Medicinal Chemistry

This course is offered to students interested in pursuing a career in the area of medicine, dentistry, or pharmaceutical chemistry. Topics include concepts in drug discovery, classifications of drugs, identification of pharmacophores (the active portions of molecules), mechanisms of drug action, metabolism and toxicity of drugs, drug delivery and prodrugs, and drug synthesis. In addition, students are introduced to computer-aided drug design. The laboratory highlights experimental techniques commonly used in drug discovery. The course includes a visit from a medicinal or pharmaceutical chemist from academia or industry. For students with two other upper-level (3000 or above) courses in natural sciences, this course may serve as the capstone for the Tier III minor in natural sciences.

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