| Effective Term: | 2025/20 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Innovation, Science & Sustainability |
| Unit Title: | Medicinal Chemistry |
| Unit ID: | SCCHM3001 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (SCCHM1002) (At least 180 credit points from ANY subject-area at any level) |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 010500 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
Medicinal chemistry is a multidisciplinary unit that applies the principles of chemistry and biochemistry to understand the design and actions of drugs and therapeutic agents in the body. Students will study aspects of the discovery and development of drugs; bio-molecular targets of drugs in the human body; the delivery, distribution and metabolism of drugs; with an emphasis on approaches to drug design. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: No |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | | | | | | | Advanced | | |  | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Describe the process of drug development from concept to market |
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| K2. | Explain how drugs and targets interact at the molecular level, and how this relates to the activity of drugs in the body |
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| K3. | Describe the processes of drug delivery, absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination in the body, and explain how the drug structure relates to these processes |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Predict the impact of molecular structural changes on drug functionality |
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| S2. | Analyse and evaluate scientific data |
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| S3. | Design, plan and perform experiments in a safe manner and accurately record and analyse laboratory observations |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Appreciate the role medicinal chemistry plays in helping to solve problems in daily life, science and society |
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| A2. | Source, collate, synthesise and critically evaluate medicinal chemistry information from a range of relevant sources and present this in an appropriate form |
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| Unit Content: |
• Drug targets • Drug discovery • Rational drug design • Pharmacokinetics • Process development • Case studies |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate, inter-act and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display skills in-person and/or online in: • Using effective verbal and non-verbal communication • Listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Showing empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others. Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating a collegial environment • Showing self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect • Inspiring and convincing others • Making informed decisions • Displaying initiative | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically • Evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Considering alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work fluently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Finding, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information • Collating, managing, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Contributing actively to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and benefiting from digital learning opportunities. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in global economic environmental and societal contexts • Committing to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Evaluating ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Embracing lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | Level 3 - Student works independently with limited guidance or works within self-determined guidelines appropriate to context |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K2, K3, S1 | Apply unit content to answer simple questions | Online Quizzes | 5-15% | | 2. | S2, S3, A2 | Design and perform laboratory experiments and produce laboratory reports | Laboratories | 20-30% | | 3. | S2, A1, A2 | In depth case studies applying unit content to specific areas of medicinal chemistry through posters, infographics, presentations and discussions | Case studies | 30-50% | | 4. | K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, A2 | Test or examination which may include multiple choice answer, short-answer questions, and extended response questions | End of semester assessment | 25-35% |
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