Undergraduate study

The search for new drugs to treat a wide range of human ailments such as heart disease and cancer remain a great challenge to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. The Medicinal Chemistry course at Keele provides students with an understanding of the complex biological and chemical problems that are involved in  design and synthesis of novel therapeutic agents. The course draws on basic chemical principles to solve problems at the interfaces of chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology and pharmacology.

What Keele Offers

• BSc Medicinal Chemistry (Dual Honours and Major) degree courses
• Semester abroad
• Opportunities for industrial placement
• A curriculum designed to provide breadth and depth of Medicinal Chemistry knowledge
• High quality innovative teaching
• An enthusiastic and approachable teaching team
• Modern laboratory facilities with dedicated IT facilities
• Hands-on experience of a wide variety of modern instrumentation and analytical techniques
• Support in making the transition to university
• Personal and Year Tutors to monitor welfare and personal professional development

Degree Routes

Medicinal Chemistry may be studied for the following modular degrees, all involving some interdisciplinary aspects:

• BSc Dual Honours: with a second subject studied for three years
• BSc Medicinal Chemistry (Major): including study of a second subject in the first and second years

OpenPlus with the OU

Some applicants may be interested in applying to the OpenPlus scheme, which Keele is running in partnership with the Open University (OU). The scheme involves two years’ part-time study with the OU, followed by two years’ full-time study at Keele to complete the degree programme. At the moment, this route is restricted to the combination of Chemistry with Forensic Science. Visit www8.open.ac.uk/choose/openplus/ for more details.

The four first year modules provide a solid grounding in core chemical principles that underpin the study of Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry to an advanced level. Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry has a common first year allowing students to cover the breadth of Chemistry from its physical concepts to important synthetic and analytical methods. The course structure encourages an integrated approach and many aspects of the subject are taught in context using real-world examples. The practical classes offer training and experience in a variety of practical and modern instrumental techniques combined with the processing and analysis of experimental data. Many of the practical experiments place Chemistry in a real-world context and are linked directly to the lecture material. Dedicated mathematics support is offered to students without A-level Mathematics in the form of weekly combined lecture/problem sessions (2 hours per week during the first semester) taught by chemistry staff and placed in a Chemistry context.

In the second year the Medicinal Chemistry course is taught in context using examples from modern drug discovery. Practical classes offer training in the techniques required for handling and characterising small quantities, enabling students to experience the process of drug discovery, and demonstrating the physical principles that control biological processes.

The final year is structured to enable students to study advanced chemical concepts in a variety of research-orientated lecture topics. All students undertake a research project allowing them to experience research first hand.

Dual Honours students study two taught modules in the Autumn Semester and research topics in Medicinal Chemistry in the Spring Semester, and undertake a research project module. Medicinal Chemistry Major students study three taught modules in the Autumn Semester and research topics in Medicinal Chemistry in the Spring Semester as well as undertaking a double-module research project and a module on Advanced Chemical Analysis. For Medicinal Chemistry Major students, two modules, Structural Biology and Macromolecular Function and Biochemistry and Therapy of Disease modules cover topics at the interface of Chemistry and the life sciences.

Medicinal Chemistry modules currently on offer

Our Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry have a common first year enabling students to transfer between these two courses up to the beginning of their second year.

First Year
Electrons in Atoms and Molecules helps students to develop a systematic understanding of the fundamental principles and models required to make sense of atomic and molecular structure, bonding and spectroscopy.

The Physical Basis of Chemical Processes is concerned with the physical and chemical properties of compounds in relation to  molecular structure as well as why and how chemical processes happen. This module includes the fundamental principles of chemical thermodynamics and chemical kinetics amongst other topics.

Making Organic Molecules investigates a range of organic chemical reactions from saturated hydrocarbons to aromatic compounds and examines the mechanisms through which they occur.

Navigating the Periodic Table explores the series and trends found within the periodic table, developing the ideas introduced in Electrons in Atoms and Molecules, focusing particularly on inorganic chemistry.

Second Year
Organic Synthesis and Chirality is concerned with the synthesis and reactivity of acyclic, cyclic and aromatic compounds, and the use of selective reagents and protection/direction of groups to achieve selectivity.

Spectroscopic Methods covers the theory and applications of spectroscopy in Chemistry, covering the use of spectroscopic techniques such as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, X-ray Diffraction and Infrared Spectroscopy to determine structural properties of a wide range of organic and inorganic compounds.

Drug Design based on Biological Targets shows how the biological properties of molecules can be understood in terms of their chemical structures, and to show how the mode of action of drugs is related to chemical structure and biochemical pathways. Case studies are used extensively to emphasise the process of drug design.

Biophysical Chemistry is concerned with the aspects of physical chemistry that are crucial to an understanding of Medicinal Chemistry, including the properties of electrolyte solutions, equilibrium electrochemistry, enzyme kinetics, non-covalent interactions, molecular recognition and biomolecular structure.

Third Year
Synthesis, Kinetics and Mechanism focuses on key aspects of organic, physical and inorganic chemistry. The module content includes examples of organic synthetic methods, measurement of reaction rates and kinetics, and elucidation of reaction mechanism and catalytic processes.

