Abstract:

Innovative drug development is the central driving force of the pharmaceutical industry. Cultivating a large cohort of pharmacy undergraduates with a solid background in drug development research is of significant importance. Currently, the majority of educational institutions feature a disjointed approach between foundational courses and specialized pharmacy courses. This disconnection prevents students from integrating basic chemistry knowledge with innovative drug development research during their early academic years. As a result, students lose the opportunity to build a comprehensive understanding of drug development, thereby diminishing the appeal and formative potential of the education. This paper uses the teaching of coordination chemistry in inorganic chemistry as an example, attempting to incorporate structural visualization and case studies of innovative drugs into the curriculum. The goal is to elevate the subject matter's professionalism, innovation, and advanced nature to meet the demands of high-quality pharmaceutical talent development and to inspire undergraduates to engage in new drug research by bridging the gap between foundational and specialized courses. This teaching approach can be extended and applied to other courses like organic chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

Key words: Innovative drug, Coordination chemistry, Teaching reform, Case-based teaching