Advanced course descriptions

Prerequisites: CHEM 221, 222, 271

This course introduces students to various topics in nucleic acid chemistry. The topics include nomenclature, structure and function of RNA and DNA; techniques and methods to investigate nucleic acid structure; DNA damage and repair; interaction of small molecules and proteins with nucleic acids; oligonucleotide-based therapeutics (antisense, antigene, RNA); synthesis of purines, pyrimidines and nucleosides; and solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis.

Students who have received credit for this topic under a CHEM 498 number may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisites: CHEM333, CHEM234, CHEM241

This course presents the concepts, tools, and techniques of modern computational chemistry, and provides a very broad overview of the various fields of application across chemistry and biochemistry.

The course is divided into two parts: 1) Molecular structure, which covers molecular mechanics and elementary electronic structure theory of atoms and molecules; and 2) Chemical reactivity, which covers applications of quantum chemistry and molecular dynamics techniques to studies of chemical reactions.

The applications discussed include organic molecules and their reactions, peptides and proteins, drug design, DNA, polymers, inorganics, and materials. The course includes a practical component where students acquire hands-on experience with commonly used computational chemistry computer software. Lectures and laboratory.

Students who have received credit for this topic under a CHEM 498 number may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisites: CHEM 234, CHEM 241

This course explores how chemistry enables solar energy conversion (as a source of alternative energy) through photochemistry/photobiology and photovoltaics (solar cells).

In the first subject area, solar energy conversion through artificial photosynthesis, solar fuels catalysis, and photobiological fuel production is examined.

In the second subject area, the fundamental principles governing solar energy to electricity conversion, efficiency of solar cells, different photovoltaic implementations (inorganic, organic, hybrid) and charge separation/transport are explored. Special focus topics include the design, synthesis and spectroscopic tools needed to study inorganic molecules and materials for solar fuels catalysis.

Students who have received credit for this topic under a CHEM 498 number may not take this course for credit.

Prerequisites: CHEM 271, CHEM 375

This course provides an advanced examination of current topics in research related to understanding protein‑protein interactions in vitro and in vivo. Topics may include biological roles of protein‑protein interactions; evolution of protein‑protein interactions and correlated mutations; stable vs. transient interactions and their biological significance; interactomics; structural characteristics of protein‑protein interaction interfaces; targeted disruption of protein‑protein interactions and drug design; experimental approaches to measuring protein‑protein interactions.

Students who have received credit for this topic under a CHEM 498 number may not take this course for credit.

Pre-requisites:  CHEM 271, 375

Theory and practice of techniques in enzymology and protein chemistry including steady-state and stopped-flow enzyme kinetics, ligand binding, immunological techniques, proteomics, computer modelling, and chemical modification of proteins. Tutorials and laboratory.

Pre-requisites: CHEM312 previously or concurrently; or permission of the Department

Presents current methods of univariate, multivariate data analysis and experimental design. The introduction will cover the use of R and how prerequisite statistics knowledge is conducted in R. You will explore your own experimental data or data provided to obtain answers to research questions in a hands-on approach. Focus will be on the validation of models and a discussion of their limitations. The section on experimental design will introduce students to current methods using Modde software. Applications will be illustrated through discussion of the peer-reviewed literature, published methods and results.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of 30 university credits

In this course you will learn how to read and write scientific papers. Working from foundational chemistry and biochemistry publications, the first part of the course will cover how a paper is organized and teach students how to review, evaluate, and summarize a paper's key findings and experiments.

In the second part of the course students will develop their own writing skills through a series of exercises, culminating in a research proposal on a topic of the student's choice that is suitable for submission as part of a graduate scholarship application.

Pre-requisites: CHEM 293, CHEM 324

This course provides an introduction to the small molecule drug discovery process, addressing early target identification, hit discovery, lead optimization, preclinical considerations, up to clinical trials. The course focuses primarily on the rational design and synthesis of drugs that employ multidisciplinary approaches to satisfy a multitude of specificity and safety requirements.

The emphasis is on organic synthesis within the special context of medicinal chemistry that illustrates the challenges involved in leveraging the opportunities presented by high throughput, parallel and/or combinatorial synthesis in light of physical limitations imposed by processing large numbers of compounds.

Case studies from the current literature are used to highlight how new technologies and strategies have overcome some of those limitations and are used to highlight recent innovations in the field.

The course also charts the evolution of powerful techniques from structural research (NMR, X-ray crystallography, and computational modelling) as fully integrated medicinal chemistry tools for modern drug-discovery to highlight key advances.

Pre-requisites: CHEM 217, 218 and 312, or permission of the instructor.

The major aim of this course is to present a quantitative treatment of the variables that determine the composition of natural waters by drawing upon basic chemical principles. Chemical equilibrium is thus one of the central themes of the course, but its focus also includes biochemical and geochemical processes (biogeochemistry) controlling the composition of natural waters, and the impact of anthropogenic forcing on water availability and quality (climate change, pollution, etc.).

Prerequisites: BIOL 266, CHEM 375 or permission of the Department

This course discusses what is known about how the membranes of biological organisms are assembled and the roles that these membranes play in a number of important processes.

Emphasis is placed on the transport of proteins to and through biomembranes and the roles that membranes play in metabolite and ion transport. Where applicable, the significance of these processes is illustrated by examining the roles of membranes in health and disease.

Students who have received credit for this topic under a CHEM 498 number may not take this course for credit.

Pre-requisites: CHEM 217, 222 and 241

This course will focus on the 12 principles of green chemistry and how these principles are applied to develop sustainable chemical processes. Topics include: waste prevention, atom economy, the use of green solvents, catalysis, energy efficiency, the use of renewable feedstocks, and green chemistry metrics. Recent literature and industrial examples of green processes will be used to highlight concepts.