Topic outline

  • Welcome to the course on Medicinal Chemistry

    Remdesivir, Dexamethasone, Hydroxychloroquine, antibody cocktails, or some good old-fashioned internal bleaching? The year 2020 has delivered an extremely powerful reminder about the vulnerability of our societies in face of infectious diseases which is likely just one small episode in the greater picture of disregarding science in favor of shortsighted political and economical gains.  

    Many of you probably came to this course to make more sense of Sars-CoV-2, and I will hopefully be able to provide you with some insights into that topic. But as the science moves on in full speed, I myself am trying to gather (and understand!) informations on this small bug that keeps us in those remote learning environments. Overall, the course on Medicinal Chemistry is offering a comprehensive overview of the developments in pharmaceutical research, from historically relevant examples to modern medicinal chemistry and 'biologicals'. Particular emphasis is put on the understanding of molecular principles and biosynthetic relationships.

    The virtual contact sessions will include in-depth discussions of important aspects such as modes of drug-target interactions, transport & metabolism, structure-activity relationship, and lead optimization & rational design. The course is complemented with general considerations regarding the development of pharmaceuticals and drug-to-market processes.


    Course schedule:

    27.10. General Terms & Basic Principles

    29.10. Transport & Metabolism

    3.11. Cyclooxygenase Inhibition

    5.11. Lipid Regulation

    10.11. Steroid Hormones

    12.11. Protease & Transpeptidase Inhibition

    17.11. Antiviral Strategies

    19.11. Microtubule Interference & DNA Binders

    24.11. Antibodies & Vaccines

    26.11. Neuroactive Drugs

    1.12. Pharma business

    3.12. Q & A


    Course grading:

    Your learning success is evaluated in various steps throughout the course, with a final examination at the end of period II. All assessments are performed remotely, i.e. as assignments in this MyCourses platform. We're gonna start with a brief questionnaire in week 44, and you will be able to earn points for your overall grade via three quizzes as we progress through the course.

    1.11.: questionnaire (5%, due on 4.11.)

    6.11.: quiz #1 (15%, covering sessions 1-3, due on 9.11.)

    13.11.: quiz #2 (15%, content of sessions 4-6, due on 16.11.)

    27.11.: quiz #3 (15%, sessions 7-9, due on 30.11.)

    8.12.: final exam (50%)