Medicinal and Biological Chemistry MSci

This module builds on your previous studies in chemistry and provides a firm foundation in topics including:

• atomic and molecular structure
• the shapes of molecules
• chemical bonding
• Lewis structures
• molecular shape and symmetry
• Intermolecular interactions and periodic trends in the properties of the elements of the s- and p-blocks
• the chemistry of the transition metal elements and their coordination complexes.

You’ll attend two lectures per week for this module.

In this module you will learn about the development of quantum theory and the spectroscopy of the hydrogen atom. You will examine the theories used to describe the bonding in molecules and will develop an understanding of microwave and infra-red spectroscopies.

The module also introduces you to some of the key concepts in thermodynamics including enthalpy, entropy and free energy and their application in describing equilibria and electrochemical processes. You will develop an understanding of the key concepts in reaction kinetics. 

You’ll attend two lectures per week for this module.

You’ll examine the fundamental principles of organic chemistry. This will include nomenclature, bonding concepts, orbitals and the shape, stereochemistry and acid-base properties of organic molecules.

Later the module will focus on reactivity and important reactions and transformations in organic chemistry.

You’ll attend two lectures per week for this module.

This module introduces you to the essential laboratory skills that are required in inorganic, organic and physical chemistry.

You’ll spend around eight hours per week in laboratory practicals performing experiments, and collecting and analysing data.

You’ll present written reports of your experimental work that will form part of the assessment for this module.

You’ll follow this introductory module right at the start of your course. It is designed to develop your study skills so that you can work effectively at University.

The module will also introduce you to first-year undergraduate laboratory chemistry.

You’ll spend around four hours in your first week in practical sessions studying this module.

This module is for those who already with A level maths will teach you the essential mathematic skills required for chemists. You will learn how to use your maths skills to solve a variety of problems in chemistry.

There will be two hours of lectures per week with a one hour workshop.

In this module, you will be introduced to the physiology of major systems such as cardiovascular, nervous, and musculoskeletal, including some aspects of drug action. This module will allow you to understand your biochemical and genetics knowledge in the context of the intact organism. This module includes lectures and laboratory classes.

You’ll learn about Nature's building blocks including the structure and functions of lipids, amino acids, carbohydrates and nucleotides. You'll also learn about the reactivity of these molecules and their biological roles through case studies.

In this module you’ll look at green chemistry in its broadest sense, covering the fundamental concepts and chemistry involved in making chemical processes cleaner and more environmentally benign.

You’ll spend one hour per week in lectures, seminars and workshops over the whole year studying this module.

This module will introduce you to selected topics at the forefront of current research in chemistry from a physical chemistry perspective.

Example topics include:

• nanochemistry and its applications
• energy generation and storage technologies
• chemistry in the digital age
• the chemistry of ions
• the application of advanced photon sources

You’ll gain a firm understanding of the use of mathematical equations in a chemical context through the study of topics including: scientific notation and significant figures; common chemical units and conversions between them; the rearrangement of chemical expressions and their graphical representation; trigonometry, differentiation and integration, and differential equations for chemical problems.

This module is compulsory for students not offering A level mathematics (or equivalent); optional for students offering A level mathematics or equivalent.

This module builds on the practical, analytical and communication skills developed in the first year and introduces experiments across the range of chemistry, based on your second year theory modules.

You’ll spend around 10 hours per week in practicals for this module. 

You’ll spend two hours per week in lectures studying topics including the synthesis, bonding and reactivity of organometallic compounds, the use of symmetry and group theory to interpret infra-red spectra and NMR spectroscopy in inorganic chemistry.

Further support is provided by tutorials every third week.

In this module you'll study  the physical principles underlying chemical phenomena, with emphasis on energy, quantum mechanics and spectroscopy. You'll also be introduced to solid-state chemistry, including the structure, characterisation, energetics and the band theory of solids.  

You’ll attend two hours of lectures each week in this module. 

In this module, you’ll discuss the reactivity of, suggest synthetic routes for and interpret the spectroscopic characterisation of organic compounds including some natural products.

Topics studied include:

• modern spectroscopic techniques
• carbon-carbon bond forming reactions
• the influence of heteroatoms on reactivity

You’ll attend two lectures each week in this module and tutorials every third week.

The fundamental building blocks of life are essential for life as we know it but what exactly are they and how can this aid us in the development of medicinal drugs? This module will provide you with the fundamental concepts in molecular biology, medicinal chemistry and drug discovery, enabling you to understand the mode of action of anti-cancer agents, antibiotics and toxins.  

