PM1PY4: Introduction to Medicines Design

Module code: PM1PY4

Module provider: Pharmacy; School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy

Credits: 20

Level: Level 1 (Certificate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Professor Becky Green, email: rebecca.green@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s): IN THE SAME YEAR AS TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST TAKE PM1PY1 AND TAKE PM1PY2 AND TAKE PM1PY3 AND TAKE PM1PY5 (Compulsory)

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module builds on the chemical and pharmaceutical science concepts that underpin the design and formulation of medicines covered in the Autumn semester Fundamentals of Pharmaceutical Science module. This module includes an introduction to aspects affecting the physical and chemical properties of drugs, interfacial phenomena and colloidal systems and links these to liquid drug formulations. Students gain practical skills aligned to learning within their lectures and in the extemporaneous formulation of medicines. 

The aim is to introduce students to the fundamental concepts of science that underpin the discovery, design, development and delivery of drugs. The module will develop students’ understanding of drug development in terms of drug formulation, and the importance of quality and safety in these processes and the dispensing of the final medicinal product to the patient.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Discuss the need, and fundamental science, for analysis in quality control of drug formulations
2. Describe how physicochemical properties of drugs and excipients affect drug formulations
3. Explain the science behind the preparation of drug formulations
4. Explain the concepts of thermodynamics and chemical kinetics in relation to medicines design and formulation
5. Discuss the clinical implications of differences in physicochemical properties of drugs

Module content

This module builds on the introduction to basic pharmaceutical science concepts and general principles required by pharmacists to understand drug design, formulation and development. The module will outline drug formulations and their properties in relation to drug delivery to patients. An appropriate range of lectures, tutorials, practical classes and guided individual study will be used to achieve the learning outcomes and also integrate with those of the other Part 1 modules, helping to contextualise relevance to the practice of pharmacy.

Concepts covered will include physiochemical principles of drug molecules, polymers and pharmaceutical excipients, solutions in formulations and solubility, colloids and interface science, drug licensing, health and safety, and working to standard operating procedures.

More specifically, the module focuses on liquid medicine formulations and is divided into six topics: Thermodynamics & equilibria, Kinetics, Solutions in formulation, Polymers and semi solids in formulation, Interfaces and surfactants, Colloids and pharmaceutical dispersions. 

Students will also develop the following:

1. Independent learning skills
2. Problem-solving skills
3. Consider how the carbon footprint of pharmaceuticals is increasingly being considered in the development of new medicines

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The learning outcomes will be met through a mixture of lectures, tutorials, directed private study, self-directed learning, as well as practical-based laboratory classes. Some of the lectures or tutorials will utilise a team-based learning-like approach: activities will adopt characteristics of workshops where students will engage in formative activities e.g. in-class discussion. Appropriate supplementary information and reading lists will be provided to enable students to improve their own learning skills.

Study hours

At least 50 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve all of the following to pass this module:

1. A mark of 40% in each assessment
2. An overall module mark of 40%

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

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

Assessments with numerical marks

• 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 three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/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.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Formative assessment is largely based on diagnostic and self-directed assessment and will reinforce each of the learning outcomes of the module. These assessments will provide students with feedback on their achievement of the learning outcomes and prepare them for the summative assessments.

Reassessment

Additional costs