Chemistry of Biogenic Elements is an integrated discipline that includes selected topics of general and inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry, and coordination chemistry that are of pharmaceutical and biomedical significance. It studies not only the properties of substances and their transformations, but also the principles governing chemical processes in living systems. The discipline serves as a link between fundamental chemical sciences and applied biomedical and pharmaceutical disciplines, providing a theoretical basis for understanding the structure, properties, and biological activity of inorganic compounds of biogenic elements.

Subject of the discipline — the study of the chemical and biological properties of elements of the Periodic Table and their compounds, as well as the relationship between the pharmacological activity and toxicity of substances and the position of an element in the Periodic Table.

Aim of the discipline — to provide students with systematic knowledge of the structure, properties, and reactivity of inorganic compounds of biogenic elements; the mechanisms of their interactions in the human body at the molecular and cellular levels and under the influence of environmental factors; to develop skills in calculating physicochemical parameters of processes; and to develop professional pharmaceutical competencies.

Objectives of the discipline:
to master the theoretical foundations of general and inorganic chemistry as applied to biogenic elements;
to develop an understanding of the physicochemical aspects of biochemical processes and the mechanisms of homeostasis maintenance;
to acquire practical skills in working in a chemical laboratory and using specialized equipment;
to prepare students for the study of specialized disciplines.

Chemistry of Biogenic Elements is a basic theoretical discipline for students enrolled in the 33.05.01 Pharmacy specialist degree program and provides the foundation for further study of Analytical Chemistry, Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Organic and Biological Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Technology, Pharmacognosy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and Toxicological Chemistry.

As a result of studying Chemistry of Biogenic Elements, students acquire professional pharmaceutical qualities and develop the following competencies:

GPC-1. Able to use basic biological, physicochemical, chemical, and mathematical methods for development, research, and expert evaluation. ID-2. Applies basic physicochemical and chemical methods of analysis for the development, research, and expert evaluation of medicinal products, medicinal plant raw materials, and biological objects. As a result of mastering GPC-1, the student should:
Know: the relationship between pharmacological activity and toxicity and the position of an element in the Periodic Table; the physicochemical nature of processes occurring in the living organism at the molecular, cellular, tissue, and organ levels; safety rules and procedures for working with reagents and instruments in chemical laboratories; the structure and chemical properties of the main classes of chemical compounds; the structure and functions of the most important biologically active natural compounds.
Be able to: theoretically substantiate the chemical basis of pharmacological effects and toxicity; use chemical laboratory equipment; use educational, scientific, and popular science literature, as well as the Internet, for professional purposes.
Have practical skills in: conducting scientific research to establish relationships between physicochemical properties and pharmacological activity; safe work in a chemical laboratory and handling laboratory glassware, reagents, gas burners, and electrical equipment; carrying out simple chemical experiments in the laboratory.

PC-10. Able to develop quality control procedures. ID-1. Selects appropriate analytical methods for quality control. As a result of mastering PC-10, the student should:
Know: the structure and properties of coordination compounds; the chemical properties of biogenic elements and their compounds.
Be able to: write electronic configurations of atoms and ions and electron-dot formulas of atoms and molecules, and determine the type of chemical bond; predict the reactivity and physical properties of compounds of biogenic elements depending on their position in the Periodic Table; theoretically substantiate the chemical basis of pharmacological effects and toxicity.
Have practical skills in: applying the nomenclature rules for inorganic compounds of biogenic elements; using methods for analyzing the physical and chemical properties of substances of different nature; performing basic operations in qualitative and quantitative analysis; preparing dispersed systems, assessing their quality, and applying methods to improve their stability.

This distance-learning course in Chemistry of Biogenic Elements includes selected topics in general chemistry, physical chemistry, coordination chemistry, and inorganic chemistry taught during the first semester to first-year students enrolled in the 33.05.01 Pharmacy specialist degree program.
Course author (developing department): I.R. Gilfanov (Department of General and Organic Chemistry).
Date updated: March 29, 2026.

Academic workload:
Semester 1: 16 hours of lectures (8 weeks), 45 hours of laboratory and practical classes (15 weeks), including two modules.
The total workload of the discipline is 108 hours, 3 credit units.
The average weekly workload is 3 hours of laboratory and practical classes.
Upon completion of the discipline, students undergo interim assessment in the form of an examination