You’ll study: 

• Molecular Processes in Cells, including Cell Signalling, DNA replication, Transcription, Translation, Protein Folding, Protein Transport and Protein Degradation
• Analysis of Pharmacodynamic and Pharmacokinetic Data 
• Cell Cycle, Cancer and Apoptosis
• Microbiology, including anatomy of bacterial cells and action of antibiotics 
• Viruses and viral diseases, as well as anti-viral agents studied in case studies 

 You’ll attend two lectures each week for this module. 

This module will provide an in-depth analysis of drug action, and its application to the design and use of current therapeutics. You will learn to define what drugs are, the different ways they act at the cellular and molecular level, and the pharmacokinetic principles underlying drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination. You will explore examples in cardiovascular and respiratory disease, diabetes and obesity, CNS disorders, cancer and infectious disease. Overall, you will develop a deep understanding of what the discipline of pharmacology represents, and its application to both basic biological research and current and future medical advances.

You’ll be taught advanced experimental techniques in organic, inorganic and physical chemistry, providing you with experience in experiment design and the recording, analysis and reporting of data. You’ll achieve this through a focused mini-project culminating in individual oral and written presentations and a lab report. You’ll spend around 10 hours a week in practical sessions.

The aim of this module is to provide you with an understanding of coordination chemistry in the context of macrocyclic, supramolecular and bioinorganic chemistry and its applications in metal extraction and synthesis.

You will gain an appreciation of the importance of metals in biological systems, and be able to explain the relationship between the structure of the active centres of metallo-proteins and enzymes and their biological functions.

The module is assessed by a two-hour written exam.

To provide a fundamental understanding of molecular structure and of the requirements for reactivity.

To introduce modern electronic structure theory and demonstrate how it can be applied to determine properties such as molecular structure, spectroscopy and reactivity.

This module will introduce you to a range of reagents and synthetic methodology. You will learn how to describe how it is applied to the synthesis of organic target molecules.

By the end of the module you will know how the use of protecting groups can be used to enable complex molecule synthesis and how modern palladium-mediated cross-coupling reactions can be used to synthesise useful organic molecules.

Your problem-solving and written communication skills will be developed.

Use of frontier molecular orbital analysis to explain and predict stereochemical and regiochemical outcomes of pericyclic reactions (Woodward-Hoffmann rules etc).

Examples will be drawn from Diels-Alder reactions, cycloadditions [4+2] and [2+2], [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangements (eg Claisen and Cope), [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangements (eg Wittig and Mislow-Evans).

Generation and use of reactive intermediates in synthesis (ie radicals, carbenes, nitrenes).

This course aims to teach the relationship between structure and properties of solids, structure of Solids and characterisation.

It aims to teach a general introduction to Interfaces and Surfaces.

Students should gain a good appreciation of the applications for a range of enzymological, chemical and molecular biological techniques to probe cellular processes and catalysis at the forefront in chemical biology research.

This module represents a culmination of principles and techniques from a biophysical, molecular, biochemical and genetic perspective.

This module explores modern approaches to drug discovery and will involve discussions on how chemical structure influences the molecular properties, biological activity, and toxicity of drugs.

Many examples from case histories of successful medicines will be used to illustrate the underlying chemical principles.

A general introduction to lasers, including laser radiation and its properties will be given.

A number of current laser spectroscopic methods will be reviewed, which allow the determination of vibrational frequencies and structures.

Examples will cover ground and excited state neutral molecules, radicals and complexes, as well as cations of these.

An introduction to modern diffraction methods will be given, involving neutrons, electrons and X-rays.

Applications will cover solids (crystalline and amorphous), liquids and gases.

Throughout, there will be extensive examples from the research literature.

You’ll explore the vital role of chemistry in drug discovery, involving discussions of the way chemical structure influences the molecular properties, biological activity, and toxicity of drugs.

Many examples from case histories of successful medicines will be used to illustrate the underlying chemical principles.

This module is taught through nine interactive workshops presented by experienced medicinal chemists from GlaxoSmithKline and staff in the School of Chemistry.

This module will develop an understanding of protein structure, stability, design and methods of structural analysis. In addition you will understand the protein folding problem and experimental approaches to the analysis of protein folding kinetics and the application of site-directed mutagenesis.

You will also be expected to develop a number of spectroscopic experimental techniques to probe protein structures.

There will be two hours of lectures a week.

This module focuses on the molecular biology that drives the fundamental principles behind the survival of microorganisms and their interaction with humans.

Lectures will discuss the interaction between the host and pathogens and how they drive the mechanisms of infection and immunity.

There will be two hours of lectures a week.

You will be welcomed into one of the research groups within the School of Chemistry to undertake an in-depth research project.

All projects will involve a review of relevant published work and the planning and execution of a research topic under the guidance of two supervisors.

