Research proposal : drug design of a third generation antipsychotic for schizophrenia treatment

Using previously-described dopamine receptor ligands, we can synthesize a bivalent ligand that targets the D2-D3 heterodimer and is able to ameliorate positive as well as negative symptoms of schizophrenia. For this, we must fulfill the following objectives: • Objective 1: To design a bivalent ligand that specifically binds to the D2-D3 heterodimer using in silico resources. • Objective 2: To ensure that the ligand shows pharmacological activity in vitro. • Objective 3: To assess the novel drug's effect on positive and negative symptoms on an in vivo model of schizophrenia