BCH3052 - Protein biology: From sequence to structure and disease - 2019

6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

Undergraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Faculty

Science

Chief examiner(s)

Professor Mibel Aguilar

Coordinator(s)

Associate Professor Jackie Wilce

Unit guides

Offered

Clayton

  • Second semester 2019 (On-campus)

Prerequisites

One of BCH2011, BCH2022, MOL2011, MOL2022, MCB2011, MCB2022 or BMS2021 or BMS2062

Synopsis

The course will give students an advanced understanding of protein structure-function in the context of human disease. Major themes relate the various levels of protein structure to their wide ranging functions, introduce modern techniques used in the analysis of structure and function, and explore the rapidly developing area of protein-related biotechnologies and drug design. Topics to be covered include examples of aberrations in protein structure that lead to alteration in function in a variety of biological contexts, emphasizing disease. Additionally the use of bioinformatics in aiding our understanding of protein sequence, structure and function will be highlighted.

Outcomes

On completion of this unit students will be able to:

  1. Describe the relationship between protein sequence, structure and function and relate this to specific examples in human health and disease;
  2. Explain how proteins fold to their correct three dimensional shape and how this process may go wrong and cause disease;
  3. Illustrate how NMR and X-ray crystallography are used to determine the structure of a peptide or protein;
  4. Critically analyse how our understanding of proteins contributes to biotechnology and medicine, in particular comment on the contribution of protein engineering and proteomics to these fields;
  5. Describe the use of fluorescent proteins as tools for characterising the role of proteins in vivo;
  6. Apply experimental techniques and methodologies to determine the structure and function of an unknown protein.

Assessment

NOTE: From 1 July 2019, the duration of all exams is changing to combine reading and writing time. The new exam duration for this unit is 2 hours and 10 minutes.

Examination (2 hours): 60% (Hurdle)

Practical theory test: 10% (Hurdle)

Practicals: 30% (Hurdle)

This unit is subject to the Hurdle and Threshold Standards policiesHurdle and Threshold Standards policies (http://www.med.monash.edu.au/policies/assessment-policy-2017.html) of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences.

Workload requirements

  • Two hours of lectures and four hours of laboratory or tutorial sessions per week

See also Unit timetable information

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study