Building on your knowledge from the previous years' modules in inorganic chemistry, you’ll study topics including:

• electron transfer pathways
• inorganic chemistry in biological systems
• the principles of molecular and supramolecular photochemistry
• applications of inorganic photochemistry
• photocatalysis

You’ll attend two lectures each week in this module. 

Applications will be introduced that range from condensed matter through to gas phase, but novel “states” of matter such as ultracold molecules in traps and liquid He nanodroplets, microsolvated clusters, and low dimensional carbon structures will also be covered.

The dynamics of chemical processes, including non-adiabatic interactions will be discussed, and the capability of modern light sources allowing for the study of time-resolved measurements on chemically relevant timescales ranging from pico- to attoseconds will be explained and illustrated. Methods for the state-selective preparation and detection of molecular systems will be discussed.

The principles by which extended systems can be designed to have properties allowing use in novel sensors and devices will be introduced.

A wide range of computational techniques will be covered which underpin the modelling of cutting edge scientific applications such as gas capture and storage at the nanometer scale and novel nanomaterials.

Explore the synthesis of a variety of natural (and unnatural) compounds of relevance to biology and medicine, with reference to the goals and achievements of contemporary organic synthesis through a range of case studies. There is an emphasis on the use of modern synthetic methodology to address problems such as chemoselectivity, regiocontrol, stereoselectivity, atom economy and sustainability.

You will also study the application of new methodology for the rapid, efficient and highly selective construction of a range of target compounds - particularly those that display significant biological activity. There will also be an opportunity to address how a greater understanding of mechanism is important in modern organic chemistry. This module is assessed by a two hour exam.

Natural products have been a mainstay of medicine for thousands of years, in this module you will learn how they have inspired chemists to develop new improved therapeutics and how we can learn from nature to create better medicines. You will learn how we can replicate how Nature carries out chemical reactions in the laboratory.

When we develop a new medicine, we need to be able to make large quantities in a safe, high yielding process to meet the patient needs. This has a new set of challenges that are different to a small-scale chemistry lab. You will learn how the choice of the chemicals and the methods we use to synthesise medicines is critical to ensure that the highest quality for use in a clinical environment, and how as a process chemist we can optimise chemistry to get the maximum output from the raw materials used in a process.

You’ll study:

• The historical perspective of natural products as therapeutics
• How we determine the structure of natural products and their biological activity
• Synthesis and biomimetic synthesis of natural products
• Natural product inspired medicinal chemistry
• Large scale pharmaceutical synthesis and the associated challenges
• Good manufacturing practice (GMP) and
• The influence of reagents and synthesis routes on pharmaceutical purity and yield
• Application of green chemistry principles to safer pharmaceutical synthesis

During this module you will learn to understand in depth the structure, chemistry and molecular recognition of nucleic acids and their reactivity towards mutagens, carcinogens and ionising radiation and anti-tumour drugs. You will appreciate the plasticity and dynamics of the DNA duple helix through base motions that underpin its function.

The bacterial replisome will be used as the prime example to highlight the problems associated with DNA replication and the significance of telomeres will be discussed. Alongside this you will develop an understanding of the chemical reactivity of coenzymes and how these add significantly to the functionality of the 20 amino acids found in proteins. 

In this module you will explore inorganic photochemistry, electron transport pathways, molecular and supramolecular photochemistry, and artificial photosynthesis together with the principles that underpin green chemistry.

You will attend two lectures per week in this module.

In this module you’ll learn about the importance of intermolecular forces, across a wide cross-section of subject areas from biology through to supramolecular chemical systems.

You'll study molecular organisation, assembly and recognition in biological and supramolecular systems.

In addition to appreciating the rich chemistry underlying self-assembling systems, you'll learn about the phenomena that impact on the properties of materials and important interactions in biology. 

You'll attend two lectures per week in this module.

Students will learn about the factors that lead to successful innovation, including evaluation and management of an idea/concept.

In addition, students will consider the factors required to extract the value from a product/concept (e.g. market awareness) and the potential routes to market available from both an academic and industrial viewpoint.

Advanced Chemical Biology

To introduce concepts of chemical genetics and including activity-based protein profiling, non-natural amino acid incorporation, bio-orthogonal reactivity and the use of bump-and-hole strategies, applied to various challenges such as finding kinase/target pairs.

Biocatalysis

To introduce enzyme engineering and the synthetic utility of designer biocatalysts, especially highlighting chemo-enzymatic approaches toward chiral commodity molecules (e.g. pharmaceuticals) and their precursors.

Biosynthesis

To introduce the biosynthetic pathways and enzyme catalysed reactions leading natural products polyketides, terpenes, fatty acids and non-ribosomal peptides.