Module manager: Dr Dan Donnelly
Email: D.Donnelly@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2023/24
Satisfactory completion of level 1 of a BMS programme, or equivalent
| BIOL1112 | The Molecules of Life |
| BMSC1212 | Introduction to Pharmacology |
| FOBS1135 | The Basis of Life |
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module explains how drugs interact with their targets at the molecular level, how they gain affinity and selectivity, and how they may alter the structure and/or properties of their targets. The techniques used to understand the molecular details of drug-target interactions will be introduced in the context of pharmacology and drug discovery.
This module aims to provide knowledge of how drugs interact with their targets at the molecular level, how they alter the structure and/or properties of their targets, and to understand the approaches used to study drug-target interactions.
On completion of this module students will know:
1. The principles of molecular structure, conformation and interaction;
2. The principles of recombinant DNA technology and its role in molecular pharmacology and structural biology;
3. The principles underlying the biophysical techniques used to determine and study drug targets;
4. How to quantify and analyse drug-receptor interactions;
5. How to analyse protein sequences and structures;
6. How the above approaches are integrated to explain how drugs interact with their targets at the molecular level;
7. Several detailed examples of drug-target interactions determined using the above approaches.
- Basic organic chemistry and molecular structure;
- Recombinant DNA technology;
- Expression and purification of drug targets;
- Use of antibodies in structural biology and molecular pharmacology;
- X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM and NMR;
- Measuring drug-receptor interactions;
- Models for drug-target interactions (receptor theory);
- Basic bioinformatics and molecular modelling.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Simulated Practical Techniques | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| e-Lecture | 12 | 1 | 12 |
| Problem Based Learning | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Private study hours | 75 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 25 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 100 | ||
Students will be expected to spend time reading around the subject of lectures using textbooks, review articles and research papers. The in-course assessment essay will require extensive reading and preparation.
Formative problems will be presented during workshops and TopHat will be used to provide formative assessment of student answers, followed by feedback from the lecturer.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| In-course Assessment | Problem based learning exercise | 20 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 20 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
| Exam type | Exam duration | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Online MCQ | 1.0 Hrs 0 Mins | 40 |
| Online Time-Limited assessment | 2.0 Hrs 0 Mins | 40 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Exams) | 80 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 28/04/2023
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team