Postgraduate Course: Medicinal Chemistry for MSc Drug Discovery and Translational Biology (PGBI11032)
Course Outline
| School | School of Biological Sciences | 
College | College of Science and Engineering | 
 
| Course type | Standard | 
Availability | Available to all students | 
 
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) | 
Credits | 20 | 
 
| Home subject area | Postgraduate | 
Other subject area | None | 
   
| Course website | 
None | 
Taught in Gaelic? | No | 
 
| Course description | Based on U01234 
A lecture course covering instruction in both the theory and application of medicinal chemistry. The course comprises individual lectures courses on: Metals in Medicine, Nucleic Acids, Medicinal Chemistry and Industrial Medicinal Chemistry. Either the Level 10 or Level 11 version of this course (as specified in the degree programme tables) is a compulsory requirement for Year 4/5 students on degrees in Medicinal and Biological Chemistry, but can be taken by Year 4/5 students on any Chemistry degree programme. | 
 
 
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites | 
 | 
Co-requisites |  | 
 
| Prohibited Combinations |  | 
Other requirements |  None | 
 
| Additional Costs |  None | 
 
 
Information for Visiting Students 
| Pre-requisites | None | 
 
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes | 
 
 
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |   
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes 
At the end of this course students will be able to: 
- describe the biomedical periodic table and the uses of metals in medicine 
- show an understanding of the biological significance of RNA and DNA 
- show a basic understanding of oligonucleotide chemistry and how it relates to therapeutic and diagnostic applications 
- show understanding of rational approaches towards the design of important drugs and the biological implications of such therapeutic agents including the use of enzymes to inhibit protein processing as a concept for the design of new pharmaceuticals 
- describe common routes of administration of drugs and drug delivery systems 
- describe common metabolic pathways and how they may be exploited in the design of drugs, prodrugs and soft drugs 
- describe the basic body functions controlled by hormonal steroids and also how steroids are exploited for non-hormonal uses, particularly neuromuscular blocking agents 
- discuss the therapeutic potential for GABAA receptor modulators with particular reference to general anaesthetics including steroids 
- discuss the importance of new highspeed technologies for the generation of lead compounds and structure-activity relationships, in particular combinatorial chemistry, high throughput screening and automation 
- show understanding of the biological importance of opioids as analgesics 
Learning outcomes specific to attainment of a pass at Level 11 include: 
- ability to integrate all, or most, of the main areas of the course 
- development of original and creative responses to problems and issues within the course 
- application of critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis to issues at the forefront of the subject area | 
 
 
Assessment Information 
| Final examination |  
 
Special Arrangements 
| None |   
 
Additional Information 
| Academic description | 
Not entered | 
 
| Syllabus | 
Not entered | 
 
| Transferable skills | 
Not entered | 
 
| Reading list | 
Not entered | 
 
| Study Abroad | 
Not entered | 
 
| Study Pattern | 
Not entered | 
 
| Keywords | Not entered | 
 
 
Contacts 
| Course organiser | Dr Paul Taylor 
Tel: (0131 6)50 7058 
Email: p.taylor@ed.ac.uk | 
Course secretary | Miss Vicky Mactaggart 
Tel: (0131 6)51 7052 
Email: Vicky.Mactaggart@ed.ac.uk | 
   
 
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