CH3MED-Medicinal Chemistry

Module Provider: Chemistry
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Summer term module
Pre-requisites: CH2MC2 Medicinal Chemistry 2 for Chemists
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr John McKendrick
Email: j.e.mckendrick@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

Students will learn the aetiology and pathology of a number of common diseases and by applying this knowledge understand the development of chemotherapeutic strategies to treat them. In each case the students will gain an appreciation of the interdisciplinary nature of the subject as they draw on the relevant aspects of pharmacology and biochemistry to enhance their understanding of the chemistry.

Aims:

Students will learn the aetiology and pathology of a number of common diseases and by applying this knowledge understand the development of chemotherapeutic strategies to treat them. In each case the students will gain an appreciation of the interdisciplinary nature of the subject as they draw on the relevant aspects of pharmacology and biochemistry to enhance their understanding of the chemistry.

Assessable learning outcomes:

• Explain the role of the aberrant cell cycle in cancer and how anticancer drugs can lead to selective cytotoxicity.


• Explain the mechanism of action of a variety of anticancer drugs, antibacterials, antifungal, antiprotozoals and antiviral agents.


• Explain how a range of drugs in the therapeutic area of this module are synthesised.


• Discuss the medicinally exploitable differences between bacterial and human cells and how this understanding lead to the development of antibacterial agents e.g. semi-synthetic penicillins.


• Discuss the particular problems that distinguish the treatment of fungal infections form bacterial ones.


• Explain the process of drug discovery in the area of anti ulcer therapy.

Additional outcomes:

Students will learn how to research the literature of medicinal chemistry and précis what they find into an essay.

Outline content:

Infectious Diseases (5 lectures)

We will examine the mechanisms of action of various infective agents such as bacteria, viruses. Having established their mode of action we will examine the drug strategies used to combat them and the preparation of such drugs.

Cancer Chemotherapy (8 lectures)

We will study the nature of cancer and why it is such a difficult disease to treat by chemotherapy. We then move on to the various drug strategies employed such as DNA alkylating agents, intercalators and minor groove binders, antimitototic agents and the role of apoptosis in the aberrant cell cycle.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

Weekly lectures per week with workshops on related material.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures	13		2
Practicals classes and workshops	2
Guided independent study:
Wider reading (independent)	83
Total hours by term	98	0	2
Total hours for module	100

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	50
Set exercise	50

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Two assessed tutorial style question sets worth 25% each. One case study on an anti-infective drug or anti-cancer drug due in first week of the Spring Term worth 50% of the module mark.

Submission Dates: Assessed tutorials due in week 7 and week 11 of the Autumn term; assessed case study due in the second week of the Spring term.

Formative assessment methods:

A formative workshop will be held to prepare students for the assessed tutorial questions.

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

A mark of 40% overall

Reassessment arrangements:

Re-assessment will be via coursework.

Final year students are not eligible to resit this module unless they have failed their degree programme overall.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books:  None

2) Specialist equipment or materials:  None

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:  None

4) Printing and binding:  None

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:  None

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence:  None

Last updated: 30 March 2023