project, stakeholders include CCHE 57357 and AUB Children Cancer Center of Lebanon, with NGOs represented by Al Alfi Foundation.
Conduct a gap analysis to compare the implementation of pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine in Egypt and Lebanon with that in European Union countries.
Promote the adoption of personalized medicine among healthcare practitioners in Egypt and Lebanon, encouraging its use in clinical practice, and among young scientists and R&D professionals in local/regional pharmaceutical companies.
Introduce new advanced technologies, such as clinical applications of next-generation sequencing, to the regional market.
Adapt the ECTS system to align with EU academic standards for the developed project.
Obtain academic accreditation from the supreme council of Egyptian universities and the Lebanese Ministry of Education.
Develop state-of-the-art pharmacogenomics laboratories to advance this new field in Egypt and Lebanon.
Create e-labs for the proposed higher education degree to increase the practical experience available to the widest audience, both within and outside Egypt and Lebanon.
Facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experience between Egypt, Lebanon, and participating EU institutions.