- UCAS course code
- F152
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Master of Chemistry (MChem)
MChem Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry
Duration: 4 years
Year of entry: 2025
UCAS course code: F152 / Institution code: M20
- Key features:
Scholarships available
Accredited course
- Typical A-level offer: A*AA including specific subjects
- Typical contextual A-level offer: AAA including specific subjects
- Refugee/care-experienced offer: AAB including specific subjects
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 37 points overall with 7,6,6 at HL, including specific requirements
Fees and funding
Fees
Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2025 will be £9,535 per annum (subject to Parliamentary approval). Tuition fees for international students will be £36,000 per annum. For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
The University of Manchester is committed to attracting and supporting the very best students. We have a focus on nurturing talent and ability and we want to make sure that you have the opportunity to study here, regardless of your financial circumstances. For information about scholarships/bursaries/sponsorship please see our undergraduate fees pages and visit the Department website .
Course unit details:
Advanced Bioorganic Chemistry
| Unit code | CHEM41411 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 10 |
| Unit level | Level 4 |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 1 |
| Available as a free choice unit? | No |
Overview
This course unit detail provides the framework for delivery in 22/23 and may be subject to change due to any additional Covid-19 impact.
24 Lectures delivered in 3 x 8 lecture blocks supported by problem classes.
Aims
The unit aims to:
- Expand and develop the student’s knowledge of the fundamentals of advanced bioorganic chemistry.
- Provide an understanding of the organic chemistry that underlies the biosynthetic pathways to the major groups of secondary metabolites (natural products), including enzyme mechanisms and methods of biosynthetic engineering (combinatorial biosynthesis).
- Develop ideas of biomimetic chemistry, including the exploitation of predisposed chemical reactions in the total synthesis of natural products.
- Explore the application of enzymes and whole cells as biocatalysts for organic synthesis. Identify specific classes of biocatalysts that can be used for the preparation of chiral building blocks for pharmaceutical, agrochemicals and fine chemical production. Study methods for enzyme improvement via directed evolution and protein engineering.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the course students should be able to:
- Understand the organic chemistry of biosynthetic pathways, metabolic transformations and biotransformations.
- Apply this knowledge in the biosynthetic engineering (or combinatorial biosynthesis) of ‘unnatural’ natural products.
- Gain knowledge of the division between secondary and primary metabolism and to apply that knowledge to understanding the importance of key secondary metabolites in the history of humankind.
- Gain knowledge of the various reaction types that are common in primary and secondary metabolic processes and to apply that knowledge to rationalising biosynthetic pathways leading to both simple and complex natural products.
- Gain knowledge of the biomimetic approach to synthesis and to apply that knowledge to understanding the preparative routes used by others in the synthesis of complex natural products.
- Apply the knowledge of enzyme-catalysed reactions in the development of chemical processes employing biocatalysts.
- Understand the principles of directed evolution of enzymes and how this technique can be used to improve the properties of biocatalysts
- Enhance their transferable skills in the areas of problem solving and analysis.
Transferable skills and personal qualities
This course will enhance student’s transferable skills in the areas of problem solving and analysis.
Assessment methods
| Method | Weight |
|---|---|
| Written exam | 100% |
Feedback methods
Students will work through the problem sheets issued during lectures (posted on Blackboard) and submit for feedback.
Recommended reading
- The Organic Chemistry of Biological Pathways McMurry & Begley (Roberts & company)
- Biochemistry Third Edition, Voet & Voet (Wiley)
- Biochemistry Third Edition, L Stryer, (Freeman)
- Chemical Aspects of Biosynthesis: J. Mann (Oxford Chemistry Primers)
- Biocatalysis in Organic Synthesis: The Retrosynthesis Approach: NJ Turner & L Humphreys, 2018 (Royal Society of Chemistry).
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Assessment written exam | 2 |
| Lectures | 21 |
| Practical classes & workshops | 3 |
| Tutorials | 3 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 71 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Anthony Green | Unit coordinator |