Module manager: Richard Foster
Email: R.Foster@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
Completion of level 1 of a Chemistry programme similar to that at Leeds
| CHEM2242 | Introduction to Drug Design |
This module is not approved as a discovery module
Medicinal chemistry starts with an understanding of macromolecular drug targets. This module will provide a chemical introduction to pharmacology covering enzymes, receptors and ion channels as key drug targets and the different modes of binding and/or inhibition by small molecules. The module will also include some basic biochemistry, pharmacokinetics, and introduce concepts on recognition features in drug molecules such as pharmacophores and intermolecular bonding interactions. Finally, drug design strategies will be discussed that optimise compound potency and selectivity.
On completion of this module students should be able to:
- demonstrate and understanding of pharmacology
- analyse biological data in the context of drug design
- use the principles of medicinal chemistry to understand drug binding
- be able to suggest plausible ways of modifying a chemical structure to improve potency and selectivity against a drug target
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes:
1. Describe the different modes of small molecule binding to macromolecular structures and understand potency measurements
2. Analyse biological data to identify structure-activity relationships and explain bioactivity data
3. Solve simple enzyme kinetics and pharmacokinetics problems using unseen data
4. Select appropriate drug design strategies to unseen examples in order to optimise potency.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills :
a. Manage time and plan work to meet deadlines.
b. Use principles of drug design to solve unseen problems.
c. Apply mathematical skills to analyse biological data.
1) Macromolecular drug targets: a chemical introduction to pharmacology covering enzymes, receptors and ion channels
2) Modes of small molecule binding to biological macromolecules, including binding kinetics.
3) Hit-2-lead development: Pharmacophores, isosteres and other drug design strategies.
4) Introduction to pharmacokinetics: absorption, distribution and excretion.
Methods of assessment
The assessment details for this module will be provided at the start of the academic year
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 44 | 1 | 44 |
| Private study hours | 156 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 44 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 30/04/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team