Medicinal chemistry represents the intersection of biology and chemistry, and involves the development of new pharmaceutical agents, from their original conception through to their clinical use. You will study how drugs work and how they are designed and made. By applying the principles and techniques of organic chemistry, medicinal chemists discover and develop compounds that prevent, treat or cure disease. Your ambition to make an impact on improving people's health and wellbeing will come to the fore when you embark on this specialisation. Start of expanded content As a student of Medicinal chemistry you will learn to work in a multidisciplinary, interative feedback cycle of design, synthesis and biological testing to explore innovative ways to optimise the potency, selectivity and absorption of a compound in the body. You will learn to apply the principles of drug action; design and implement approaches to synthesising bioactive molecules; and analyse chemical structures and interactions using computational, spectroscopic and analytical techniques. You will also develop advanced skills in research and analysis, learning to use sophisticated analytical techniques to synthesise and test new drug products and to develop the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly means of production.

Upon completion of your studies, you will be equipped to apply the principles of drug action and design in the industrial, academic or commercial sectors. Rewarding possibilities include: private pharmaceutical companies industrial pharmaceutical manufacturing organisations research and development institutions food and drug administration.