CHEMISTRY OF RECEPTORS
Learning outcomes of the course unit
The student is expected to acquire, by attending lessons and through individual study, the following competences.
Knowledge and understanding: the student should demonstrate to know the physico-chemical bases which underlie the function of nuclear and membrane receptors and the mechanism by which small molecules activate or block these receptors.
Applying knowledge and understanding: the student should demonstrate to be able to make use of his/her knowledge, ability of analysis and understanding of the structure-activity relationship for series of drugs to ideate and put forward argumentations to solve practical problems related to the discipline. The student should demosntrate to have a professional approach to the discipline.
Furthrmore, attending the lessons has the objective to increase the 'making judgment' ability and to increase the communication skills.
Making Judgment: the student should be able to interact with the topics and themes proposed by the teacher and be able to make autonomous judgments.
Communication skills: the student should be able to communicate in a clear and critical form the results of his/her individual elaboration, thus demonstrating the appropriate knowledge of the topics covered in the course.
Prerequisites
Organic chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology
Course contents summary
The course is intended to provide an in-deepth knowledge of the molecular basis for the function of nuclear and membrane receptors, and of the physico-chemical features required for their activation. The structure-activity relationship of drug acting at endocrine nuclear receptors will be also presented.
Recommended readings
Patrick GL. An introduction to Medicinal chemistry. 5th edition, Oxford press, London
Teaching methods
The course is organized through frontal lessons, each one constituting a unit of a didactic module centered around the specific topics. In each unit, the student will be provided with the bases to acquire knowledge and understanding, and to apply the knowledge and the understanding to that specific topic covered in that specific unit.
Assessment methods and criteria
By means of an oral exam, the student should demonstrate to have correctly aquired the knowledge and understanding, and the application of knowledge and understanding for at least three topics covered during the course. The student should also demonstrate to be able to make autonomous judgments and to have appropriate communication skills.
The exam is passed only if all the competences are correctly acquired. The final grade will be formed by knowledge and understanding (30%), applying knowledge and understanding (30%), making judgments (20%) and communication skills (20%)
