MCB 493 · 3 credits · Fall 2026
Molecular Foundations in Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery
August 24 – December 9, 2026 · Advanced undergraduate & graduate · Enrollment open
This course covers the early stages of drug discovery and chemical biology, including biochemical, bioanalytical, biophysical, and cell biological approaches to determining drug potency. Topics include modern screening methods (fragment-based design, virtual screening, DNA-encoded libraries, high-throughput screening), non-specific drug activity (aggregation, reactivity, redox activity), and new modalities such as covalent inhibitors, molecular glues, and bifunctional proximity inducers. Major target classes covered include kinases, GPCRs, ion channels, and undruggable proteins. The course also addresses best practices for reporting non-clinical data, statistical analysis, and scientific rigor.
Intended for graduate and advanced undergraduate students pursuing careers in drug discovery or chemical biology in academia or industry — especially students in chemistry, chemical biology, biochemistry, chemical engineering, or biology involved in small-molecule drug design, synthesis, or mechanistic studies at the biochemical or biological level. This section of MCB 493 counts as advanced MCB course credit.
Topics include