Medicinal Chemistry

Medicinal chemistry combines organic chemistry with biochemistry, analytical chemistry, physical chemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology, medicine, and related fields both to understand disease and to develop new pharmaceutical treatments (i.e., "drugs"). As chemists we try to correlate molecular structure with biological activity. In this course we will survey the major categories of diseases, drug targets, and drugs using a case-study approach. In addition to one mid-term exam, short oral presentations, and brief written assignments, the course will culminate with small-group based final projects (oral and written) about the design, development, and proposed future directions of pharmaceutical treatments targeting a specific disease. (CHEM 0203 or CHEM 0242) 3 hrs. lect.