| CODE | MDS1038 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Cell Biology and Biochemistry | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 6 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Faculty of Medicine and Surgery | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Biochemistry is the study of living organisms at the molecular level; the building blocks from which they are made and the chemical processes that determine life itself. Through biochemistry we strive to understand the molecular basis and mechanism of disease. This study unit focuses on the cell and integrates molecular structure and cellular function with the needs of the body in both health and disease. It describes how enzyme activity is regulated to reflect the physiological state of the organism and introduces concepts of molecular interactions and the cell as a dynamic entity. Study-Unit Aims: The study-unit aims to provide: - The scientific foundation necessary to understand the molecular mechanisms that cause disease. - An understanding of the structures and components of the cell, tissues and the cellular environment. - An appreciation of the basic structures and functions of the molecules of biochemistry, their subcellular localisation and movement. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. Describe the structure and general function of the cell and its components 2. Describe the structure and function of subcellular organelles 3. Characterise the biomolecules responsible for the physical and metabolic properties of a cell. 4. Describe the chemistry of the cell and its environment. 5. Describe the basic structure of the four major types of biomolecules and the three types of biological macromolecules. 6. Outline the stages and describe the stringent regulation of the cell cycle 7. Outline the overall process in the ‘central dogma’; DNA makes RNA makes protein including post transcriptional and post translation possibilities. 8. Explain the major steps in the synthesis and degradation of proteins 9. Describe various types of post-translation modification. 10. Explain the role of water in the human body and the buffer systems used by the body to protect itself from acids and bases produced by metabolism 11. Classify amino acids according to their physiochemical properties. 12. Describe the four of levels of protein structure 13. Compare the mechanism of oxygen binding to myoglobin and haemoglobin 14. Describe the Bohr effect 15. Describe the characteristics of enzymatic reactions and the factors that affect enzyme activity. 16. Discuss the therapeutic use of reversible and irreversible enzyme inhibitors 17. List the water-soluble vitamins and discuss their biochemical actions, sources and symptoms of deficiencies 18. Describe the molecular components of the extracellular matrix and the pathology of disorders of ECM metabolism 19. Describe the basic structure and function correlations of the cell and nucleus 20. Describe the importance of biological membranes and their structures (including organelles) in cellular function including transport. 21. Describe how macromolecular cellular structures like the actin cytoskeleton and tubulin networks function in the cell. 22. Describe the functions and control of lipoproteins and cholesterol. 23. Understand the concepts, occurrence, and the use of stem cells. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. Identify molecules and molecular interactions that cause disease 2. Identify water soluble vitamins and their use at a molecular level 3. Identify the fat-soluble vitamins and their use at molecular level 4. identify karyotypes Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: LIEBERMAN M, MARKS AD. Mark's Basic Medical Biochemistry: A Clinical Approach. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2022, 6th edition. [ISBN-13: 9781975150143] ABALI EE, CLINE S, DAVID SF, VISELLI SM. Lippincott's Illustrated reviews: Biochemistry. Wolters Kluwer Health, 2021, 8th edition [ISBN-13: 9781975155063] Online resources: o Website of Prof. Gary Hunter & Prof. Therese Hunter, University of Malta: http://staff.um.edu.mt/ghun1/ o The Medical Biochemistry Page: https://themedicalbiochemistrypage.org/ o Biochemistry Free & Easy – Oregon State University: https://biochem.oregonstate.edu/content/biochemistry-free-and-easy o Wolters Kluwer Health – The Point: https://thepoint.lww.com/gateway |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Tutorial | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Analisse Cassar Gary J. Hunter (Co-ord.) Therese Hunter Marion Zammit Mangion |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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