Medicinal Chemistry with a Year in Industry BSc (Hons)

This module will introduce the area of medicinal chemistry and the underpinning cellular biology where it is applied. The course will delve into the chemical aspects of molecular and cellular biology and the processes that allow life to exist, and subsequently discuss the key cellular targets of interest to a medicinal chemist in the drug design process. This material will form the foundations needed to progress onto higher years of medicinal chemistry where modern case studies and the principles of pharmacology will be looked at in greater depth.

This module gives an introduction to the chemistry of the main group elements, using the periodic table as the underpinning framework for understanding this chemistry, and develops students’ analytical chemistry skills including volumetric and spectrophotometric techniques applied to materials that are familiar in everyday life.

An Introduction to Organic Chemistry consisting of lectures, workshops and laboratory classes assessed continuously by an online
quiz, two class tests and a final exam

This module builds on the thermodynamics and kinetics that students have studied prior to University. Learning is supported by both problem-solving workshops and undertaking experiments in the laboratory

This module will provide an introduction to a variety of spectroscopic techniques. Students will explore the theory underpinning various spectroscopic methods, how they are put into practice when acquiring spectra, and the interpretation of spectra to identify unknown substances.

The aim of this module is: (i) to equip students with the basic quantitative transferable skills required for the first year of a Chemistry degree programme. (ii) to broaden a student’s perspective of chemistry whilst developing their general transferable skills focusing on communication and employability. The overarching learning outcome is for students to have the key skills that will equip them to perform well in the rest of their chemistry degree programme.
Quantitative Key Skills will be taught using a lecture/workshop format involving problem solving classes, using computers where necessary. General Key Skills will involve a series of lecture-based presentations given by staff from the Department of Chemistry and the Careers Service together with a database workshop and small group tutorials. Extensive use of online platforms will be made.

This module will introduce the areas of Physiology and Pharmacology. The course will delve into the physiology of the human body looking at specific organ systems, their control and function. Physiology is then linked to Pharmacology and drug action to provide an underpinning knowledge of both areas. This material will form the foundations needed to progress onto higher years of medicinal chemistry where modern case studies, organ specific drug action and the principles of pharmacology will be looked at in greater depth.

This module introduces students to the fundamental principles that underpin modern medicinal chemistry.

The module introduces the descriptive coordination and organometallic chemistry and the concepts underpinning our understanding of this chemistry.

This module aims to (i) further develop the quantitative skills of a student, (ii) introduce students to the Chemistry Key Skill of Molecular Modelling, and (iii) maintain student development of general transferable and employability skills. The overarching learning outcome is that students will gain the necessary key skills to perform well in their chemistry degree programmes. By the end of the module students will have improved their ability to perform and apply mathematical techniques to problems in kinetics, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics and molecular symmetry. They will have developed abilities to employ force-field and Quantum Chemistry techniques in Molecular Modelling using the Spartan package. They will also have further developed their range of transferable and employability skills, including written and oral communication and team working.

This is a practical module in which students learn the practice of taking physical measurements, the critical analysis and evaluation of experimental data, the application of measurements to the study of chemical phenomena and the dissemination of results.

This module is the core Organic Chemistry module for Year 2 Chemistry students. It introduces important carbon-carbon bond forming reactions within a mechanistic and synthetic framework, together with exposure to a selection of stereochemical issues.

This module expands on the fundamentals of Physical Chemistry that were introduced in Year 1. The principles and applications of thermodynamics, kinetics and spectroscopy are covered in detail with more emphasis on derivation of key results than in Year 1. Quantum mechanics is developed from the basic principles and mathematical description of quantum phenomena. It is applied to describe bonding in small molecules and in solids, and is linked to spectroscopy via detailed description of molecular energy levels and the possible transitions between these permitted by quantum mechanics.

This module aims to provide practical experience in many of the techniques specifically used in the study of Pharmacology. It will also provide you with the specialist skills and knowledge of techniques necessary to undertake practical work and project work in Year Three. Each practical will be introduced through a 15-20 minute presentation and will run for 3 hours. The module will be assessed through a report describing the experimental techniques and main findings of one of the key practicals, and through a final online assessment aimed at evaluating student understanding of the experimental approaches, underpinning pharmacological principles and data processing/interpretation.

The module presents a unified approach to the synthesis and characterisation of organic and inorganic compounds, introducing a range of synthetic techniques, experiments and analytical methods.

This module will provide an understanding of the quantitative aspects of drug action on cellular receptors and will address the relationship between drug efficacy and chemical structure.

The module will introduce the basic principles of pharmacokinetics, outline the relationship between drug concentration and response, and include an introduction to the principles of toxicity of drugs and their metabolites.

The module will provide knowledge of the molecular biology of receptors.

The lectures will be supplemented with online resources. Students will be given guided reading, and regular formative assessment exercises will enable students to evaluate their understanding of the module.

The module will be assessed by both an online test and a final examination.

