Contemporary Drug Discovery
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| CHEM3022 | Chemistry | 3 | 10 | Full Year UK |
- Code
- CHEM3022
- School
- Chemistry
- Level
- 3
- Credits
- 10
- Semesters
- Full Year UK
Summary
This module examines modern approaches to drug discovery, emphasising that an understanding of the relationship between chemical structure and drug properties is vital. Following an overview of how a new medicine is discovered and brought to market, there will be a discussion of the following key topics: The types of drug target; how drugs bind to their targets; how drug activity is measured; sources of lead compounds; rational strategies for improving drug potency and selectivity; pharmacophores; physicochemical properties (e.g. lipophilicity and pKa); pharmacokinetics; bioisosteres; how to design drugs that are safe; pharmaceutical properties (e.g. stability and solubility).
Many examples from case histories of successful (and unsuccessful) medicines will be used to illustrate the underlying chemical principles.
Target Students
BSc/MSci Chemistry OR BSc/MSci Medicinal and Biological Chemistry OR Natural Sciences AND for Level 3 students.
Classes
- One 1-hour lecture each week for 19 weeks
Assessment
- 100% Coursework 1: Coursework 100%
Assessed by end of spring semester
Educational Aims
To delineate the principles of modern drug discovery from a chemist's perspective. To appreciate the many key properties necessary for successful drug development. To be able to recognise and apply knowledge of how chemical structure influences drug potency, pharmacokinetics and safety. To learn, through a series of drug discovery workshops how structural modification can be used in combination to improve drug properties such as potency, solubility and lipophilicity.Learning Outcomes
On completing this module, the student will be able to:
Understand the important terminology of drug discovery, define key drug parameters and understand their significance
Describe the main drug target classes and how drug leads are discovered
Demonstrate knowledge of the tactics used to optimise drug structures
Describe what constitute desirable drug-like properties and how they influence, for example, pharmacokinetics.
In addition, though participation in a series of drug discovery workshops, students will be able to demonstrate a command of medicinal chemistry concepts in a written report.