BCH2042

Medical biochemistry of cells and tissues

Included on BSc(Biomedical) schedule of approved subjects only

Dr Alfons Lawen

8 points - Four 1-hour lectures and one 4-hour practical per week - Second semester - Clayton - Prerequisites: BCH2031 - Prohibition: BCH2022

Objectives On completion of this subject students should understand the metabolic role of molecules in living cells; the molecular organisation of cellular structures and tissues; cellular metabolism and its regulation; the regulation and integration of metabolic processes in tissues, their regulation by hormones and their consequences for nutrition; the medical relevance of these biochemical concepts. Practical and small-group teaching will allow students to strengthen and extend their understanding of lecture material as well as to develop skills in the use of biochemical and molecular biological techniques, oral presentations and problem solving.

Synopsis This subject is the second of two one-semester subjects that will give students the basic knowledge of biochemistry and molecular biology. This subject will differ from BCH2022 in that one lecture hour per week will be devoted to biomedical aspects of biochemistry and their clinical applications. It covers energy utilisation by living organisms, a general outline of metabolism, aspects of the oxidation and synthesis of carbohydrates and lipids, the metabolism of amino acids and nucleotides, the regulation and integration of cellular metabolism, enzyme regulation, gene therapy, the metabolism of specialised tissues and the biochemical basis of nutrition, hormonal regulation and neurotransmitter function. Biochemical aspects of diseases caused by mitochondrial dysfunction, defects in carbohydrate, lipid and nucleotide metabolism as well as the biochemistry of alcoholism, diabetes and obesity will be discussed. In the practical program students are trained in biochemical techniques including the use of radioactive isotopes and the processing of biochemical data.

Assessment Mid-semester test (45 min): 10% - Examinations (2 and 1.5 hours): 40% and 30% - Laboratory training: 20%

Prescribed texts

Lehninger A L, Nelson D L and Cox M M Principles of biochemistry 2nd edn, Worth, 1993

Recommended texts

Marks D B, Marks A D and Smith C M Basic medical biochemistry Williams and Wilkins, 1996
Montgomery R and others Biochemistry: A case-oriented approach 6th edn, Mosby, 1996
Gillham B, Papachristodoulou D K and Thomas J H Will's 'Biochemical basis of medicine' 3rd edn, Butterworth Heinemann, 1997

Back to the 1999 Science Handbook