Enquiry for Science Major/Minor/Programme Requirements
CHEM4145 Medicinal chemistry (6 credits) Academic Year 2026
Offering Department Chemistry Quota 40
Course Co-ordinator Prof Y Li, Chemistry < yingli0e@hku.hk >
Teachers Involved (Prof P H Toy,Chemistry)
(Prof X C Li,Chemistry)
(Prof Y Li,Chemistry)
Course Objectives This course covers the chemical principles of drug design and drug action and uses as an introduction to research in areas of bioorganic chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, and biotechnology.
Course Contents & Topics - Drug discovery, design, and development: lead discovery, pharmacophore, structure-activity relationships (SAR), computer-aided drug design, combinatorial chemistry and high-throughput drug screening
- Drug-receptor interactions
- Proteins (and enzymes) and nucleic acids as drug targets
- Metals in medicine
- DNA-Drug interactions
- Drug metabolism and prodrugs and drug delivery
Course Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

CLO 1 demonstrate knowledge of drug discovery, design and development
CLO 2 understand drug-biomolecule interactions where appropriate
CLO 3 gain appropriate knowledge of drug metabolism and drug delivery
Pre-requisites
(and Co-requisites and
Impermissible combinations)		 Pass in CHEM3441 or CHEM3442; and Not for students who have passed in BPHM3133, or already enrolled in this course.
Course Status with Related Major/Minor /Professional Core 2026 Major in Biochemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2026 Major in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2026 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) ( Disciplinary Elective )
2026 Minor in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2025 Major in Biochemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2025 Major in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2025 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) ( Disciplinary Elective )
2025 Minor in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2024 Major in Biochemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2024 Major in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2024 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) ( Disciplinary Elective )
2024 Minor in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2023 Major in Biochemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2023 Major in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2023 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) ( Disciplinary Elective )
2023 Minor in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2022 Major in Biochemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2022 Major in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2022 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) ( Disciplinary Elective )
2022 Minor in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
Course to PLO Mapping 2026 Major in Biochemistry < PLO 1,2,3,4,5 >
2026 Major in Chemistry < PLO 2,3,4 >
2026 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) < PLO 2,3,4 >
2025 Major in Biochemistry < PLO 1,2,3,4,5 >
2025 Major in Chemistry < PLO 2,3,4 >
2025 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) < PLO 2,3,4 >
2024 Major in Biochemistry < PLO 1,2,3,4,5 >
2024 Major in Chemistry < PLO 2,3,4 >
2024 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) < PLO 2,3,4 >
2023 Major in Biochemistry < PLO 1,2,3,4,5 >
2023 Major in Chemistry < PLO 2,3,4 >
2023 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) < PLO 2,3,4 >
2022 Major in Biochemistry < PLO 1,2,3,4,5 >
2022 Major in Chemistry < PLO 2,3,4 >
2022 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) < PLO 2,3,4 >
Offer in 2026 - 2027 Y        2nd sem    Examination May     
Offer in 2027 - 2028 Y
Course Grade A+ to F
Grade Descriptors
A Demonstrate thorough knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, principles, and theories relating to the basic foundation knowledge of medicinal chemistry, especially those related to drug discovery, design and development; drug targets; drug lead optimization; structure activity relationship; pharmacokinetics; drug delivery and its relevance to toxicity. Show strong ability to apply and integrate knowledge and theory relating to the basic foundation knowledge of medicinal chemistry. Show strong ability to analyze novel problems and critical use of data and experimental results to draw appropriate and insightful conclusions relating to the basic principles and knowledge of medicinal chemistry. Demonstrate highly effective basic techniques for medicinal chemistry, especially in drug discovery and metabolism.
B Demonstrate substantial command of knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, principles, and theories relating to the basic foundation knowledge of medicinal chemistry; especially those related to drug discovery; design and development; drug targets; drug lead optimization; structure activity relationship; pharmacokinetics; drug delivery and its relevance to toxicity. Show evidence to apply and integrate knowledge and theory relating to the basic foundation knowledge of medicinal chemistry. Show evidence to analyze novel problems and correct use of data and experimental results to draw appropriate conclusions relating to the basic principles and knowledge of medicinal chemistry. Demonstrate effective basic techniques for medicinal chemistry, especially in drug discovery and metabolism.
C Demonstrate general but incomplete command of knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, principles, and theories relating to the basic foundation knowledge of medicinal chemistry; especially those related to drug discovery; design and development; drug targets; drug lead optimization; structure activity relationship; pharmacokinetics; drug delivery and its relevance to toxicity. Show evidence of some abilities to apply and integrate knowledge and theory relating to the basic foundation knowledge of medicinal chemistry. Show ability to analyze problems to most familiar situations and mostly correct but erroneous use of data and experimental results to draw appropriate conclusions relating to the basic principles and knowledge of medicinal chemistry. Demonstrate moderately effective basic techniques, basic techniques for medicinal chemistry, especially in drug discovery and metabolism.
D Demonstrate partial but limited command of knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, principles, and theories relating to the basic foundation knowledge of medicinal chemistry; especially those related to drug discovery; design and development; drug targets; drug lead optimization; structure activity relationship; pharmacokinetics; drug delivery and its relevance to toxicity. Show evidence of limited abilities to apply and integrate knowledge and theory relating to the basic foundation knowledge of medicinal chemistry. Show limited ability to analyze problems to most familiar situations and mostly correct but erroneous use of data and experimental results to draw appropriate conclusions relating to the basic principles and knowledge of medicinal chemistry. Demonstrate partially effective basic techniques for medicinal chemistry, especially in drug discovery and metabolism.
Fail Demonstrate little or no evidence of command of knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, principles, and theories relating to the basic foundation knowledge of medicinal chemistry; especially those related to drug discovery; design and development; drug targets; drug lead optimization; structure activity relationship; pharmacokinetics; drug delivery and its relevance to toxicity. Show little or no evidence of abilities to apply and integrate knowledge and theory relating to the basic foundation knowledge of medicinal chemistry. Show little or no ability to analyze problems to most familiar situations and erroneous use of data and experimental results to draw appropriate conclusions relating to the basic principles and knowledge of medicinal chemistry. Demonstrate minimally effective basic techniques for medicinal chemistry, especially in drug discovery and metabolism.
Communication-intensive Course N
Course Type Lecture-based course
Course Teaching
& Learning Activities
Activities Details No. of Hours
Lectures 36.0
Tutorials or discussion 12.0
Reading / Self study 100.0
Assessment Methods
and Weighting
Methods Details Weighting in final
course grade (%)		 Assessment Methods
to CLO Mapping
Assignments 30.0 1,2,3
Examination 50.0 1,2,3
Test (mid-term test) 20.0 1,2,3
Required/recommended reading
and online materials		 An Introduction to Medicinal Chemistry (3/e), G.L. Patrick, Oxford University Press, 2005
Medicinal Chemistry- An Introduction, G. Thomas, John Wiley, 2000
D. Wang, S.J. Lippard (2004) Nat. Rev. Drug Dis., Cellular processing of platinum anticancer drugs, 4, 307-320
Course Website NIL
Additional Course Information This course is also offered to RPg students, and the course code for RPg students is CHEM6113.


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