FAQs
I’m an undergraduate – why do I have to get permission to enroll in CH495?
The reason is to check that you meet the prerequisites: typically, grades of at least a B in organic I, organic II, and a one-semester biochemistry course (e.g., BCH 451) or equivalent (e.g., Chemistry of Life CH-495). Please check-in with the instructor. Permission is granted by the instructor and enrollment is handled by Robin Tanner.
Can I take CH495 and Biochemistry BCH 451 (or BCH 351) concurrently?
No. Biochemistry is an essential prerequisite for CH495.
I’m an undergraduate – can I sign up for CH795?
You should sign up for CH495 unless you can make a compelling case concerning your background and preparation for the graduate course (CH795).
I’m a graduate student in a department other than Chemistry – can I sign up for CH795?
Yes. Before doing so, you are strongly encouraged to consult with the instructor concerning your background, preparation, and career interests to ensure that the course meets your needs. In prior years, students from the Vet School or who are working on a Masters degree in Physiology have taken the course with excellent results.
Why do you exclude organic synthesis in this course?
Synthetic chemistry is essential for the development of therapeutics (except for the rare cases where the therapeutic is obtained directly from Nature). But synthesis is a science unto itself. To include synthesis would cause us to curtail the scope of medical conditions and their treatments, even standing as an impediment to the understanding of the medical condition. In addition, there are terrific courses in our department offered in organic synthesis.
How different is this course from a “regular” chemistry course?
We cover a great deal of information concerning medical conditions and how drugs function – both interacting with the human body and with any infectious agent (where appropriate). There is considerable new knowledge presented about chemistry, but all in the context of medicine. The balance of the “med” and “chem” components is ~50:50, but the ratio may feel skewed depending on your background.
There seems to be some material in the course that fits under the topic of “medical history,” “public health,” or even “social justice” – why is this included in a MedChem course?
Medicinal chemistry is about using science to ameliorate the human condition – to enable all human beings to live long, healthy and meaningful lives. The fact that many have not been able to do so has altered human history; the fact that many at present still cannot do so is a central problem of our era. It is now accepted that diseases are not static but arise and change depending on environmental conditions; the consequent challenges are ongoing and perplexing, which we would be remiss to ignore.
How different is this course from a medical school course?
A med school class likely would cover the physiological basis of the disease and the mechanism(s) of action of therapeutics. A med student needs to be familiar with an encyclopedia of conditions and treatments. We canvass a much more limited number of conditions, exploring the origin of the disease, physiological basis of the disease, mechanisms of action of therapeutics, and origin of the therapeutics; the latter two in more exacting molecular detail than would be the case in medical school. In short, our scope of diseases is more limited, but our context is richer and our scientific consideration (at least at the molecular level) is deeper.
I’m intrigued about medicinal chemistry but am leery whether my biological background is sufficient.
If you have familiarity with proteins, lipids, enzymes, cofactors, biosynthetic pathways (at the level of a college biochemistry course or equivalent) and love science and nature then you should be in good shape.
What is the mode of class delivery?
Lectures and exams are given entirely in-person. There may be an occasional Zoom lecture, but only if in-person is not possible.
I heard that an occasional evening session may be scheduled. Are these mandatory and how many will there be?
These are not mandatory, but are set up entirely for your benefit. We may want to try to include selected expert guest speakers outside NC State who may not be available during our regularly scheduled class, including individuals who may be located in other time zones. There may be none, or as many as several, during the course of the semester.
What are Synopses, and how do these differ from Problem Sets?
Synopses are self-study documents, most only a few pages, that capsulize a key body of information that you likely already have encountered and thereby provide a nice review. For example, a synopsis on proteins would review amino acids, the peptide bond, and 1° – 4° structure. In addition to a review, a Synopsis may fill critical gaps that may have been missed in a prior course. The synopses fulfill one mission of this course as a capstone – to accentuate and reinforce key concepts. Whereas a Synopsis is aimed at review, a Problem Set generally entails focus on new material that is introduced in the lectures.
Is collaborative learning encouraged?
Yes. You are encouraged to work together on all assignments, except for the exams.
What are the exams like?
The exams cover the material in the lectures and companion reading materials, and assume completion of any assigned materials (synopses, medical case reports, problem sets). There is typically an in-class component and a take-home component; the latter is open-book, open-notes, but closed-communication with your classmates.
I’ve never taken a course at the 400 (or 700) level. Am I gonna get crushed?
The grading is liberal assuming all assignments are completed with an honest effort.
Are textbooks required for the course?
In previous years, we’ve used sections of the book An Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry; Graham L. Patrick (2017, 6th Edition), Oxford University Press; 800 pp (text), paperback. This book is suggested if you want a book to refer to, but is not required.
For the presentation, are we assigned the diseases to review or do we get to choose from the ones discussed in the course?
You choose the disease of interest to you followed by instructor approval (which is given in your best interests). If you were to choose “cancer” or “allergies” for example, you would be advised to focus on a particular cancer or allergy in order to be able to present a concise report.
I see that there are quite a few classes on neuromedicine, why is this topic very important?
Neuromedicine encompasses pain in all of its manifestations, depression, all forms of mental illness, seizures, diseases of old age (stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, etc.), glioblastoma (the most lethal brain cancer), many motor dysfunctions (palsy, etc.), some forms of blindness, paralysis, spinal cord injuries, and so on. The brain contains all of the knowledge, memories and capacities that define who each of us is as an individual. More broadly, understanding how the brain gives rise to the mind remains one of science’s greatest challenges. Neuromedicine is a vast and immensely important topic, yet one that students likely have not previously encountered. Several weeks on this topic barely scratches the surface.
Are there office hours in–person or online for a case where a student needs more explanation/help to understand the course?
Only in-person is offered, although accommodations will be provided as needed.
Would this be a good course to take if I am interested in medical school?
Yes.
How does this class aid in my understanding of diseases and public health?
We encounter about 35 diseases or medical conditions in the class. Much background information for many diseases concerns issues related to public health, which some students will find very engaging.