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CH20160: Major therapeutic areas

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2014/5
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Chemistry
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Intermediate (FHEQ level 5)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 2
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 20%, EX 80%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework (CW 20%)
  • Examination (EX 80%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: CH20160 - Examination (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites: Before taking this unit you must take CH10191 and take CH10192
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
To introduce students to some of the main therapeutic areas of drug discovery, using different case studies to illustrate how drugs have been discovered, and understand how they function at a molecular level.

Learning Outcomes:
After taking this course the student should be able to understand:
* Appreciate how medicinal chemists use structure-activity relationships physico-chemical parameters and knowledge of a biological target to design better drugs;
* Understand why different types of antibacterial drugs have been developed to treat infection and deal with problems arising from the onset of resistance;
* Understand the fundamentals of oncology and the cell-cycle process and appreciate the mode of action of various types of anticancer drugs;
* Describe the mode of action of drugs that have been developed to treat disorders of the various parts of the central nervous system;
* Appreciate the mode of action of drugs used to treat cardiovascular disease and heart failure from both a molecular and physiological basis.

Skills:
Numeracy (F, A). Problem solving (T,F,,A)
Scientific writing (F, A). Independent working (F). Group working (F)

Content:
Antimicrobial therapy. Different classes of antibiotic. Antibiotics against cell walls. Antimetabolites. Ribosomal antibiotics. Topoisomerase antibiotics. Strategies to deal with proliferation. Antiviral therapy. Bird Flu and AIDS. Problems with development of resistance.
Cancer. The cell cycle. Common classes of anti-cancer drugs and their modes of action. Alkylating agents. Antimetabolites. Topoisomerase inhibitors. Antitumour antibiotics. Microtubule Inhibitors. Kinase Inhibitors.
Neuroscience. Peripheral and adrenergic nervous system. Neurotransmitters. Cholinergic, muscarinic and nicotinic receptors. Anticholinesterases, β-blockers and opioids. Examples of drugs for pain, depression, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, antipsychotics and Parkinson's disease.
Cardiovascular. Role of lifestyle, cholesterol and fatty acids. ACE inhibitors and angiotensin inhibitors. Calcium channel blockers and vasodilators. Cardiac glycosides. Drugs used for treatment of artherosclerotis, angina, heart failure, hypertension, arrhythmia and strokes.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

CH20160 is a Designated Essential Unit on the following programmes:

Department of Chemistry
  • USCH-AFB07 : BSc(Hons) Chemistry for Drug Discovery (Year 2)
  • USCH-AAB08 : BSc(Hons) Chemistry for Drug Discovery with Study year abroad (Year 2)
  • USCH-AFM05 : MChem(Hons) Chemistry for Drug Discovery (Year 2)
  • USCH-AAM06 : MChem(Hons) Chemistry for Drug Discovery with Study year abroad (Year 2)
  • USCH-AKB08 : BSc(Hons) Chemistry for Drug Discovery with Industrial Placement (Year 2)
  • USCH-AKM03 : MChem(Hons) Chemistry for Drug Discovery with Industrial Placement (Year 2)

CH20160 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Chemistry
Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2014/15 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2015/16 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2014/15.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.