| Credit |
6 points |
| Availability |
offshore teaching period |
| Outcomes |
Students learn the key concepts and principles involved in medicinal chemistry including the essential role of chemists in the drug discovery process. Laboratory skills are enhanced by practical exercises relevant to medicinal chemistry including synthetic chemistry, chromatography, basic bioassays, measurement of physiochemical properties relevant to pharmacokinetics and combinatorial chemistry. |
| Content |
This unit introduces the concepts necessary for an appreciation of medicinal chemistry, thereby providing a solid background for employment in the drug discovery industry. The syllabus begins with an overview of drugs and medicinal chemistry and then considers the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties essential for useful drugs including a survey of biological (macromolecular) targets, the energetics of drug target interactions, molecular recognition, absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME). The process of drug discovery and design is explored, beginning with factors affecting choice of disease/biological target, the discovery of lead compounds and then progressing to principles and strategies for drug optimisation including analogue design, structure activity relationships, structure-based drug design, reducing side-effects and improving bioavailability including pro-drug strategies. |
| Assessment |
This comprises laboratory (30 per cent), mid-semester examination (30 per cent), presentation (10 per cent) and final examination (30 per cent).
Supplementary assessment is not available in this unit except in the case of a bachelor's pass degree student who has obtained a mark of 45 to 49 and is currently enrolled in this unit, and it is the only remaining unit that the student must pass in order to complete their course. |
| Unit Co-ordinator(s) |
Dr Matthew Piggott |
| Location |
Singapore |
| Mode |
on-campus |
| Unit Rules |
| Prerequisites: CHEM2210 Structure Determination and Physical Chemistry and CHEM2221 Biological and Medicinal Chemistry |
Contact hours—lectures: 26 x 1 hr; labs: 54 hrs
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| Text | Patrick, G. L. An Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry, 3rd edn: OUP 2005
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- The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of going to press but may be subject to change.
- Assistance with study skills, including English language skills, is available free of charge from Student Services for all enrolled students (see http://www.studentservices.uwa.edu.au/ss/learning). Student Services location: Second Floor, South Wing, Guild Village; telephone: 6488 2423.
- Books and other materials wherever listed may be subject to change. Book lists relating to 'Preliminary Reading', 'Recommended Reading' and 'Textbooks' are, in most cases, available at the University Co-operative Bookshop (from early January) and appropriate administrative offices for students to consult. For first-year units the Bookshop will endeavour to make available photocopies of book lists for individual units. Books marked with an asterisk (*) are available in paperback.
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