Question 1: Define the term 'drug discovery' in the context of immunity and infection response.

Answer: Drug discovery is the process of identifying and developing new medications to treat diseases, including infections and immune disorders.

Question 2: Explain how researchers identify potential drug compounds during the early stages of drug discovery.

Answer: Researchers screen natural substances or synthetic compounds for biological activity against disease targets, often using high-throughput screening techniques.

Question 1: A drug solution contains 50 mg of the active ingredient per millilitre. How much active ingredient is present in a 250 ml bottle?

Answer: 12500 mg

Question 2: If a patient requires a dose of 200 mg of a drug, how many millilitres of a solution with 50 mg/ml should they take?

Answer: 4 ml

Question 1: Describe a simple experimental setup to test the effectiveness of a new antimicrobial drug in vitro.

Answer: The experiment involves applying the drug to bacterial cultures on agar plates, then observing zones of inhibition around the applied area to assess effectiveness.

Question 2: Identify two variables that must be controlled in this experiment to ensure valid results.

Answer: Concentration of the drug and incubation temperature.

Question 1: A new drug was tested against bacteria, and the zone of inhibition measured was 15 mm. Another similar drug produced a zone of 10 mm. What does this suggest about the relative effectiveness of the two drugs?

Answer: The drug with the 15 mm zone is more effective at inhibiting bacterial growth than the one with the 10 mm zone.

Question 1: Explain the importance of clinical trials in the drug discovery process and mention two key aspects evaluated during these trials.

Answer: Clinical trials are essential to assess the safety and efficacy of a new drug in humans. They evaluate aspects such as appropriate dosage, side effects, and therapeutic benefits.

Question 2: A new drug has an initial production cost of £500,000 and is expected to be used to treat 10,000 patients annually. If the cost to produce one dose is £10, what should be the maximum allowable cost per patient to ensure break-even?

Answer: £20

Question 1: Describe how modern biotechnology has improved the process of drug discovery for infectious diseases.

Answer: Biotechnology allows for rapid screening of large compound libraries, genetic engineering of target organisms, and development of targeted therapies, speeding up drug discovery.

Question 2: Identify one ethical consideration related to testing new drugs on humans.

Answer: Ensuring informed consent and safeguarding the safety and well-being of trial participants.