For some professionally, vocationally,
or technically oriented
careers, curricula delivered in higher education establishments may
focus on teaching material related to a single discipline. By contrast,
multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary teaching
(MITT) results in improved affective and cognitive learning and critical
thinking, offering learners/students the opportunity to obtain a broad
general knowledge base. Chemistry is a discipline that sits at the
interface of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine
(STEMM) subjects (and those aligned with or informed by STEMM subjects).
This article discusses the significant potential of inclusion of chemistry
in MITT activities in higher education and the real-world importance
in personal, organizational, national, and global contexts. It outlines
the development and implementation challenges attributed to legacy
higher education infrastructures (that call for creative visionary
leadership with strong and supportive management and administrative
functions), and curriculum design that ensures inclusivity and collaboration
and is pitched and balanced appropriately. It concludes with future
possibilities, notably highlighting that chemistry, as a discipline,
underpins industries that have multibillion dollar turnovers and employ
millions of people across the world.
In ongoing studies towards novel hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapeutics, inhibitors of nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) were evaluated. Specifically, starting from previously reported lead compounds, peripheral substitution patterns of a series of biaryl‐linked pyrrolidine NS5A replication complex inhibitors were probed and structure–activity relationships were elucidated. Using molecular modelling and a supercritical fluid chromatographic (SFC) technique, intramolecular H‐bonding and peripheral functional group topology were evaluated as key determinants of activity and membrane permeability. The novel compounds exhibited retained potency as compared with the lead compounds, and also showed promising results against a panel of resistance viruses. Together, the results of the study take us a step closer towards understanding the potency of daclatasvir, a clinical candidate upon which the compounds were based, and to designing improved analogues as second‐generation antiviral agents targeting NS5A.
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