Articles by Sean
Drug Repositioning Examples: Teaching an Old Drug New Tricks
Have you ever bought the wrong tool for a task, only to use it for another purpose later? Using a previously developed drug for another purpose is known as drug repositioning. Drugs on the market today can have unforeseen and even unrelated effects on our bodies, with some proving their real worth as repurposed drugs many years after being developed. This article takes a look at AZT, Viagra and more recently remdesivir as examples of drug repositioning and how this strategy can help develop new medicines. […]
Brewing the Perfect Espresso, With Chemistry!
“My God, that’s the best coffee I’ve ever tasted; why the hell are we making meth?” Coffee is widely consumed and loved (even by drug kingpins), yet no one can agree on what makes an ideal cup. The problem lies in the variation between espresso pulls, resulting in poor taste consistency. Luckily, chemistry and math come to our rescue with a strategy to help you brew the perfect espresso every time. […]
Relationship Between Wavelength, Frequency and Energy
What’s in a wavelength? In chemistry and physics, we come across this parameter in a range of calculations, often to do with photons and light. In this concise guide, we’ll cover all you need to know about the relationship between wavelength, frequency and energy in the context of photons and the electromagnetic spectrum. […]
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics Crash Course + Cheat Sheet
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics are the cornerstones of pharmacology. Studying them together helps to paint a clearer picture of the safety and efficacy of a new drug. These studies are often performed as part of the pre-clinical trials in the drug development process. In this crash course, we cover the essential concepts in basic pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and how to apply them, along with a cheat sheet with all the important formulas. […]
Fixing How We Learn (and Teach) Chemistry—A Game Electrons Play
Chemistry lessons—at both high school and college level—often begin with atomic structure and bond classification. This foundation proves inadequate for predicting reactions and breaks down entirely when used to explain more advanced physical chemistry concepts, such as quantum theory. By introducing electronegativity early on instead, we can build a solid foundation for chemistry education that showcases the importance of the electron; because chemistry is simply a game electrons play. […]
Sean is a consultant for clients in the pharmaceutical industry and is a lecturer at a local university, where unfortunate undergrads are subject to his ramblings on chemistry and pharmacology.
