Drug Design and Pharmacology

Code

PHAR4001

School

Pharmacy

Level

4

Credits

10

Semesters

Spring UK

Summary

This module covers the following subjects:
Brief introduction to cancer, incidence, epidemiology;
Chemical and pharmaceutical considerations in drug discovery; chemistry-, phenotypic-, natural product-inspired, pharmacological- and target-driven approaches to drug discovery with clinical and experimental examples;
Computational, combinatorial methods in drug design;
Case study in academic (benzothiazoles) drug discovery and pharmacology;
Chemoprevention; discovery and development of chemopreventive agents;
Post-transcriptional gene regulation in cancer – role of microRNAs;
Harnessing nanotechnology in design of cancer diagnostic and therapeutic agents.
Contemporary issues relevant to cancer drug discovery are also investigated.

Target Students

Compulsory module for MSc Oncology students

Classes

Six two-hour key-note lectures. Interactive self-study involving literature review and analysis by the students of a controversial issue in cancer drug development/treatment; group presentations of conclusions and individual dissertation. Estimated total 100 hours

Assessment

• 30% Dissertation: 3500 words
• 10% Presentation 1: 10 min Presentation + 5 min discussion
• 60% Exam 1 (1-hour): Multiple choice short answers.

Assessed by end of spring semester

Educational Aims

Learning Outcomes

To understand drug discovery processes, mechanisms of action of novel experimental and clinical agents

To be able to conduct literature research work independently and in partnership

To be able to critically argue multiple sides of a controversial issue

To support arguments with pertinent experimental and clinical evidence.

Conveners

• Dr Tracey Bradshaw