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SL30076: Recent advances in drug discovery (PA30214)

[Page last updated: 26 October 2023]

Academic Year: 2023/24
Owning Department/School: Department of Life Sciences
Credits: 6 [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 120
Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Period:
Semester 1
Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • PA30214 Coursework (CW 100%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites: In taking this module you cannot take PA40214 OR take SL40125
Learning Outcomes: After completing this unit the student will:
* Have developed an in-depth knowledge of current developments in drug discovery programmes within the pharmaceutical industry.
* Have developed an appreciation of the strategies required for drug optimisation including the role of medicinal chemistry, pharmacokinetics and toxicology
* Demonstrate an ability to identify, analyse and evaluate a selection of research papers covering a specific area of current drug discovery.


Aims: To extend the student's knowledge of how pharmaceutical companies are utilising contemporary scientific advances to identify drug targets and develop new drugs, and to promote their ability to undertake analysis of drug target selection and discovery programmes.

Skills: ICT (T/F/A)
Written communication (T/F/A)
Verbal communication (F)
Group work (F/A)

Content: Students will attend a series of seminars designed to provide an insight into the challenges of drug discovery and development. Guest lecturers from pharmaceutical companies will speak on various aspects of novel drug target identification and validation as well as current examples of drug discovery within the biomedical field. Students will attend lectures and work in small groups to look at identification of novel targets and optimisation of drug candidates.

Course availability:

SL30076 is Compulsory on the following courses:

Department of Life Sciences
  • USSL-AFB04 : BSc(Hons) Pharmacology (Year 3)
  • USSL-AKB04 : BSc(Hons) Pharmacology with Year long work placement (Year 4)

SL30076 is Optional on the following courses:

Department of Chemistry
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biochemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biochemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biochemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • USSC-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
  • USSC-AAM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • USSC-AKM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2023/24 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2024/25 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2023/24.
  • Courses and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.