Biologically Important Molecules deals with core aspects of organic and medicinal chemistry. It includes case studies in drug discovery, the properties and synthesis of biomolecules, enzyme kinetics and protein crystallography.

Medicinal Chemistry Research Project offers the opportunity for students to experience Medicinal Chemistry research at first hand. Dual Honours students carry out a single module research project, while Medicinal Chemistry (Major) students carry out a double module project.

Research Topics in Biological and Medicinal Chemistry
Topics include: Antibiotics and Chemotherapy; Bioactive Compounds from Plants; Drug Metabolism and Toxicology; NO in Drug Discovery; Biosynthesis; Drug Design and Synthesis

Additional Modules for Medicinal Chemistry Major Students
Structural Biology and Macromolecular Function aims to show how our understanding of biological function and the molecular basis of disease is enhanced and underpinned by the detailed structural information provided by structural biology. Topics include signal transduction, sequence-specific recognition of DNA, virus architecture and pathogenicity, recognition in innate and adaptive immunity, cell cycle regulation, tumorigenic mutations, and apoptosis.

Biochemistry and Therapy of Disease 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 also addresses the questions arising from the failure of disease therapies and describes the molecular events underlying resistance to therapy.

Advanced Chemical Analysis aims to develop an in-depth knowledge of a wide range of analytical techniques and their use in the structural identification of molecules.  Students will use a comnination of techniques including mass mass spectrometry, NMR, chromatography, trace elements techniques,  IR and Raman spectroscopy to identify an unknown or verify the presence of specific compounds in a short project.

Dual Honours Course can be combined with:

Major and Foundation course available:

First and second year modules are taught in an integrated manner through a combination of lectures, dedicated practical classes and problem-solving classes. Lectures cover the core material for study, introducing students to the ideas and concepts in chemistry that are developed in problem-solving classes and in the teaching laboratory. Medicinal Chemistry comes to life in brand new teaching and newly refurbished research laboratories where students will experience excitement of experimentation and research.

Assessment of each module reflects the variety of activities experienced by our students and combines examinations and class tests with a variety of practical assessments including laboratory reports, oral presentations, poster presentations, laboratory diaries and information-retrieval exercises. Where appropriate, we employ self- and peer-assessment methods to enhance learning. Students receive comprehensive and prompt feedback on assessed work, and staff use a variety of rechniques including written, audio and face-to-face to deliver feedback.

Undergraduate students are strongly encouraged to attend our vibrant Chemical Sciences Seminar Series, where they are exposed to cutting-edge research presented by nationally and internationally recognised scientists.

Final year modules reflect the diverse and cutting-edge research interests of the academic staff. Material is presented in lectures and put into practice in problem-solving classes. Assessment includes class tests as well as critical analysis of research papers. Students also become members of a research team as they undertake projects led by academics and supported by postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers. Assessment of project work includes a dissertation in the style of a research paper, evaluation of the laboratory diary and an oral examination.

Programme specifications (new window)

Medicinal Chemists work at the interface of the physical and life sciences and, consequently, must possess advanced skills in a number of areas. Graduates from this course offer a portfolio of skills that are attractive to potential employers who value analytical, problem-solving, communication and numerical skills which are highly desired in all sectors. A Dual Honours degree at Keele also gives students the opportunity to study for a higher degree, and typically about one third of Keele Medicinal Chemistry graduates choose to do so each year.

Medicinal Chemistry graduates have excellent employment prospects, both at the cutting-edge of drug discovery and also in the wider chemical industry and related sectors. Recent graduates have entered the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, working in the fields of genomics, drug delivery and the development of modern technologies. Dual Science graduates wishing to pursue a career in secondary school teaching are well suited to teaching an integrated science curriculum.

Membership of professional institutions

Graduates can apply to join the Royal Society of Chemistry as an associate member (AMRSC).

Visit our Careers pages (new window)

The main areas of research activity in Medicinal Chemistry at Keele include medicinal chemistry, natural product chemistry, chemical ecology, forensic and pharmaceutical analysis,  computational chemistry, synthetic chemistry, green chemistry and clean technology, fuel cells, catalysis, environmental science, advanced materials and photochemistry.

Undergraduate project students have access to a wide variety of research equipment within the School and a broad range of analytical instruments including infrared, ultraviolet/visible fluorescence and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers, a wide range of chromatography techniques, catalyst testing apparatus, Raman microscopy, scanning tunnelling and atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction.

Over recent years our research income has been impressive, with the award of substantial funding from government research councils, the European Union, charities and a large number of industrial partners. Staff have particularly strong links with industry and attract significant industrial funding for their work.

Laboratory Facilities

In Autumn 2009 our brand new multi-user teaching laboratory suite opened (above). This exciting addition to our teaching facilities expands our recently refurbished synthetic and analytical laboratories and results in three large, exceptionally well-equipped laboratories for the delivery of chemical sciences, boasting one of the best science teaching facilities in the country. Our analytical laboratories contain state-of-the art instrumentation, available for undergraduate use through laboratory practicals and final year research projects.