The course will examine and discuss fundamental information and concepts
of organic chemistry and biochemistry. The major content areas of the
course are:
Communication skills in organic chemistry (includes molecular graphics, stereochemistry and nomenclature)
Organic functional groups and reactions
Organic synthesis
Natural biosynthetic pathways
Bioactivity of compounds (and testing protocols)
Fate of molecules in living systems and ethical and risk considerations in drug development.
The student must demonstrate the ability to assimilate knowledge
previously unfamiliar to them, to consolidate concepts in organic
chemistry and biochemistry to which they have been previously exposed
and to develop a major analysis of a drug (or class of drugs) as the
vehicle to demonstrate their comprehension and synthesis of material.
Extensive retrival of information from the Internet will be required.
The analysis will include:
Drug discovery process
Drug structure and fundamental structure analysis
Drug identification and purification procedures
Drug utilization and benefit focus
Drug synthesis including fundamental organic reaction knowledge
Bioactivity and pharmacokinetics (if known)
Risk & cost/benefit analysis and ethical question raised in a particular analysis
INSTRUCTOR:
Rhoda E. Craig, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of
Chemistry at Kalamazoo College. Her Ph.D. is in Organic Chemistry with
minors in Biochemistry and Analytical Chemistry from Cornell University.
She has obtained many research grants including an NIH AREA grant for
natural product work. She is part of a consortium of about twenty
colleges, called Chem. Links, which received one of five nationwide
NSF grants todevelop new methods and curricula for teaching the first
two years of chemistry at the college level. Rhoda has initiated and
developed the modular approach to be used in this course over the past
three years.
CREDIT:
Chemistry 580 - 3 graduate semester credits.
PREREQUISITES:
Bachelor's degree and one year of science
teaching experience. Specific background or prerequisite in chemistry
includes a one year introductory chemistry course and coursework or
experience equivalent to a one semester physical chemistry course.
TIME COMMITMENT:
9 to 13 hours per week.
TARGET AUDIENCE:
This course is designed primarily for high school
science teachers.
TEXTS:
Horton, Robert H.: Principles of Biochemistry (and accompanying software), 2nd Edition. Prentice Hall, 1996.
Scism, Alan.: The Biochemistry Student Companion. Prentice Hall, 1996.
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