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Engineering, Mathematics and Science
166
Course overview
This degree provides you with a sound general grounding in
chemistry but focuses on, and extends into, topics of relevance
to the design and production of new medicinal compounds and
understanding their biological actions.
The Freshman years
In the first two years you will follow the Science (TR071)
programme, taking chemistry (CH1101 & CH1102), biology
(1101 & 1102) and mathematics in the Junior Freshman (first)
year. In the Senior Freshman (second) year you will take
chemistry and 20 prescribed units of biology with the option of
further biology (20 units) or mathematics (20 units) – see pages
141-143. In addition, special sessions held specifically for your
group will introduce you to the ideas and techniques of medicinal
chemistry.
The Sophister years
In the Junior and Senior Sophister (third and fourth) years the
course will branch off into the more specialised aspects of
medicinal chemistry, although there will be considerable overlap
with the Chemistry programme (page 145).
The overlap will be mainly in organic chemistry, with less
emphasis being placed on physical chemistry and inorganic
chemistry in order to allow for the introduction of the new
medicinal chemistry units.
In the Junior Sophister (third) year, your special medicinal
chemistry courses will include:
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Basic principles of medicinal chemistry
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Pharmacology (how drugs interact with the body)
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Drug design (how chemists design new drugs for specific
diseases)
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Anti-viral and anti-cancer agents
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Anti-microbial and anti-infective agents (compounds that can
combat the microorganisms that cause disease)
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Anti-malarial chemistry (study of the development of new
drugs in this area)
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Steroid drugs (study of drugs based on the steroid skeleton)
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Industrial chemistry (short course on medicinal chemistry in
industry)
In the Senior Sophister (fourth) year, you will cover the
medicinal chemistry of the cardiovascular and central nervous
systems, combinational chemistry and drug delivery, as well
as computational medicinal chemistry and modern analytical
methods. Case studies in medicinal chemistry (focusing on
specific diseases or drug types), will also feature on your
programme.
Practical work in the final year will consist of a
research project.
This may be carried out either in Trinity College under the
supervision of a member of staff, in a chemistry department
at an overseas university, or in a commercial laboratory.
Study abroad
To date, arrangements have been made for students to carry out
their final-year research projects, from October to December, in
Regensburg, Madrid, Liverpool, Copenhagen, Montpellier and
Bologna universities.
Assessment
You will be assessed by a combination of continuous
assessment and end-of-year examinations.
Career opportunities
As with graduates in other types of chemistry, the skills acquired
during this course will make you highly attractive to employers
in a wide variety of areas. In addition to the pharmaceutical
industry itself, business, finance, administration and teaching are
all possibilities open to you as a graduate of medicinal chemistry.
Former graduates of this course are working in companies
such as Wyeth, Abbot, GlaxoSmithKline, Servier and Deloitte &
Touche.
Medicinal chemistry would also serve as an excellent primary
degree for a graduate course in medicine.
Further information
Tel: +353 1 896 3411
