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    Overview

    Drug targets, drug lead design and discovery including computer-aided molecular modelling, key functional groups necessary for drug action, metabolism, stereochemistry and selected drug classes in medicinal chemistry.

    PSCI 302 builds on pharmaceutical chemistry with a focus on medicinal chemistry topics. Students will investigate the concepts of drug targets of small molecule drugs, drug design and discovery including computer-aided modelling and design, key functional groups necessary for drug action, testing of drug leads, optimisation of drug leads, metabolism, stereochemistry and selected drug classes in medicinal chemistry.

    About this paper

    Paper title Medicinal Chemistry
    Subject Pharmaceutical Science
    EFTS 0.1500
    Points 18 points
    Teaching period Semester 1 (On campus)
    Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) $1,173.30
    International Tuition Fees Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website.
    Prerequisite
    PSCI 201 or CHEM 202
    Restriction
    PHCY 258, CHEM 305
    Eligibility

    PSCI 302 builds on the principles of pharmaceutical chemistry (PSCI 201 or CHEM 202) with a focus on drug design and discovery. The paper provides a strong base for further study in medicinal chemistry and can complement BSc degrees with a chemistry, pharmacology, biochemistry or biology focus.

    Contact

    joel.tyndall@otago.ac.nz

    Teaching staff

    Paper Co-ordinator: Professor Joel Tyndall

    Teaching Staff: Dr Sumit Dadhwal

    Paper Structure

    PSCI 302 will be taught through lectures, laboratories and tutorials covering the following general topics,

    • Small molecule drug targets.
    • Drug-protein interactions.
    • Chemical principles of drug design and discovery.
    • Assays and screening.
    • Computational methods for drug design.
    • Commercialisation.
    • Case studies.
    Textbooks

    Recommended: Patrick, G. L. (2017) An Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry, 6th Ed, Oxford University Press.

    Graduate Attributes Emphasised

    Global perspective, Interdisciplinary perspective, Lifelong learning, Scholarship, Communication, Critical thinking, Information literacy, Research, Self-motivation, Teamwork
    View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.

    Learning Outcomes

    By completion of this paper students will be able to,

    1. Describe how small molecule drugs interact with different biological targets in the context of the human body.
    2. Demonstrate an understanding of the identification and development of drug leads.
    3. Operate and understand computational modelling techniques.
    4. Demonstrate laboratory skills relevant to medicinal pharmaceutical chemistry, including synthesis, characterisation and measurement and analysis of drug activity.
    5. Evaluates and applies scientific literature.
    6. Exhibit high level communication skills for a scientific audience.

    Timetable

    Semester 1

    Location
    Dunedin
    Teaching method
    This paper is taught On Campus
    Learning management system
    Blackboard

    Lecture

    Stream Days Times Weeks
    Attend
    A1 Tuesday 11:00-11:50 9-13, 15-21
    Wednesday 08:00-08:50 9-13, 15-20
    Thursday 10:00-10:50 9-11, 13, 15-16, 18, 20-21

    Practical

    Stream Days Times Weeks
    Attend
    A1 Monday 14:00-16:50 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 21

    Workshop

    Stream Days Times Weeks
    Attend
    A1 Thursday 13:00-13:50 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20
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