The aim of this module is to introduce students to the fundamental principles that underpin modern medicinal chemistry of anti-infective drugs; these will include qualitative and advanced quantitative SAR techniques, computer aided molecular design, further techniques in solid phase chemistry / combinatorial chemistry.  The course will build on the principles taught in the introductory medicinal chemistry module CHEM248.

(LO1) By the end of the module students will have achieved a solid understanding of modern approaches to anti-infective drug design. In particular they should be able to show a clear understanding of:
* The mechanism of action, design and synthesis of b-lactam antibiotics.
* Antiviral drug design.
* Antifungal drug design.
* The importance of protease enzymes as drug targets as illustrated by examples including the falcipain 2 inhibitors (cysteine proteases) and HIV protease inhibitors (aspartate proteases). Reference will be made to drug discovery programmes focused on the SARS CoV2 main protease (cysteine protase)
* advanced techniques in computational drug design.

(S1) Students will develop their chemistry-related cognitive abilities and skills i.e. abilities and skills relating to intellectual tasks, including problem solving as required by the Chemistry subject benchmark statement. In particular they will gain the ability to adapt and apply methodology to the solution of unfamiliar problems

(S2) Communication skills through online team meetings

(S3) Organisational skills

(S4) IT skills through computational workshops and online exercises

Lectures will be taught asynchronously via virtual learning environment (13 x 1h lectures with each lecture split into two halves), workshops (equivalent to 2x 2h) and associated assignments. Molecular modelling assignments will be supported virtually (e.g. via MS Teams and email). Each lecture will have discussion points and questions which will be covered in sequential lectures.

In summary:
13 lectures
2 tutorials (2 hours in length)
1 MCQ online
1 computational workshop and associated problems
3 feedback sessions (3 hours to provide students with answers and provide discussion points).

Lecture 1 - Introduction; Recap of the process of drug discovery including revision of QSAR, combinatorial chemistry and HTS. Major therapeutic areas targeted in module will be discussed.
Lecture 2 - Cysteine Protease Enzymes as Drug Targets; Design and Synthesis of Small Peptide Inhibitors.
Lecture 3 - Synthesis Aspects ; Peptides and Peptidomimetics
Lecture 4 - Peptide and Peptidomimetic Inhibitors of Falcipains 2 and 3. Computer based design of novel inhibitor templates.
Lecture 5 - HIV Protease Inhibitors 1; Mechanmism of action and drug design.
Lecture 6 - Medicinal Chemistry of Beta-Lactam Antibiotics 1
Lecture 7 - Medicinal Chemistry of Beta-Lactam Antibiotics 2
Lecture 8 - HIV Protease Inhibitors 2; SAR and Synthetic Approaches
Lecture 9 - Nucleoside analogues as antiviral agents
Lecture 10 - Medicinal Chemistry of antifungal agents
Lecture 11 - Advanced Techniques in Computational Drug Design 1
Lecture 12 - Advanced Techniques in Computational Drug Design 2
Lecture 13 - Revision lecture