Hundreds of millions of people, about one-sixth of the world's population, are still affected by infectious parasitic diseases that are also referred to as tropical or orphan diseases, including malaria, sleeping sickness, tuberculosis, Chagas' disease, and leishmaniasis. Globally, a significant amount of effort and resources are being devoted to innovative drug and vaccine research. However, progress in combating tropical diseases has been relatively slow. We focus on understanding the medicinal chemistry and biology of tropical diseases and provides a survey of drugs that are being used to treat these diseases, including traditional medicines, chemically defined natural products, natural product-derived drugs, and other synthetic small molecules. Oftentimes, one drug is used to treat seemingly disparate diseases. We will look at how and why this practice is embraced. Topics will also include fundamental challenges faced in basic research; a brief history of epidemics; the influence of economic policies and technology on drug discovery and development; and ways in which the scientific and business communities as well as nonprofit and governmental agencies are responding to these unique challenges. This course is designed for the non-science major who does not intend to pursue a career in the natural sciences. Principles in organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and biochemistry will be developed as needed.