Biochemistry Minor (Level 3)
Medicinal Chemistry Major (Level 3)
This module is intended to describe and promote understanding of the
molecular basis of therapeutic intervention in a range of diseases,
including bacterial, neurodegenerative, parasitic and neoplastic
pathologies. It will also address the questions arising from the failure of
disease therapies and describe the molecular events underlying
resistance to therapy.
2 lectures
To address critically the questions arising from failure of disease therapies and to describe the molecular events underlying resistance to therapy.
1. Describe the relevant biochemical differences between important bacteria and the factors that lead to infection.
2. Represent the biomolecules and biochemical pathways that may be targeted by antiobiotics.
3. Describe and explain the various mechanisms by which a variety of antiobiotic drugs act to kill organisms.
4. Exaplain the need for more powerful antiobiotics and identify the challenges posed by resistant bacterial strains.
5. Be aware of the in vitro and in vivo experimental approaches to study drug resistance in eukaryotic pathogens and tumours.
6. Understand the biochemistry behind the major drug resistance pathways and discuss the potential of genomics, proteomics and combinatorial approaches for the production and screening of novel therapeutic compounds for antibiotics, eukaryotic pathogens and tumours.
7. Describe the therapeutic strategies used to combat neurodegenerative diseases.
8. Describe the ways in which recombinant DNA technology is being used in new approaches to disease therapy.
9. Abstract key information from a research paper published in an academic journal and write critically on the topic.
Coursework - 30 hours
Private study and revision - 100 hours
Coursework: each student will be assigned a paper from the primary literature relating to topics covered in the module; they must summarise the paper (300 words), locate and summarise five other relevant articles (100 words each) and explain their choices (200 words): weighting 20%
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