Students spend 1 year on an industrial placement, working at the company. Students will be given opportunities and gain confidence to apply theory and practical skills in a real-time work environment. During the placement, the student will be expected to write a literature review and a final report, but the majority of the year will be spent concentrating on the industrial placement. These activities will provide opportunities to develop the student’s transferable skills and professional competence leading to enhanced employability.

This module is aimed specifically at F1B2 and F1BF students. The aim of this module  is to reinforce the relevance and importance of the principles of chemotherapy learned in level 5 (antibacterial chemotherapy) and extend the application of these principles to diseases caused by viruses (e.g. HIV/AIDS) and parasites (e.g. malaria). The module will be assessed by coursework which will consist of TWO separate assessments.   

Module material will be delivered primarily through a mixture of recorded and live online lectures as well as face-2-face on-campus sessions (subject to Covid-19 restrictions), supported by materials on Canvas and other web-based resources for students’ independent learning. Students will be directed to key articles in the literature (textbooks, original papers and review articles) and be expected to use this material to inform their independent learning. A revision tutorial will prepare students for the second assessment (Week 13/14).​  

This module aims to enable students to develop their understanding of the cardiovascular, endocrine and central nervous systems and the mechanisms by which drugs interact with physiological processes operating within each of these systems. They will also gain an appreciation of the drug development process, including clinical trials and drug regulation. The lectures will be supplemented with on-line resources. Students will be given guided reading, and regular formative assessment exercises in class will enable students to evaluate their understanding of the module. The module will be assessed by an online test and a final examination.

An extension of second year organic chemistry, covering pericyclic reactions, rearrangements and fragmentations, radical reactions, some important palladium-catalysed coupling reactions and the uses of phosphorous, sulphur and selenium in synthetic chemistry.
Some core physical-organic concepts are introduced along with revision of basic mechanisms.

The module presents the synthesis and reactivity of the most important classes of heterocyclic compounds and shows case studies drawn from major drug classes.

This module will introduce students to the fundamental principles that underpin modern medicinal chemistry of anti-infective drugs, building on the principles taught in the introductory medicinal chemistry module CHEM248.

In this module, students will carry out a bespoke collection of advanced experiments in three of the areas of Organic, Inorganic, Physical or Computational Chemistry.

During the first semester students will participate in a group research-based mini-project directed by a real-world industrial problem from a range of industrial sectors. This will be facilitated by the module staff and other colleagues from the institution and wider industry. Students will supplement this activity through an employability portfolio and reflective activities looking at job application exercises, interview preparation techniques and project preparation. Students will engage in a literature review looking forward to their second semester, where students will be assigned an extended experiment on a synthetic (organic or inorganic), physical (catalysis, electrochemistry, surface science, modelling, nanoparticles) or other types of project, according to their own interests. However, the project does not necessarily have to be research or laboratory based, although these would be expected to cover the majority of cases. School outreach projects and some development projects may be available.

This module provides the scientific and technical foundation to understand the utilisation of biomass and other renewable feedstocks in the emerging renewable chemicals industry. Most of the reactions and processes studied are currently used in biorefineries and other industries and in this module we will further explore newest development and future outlook in the production of renewable chemicals and materials within the circular economy.

This module introduces the basic concepts of sustainability and sustainable development, particularly in relation to their technological underpinnings. The module will address the role of chemistry in relation to broad societal, environmental and developmental questions. The module also gives a fundamental understanding of the principles and technologies in Green Chemistry and the generation of Renewable Energy and Chemicals.

This module shows how an understanding of the symmetry properties of molecules can be applied to the understanding of spectroscopic selection rules and bonding.

The research internship is designed to give students the experience of working in a research environment or setting that is quite different from any project work that they undertake in the laboratories in the Department of Chemistry. It should provide an insight into how students may apply skills and experiences later in their career; whether working abroad, in industry or in any other scientific setting.

This is an introductory module that aims to illustrate the fundamental theoretical principles of selected instrumental analytical techniques (NMR spectroscopy, mass-spectrometry, atomic spectroscopy, separation and hyphenated techniques) in the context of their roles in industrial and academic research, to include chemical and pharmaceutical analysis.

Further Analytical Chemistry provides the students with a knowledge of the principles of structural elucidation and application of various spectroscopic and spectrometric analytical techniques for identification and structural characterization of small molecules. This module will include the fundamental principles of selected instrumental analytical techniques (solution NMR spectroscopy, mass-spectrometry, separation and hyphenated techniques) in the context of their application for structural analysis in synthetic organic chemistry and catalysis.

​This module will focus on energy conversion processes found in nature. Energy as a commodity is described as "reducing power" or as "high energy electrons" and the concept of nutrient or fuel is introduced. Biological energy conversion processes are discussed from an evolutionary perspective, and it is described how they have contributed to the current composition of the planet’s atmosphere and crust. Sustainability issues will become apparent when comparing the time scales of biogenic fuel accumulation and human consumption of fuel. 

This module is designed to give students experience of communicating in a variety of media and in a variety of contexts. It will also introduce students to contemporary issues in education, and educational practice. This will be achieved by seminars, interactions with educational professionals, and the design and delivery of enrichment materials, utilising the existing and highly successful outreach activity within the school.