SDG Detail

BIOSCI 203 : Biochemistry

Undergraduate course

Project description

Biochemistry is the study of biological processes at the molecular level, and this molecular description underpins all of biology and medicine. As such, it is key to an understanding of the life sciences. BIOSCI 203 presents core areas of modern biochemistry with an emphasis on how they are best understood in the context of macromolecular structure and function. Areas covered include protein structure and folding; mechanism of enzyme catalysis; allosteric proteins and molecular machines; metabolic regulation in mammals in health and disease; proteases in human disease with a focus on Alzheimer's disease; human nutritional energy balance; and signal transduction. Students interested in biomedical science, medicinal chemistry, food science and nutrition, or any other aspect of molecular biology should consider this course.

Year 2022

Location New Zealand

Organization University of Auckland

Project aims

Project outcome

By the end of this course, students will be able to: Develop the ability to form a hypothesis about a biochemical question, and work out what techniques are required to test the hypothesis. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 4) Develop the practical skills associated with biochemical research in a group-based learning environment. Use these practical skills to answer biochemical questions and communicate the answers in the form of a lab report. (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) Describe the four levels of protein structure, the principles of protein folding, and types of bonds and interactions that are important for protein structure. (Capability 1, 2 and 3) Describe the relationship between pH, pKa and charge in relation to protein function. Be able to calculate if an amino acid is ionised at a particular pH and what effect this may have on the function of an enzyme. (Capability 1, 2 and 3) Describe how proteins can form multimeric quaternary structures, and how this affects their function, using molecular motors, and functioning of ATP synthase as examples. (Capability 1, 2 and 3) Using Alzheimer's disease as an example, describe how differential processing of a protein by enzymes can lead to major abnormalities of function within a cell. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 6) Assess critically, current biochemical literature on Alzheimer's disease to describe how current diagnostic techniques work, and which clinical trials are most likely to succeed. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 6) Describe the key pathways involved in maintenance of a cell or organisms metabolic needs, including carbohydrate metabolism, and how metabolism is altered through exercise, cancer and diabetes mellitus. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 6) Define how nutrient (energy) balance in humans is achieved, by comparing and contrasting energy metabolism during the fed state with that during fasting and starvation, cold exposure and in response to various functional foods. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 6) Define the components of signal transduction pathways that function to transfer chemical messages within and between cells. Use examples to show how signal transduction pathways can be modulated to treat human disease. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 6)