PHAR 5317 Principles and Practice of Medicinal Chemistry

3 SCH. This course will provide a foundational overview of the fundamental principles essential to the practice of medicinal chemistry in the context of a drug discovery project. The role of the medicinal chemist in each stage of the small molecule drug discovery process will be explained. Important synthetic transformations and modern technologies commonly used by the medicinal chemist will be described. Students will explore the link between computational chemistry and medicinal chemistry in modern drug discovery. Significant attention will be devoted to the study of strategies for optimization of the physiochemical, ADME, and toxicological properties of small molecules. The course will draw heavily on the current scientific literature, frequently reviewing case studies that highlight medicinal chemistry strategies utilized for the optimization of small molecules targeting multiple classes of drug targets across a variety of therapeutic areas. Variable mixtures of online videos (voice over slides), group discussion boards, and independent study activities will be employed throughout the course.
Prerequisite: Completion of PHAR 5310
Offered Spring
Letter Grade