CHEM206 - Advanced Metabolic Biochemistry

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

CHEM204 Biochemistry OR CHEM201 Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry

Incompatible

CHEM104 Biochemistry

Unit rationale, description and aim

This unit is designed to provide students with a broad theoretical and practical understanding of the metabolic biochemistry that underpins courses in general science, biomedical and plant biology. It will build on basic concepts developed in Biochemistry and will focus on the study of important molecular control and modulation of cell processes. Key topics will include enzyme production and control, the metabolic process and how it is affected by different physiological states (e.g. dieting and exercise). The final part of this unit will introduce some of the major concepts of cellular communication including cellular transport, the resting membrane potential and action potentials in excitable cells. Students will develop their technical and communication skills through the use of instrumentation in practical settings and through the analysis of scientific findings and preparation of written reports.

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Describe the cellular metabolism of some key biomolecules (GA4, GA5); 

LO2 - Compare the major metabolic pathways that are involved in the production of chemical energy from nutrients in living cells (GA4, GA5) 

LO3 - Explain the controls that cells have on the correct functioning of metabolic processes (GA4, GA5) 

LO4 - Explain the effect that disease, poor nutrition and exercise can have on metabolic processes (GA4, GA5) 

LO5 - Demonstrate skills of manipulation of laboratory apparatus, careful and systematic observation, precise recording and communication of experimental data. (GA4, GA5, GA7, GA8). 

Graduate attributes

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA7 - work both autonomously and collaboratively 

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

Content

Topics will include:  

• Metabolic pathways and their regulation 
• The Citric Acid Cycle as the common metabolic pathway, the role of oxidation-reduction reactions in energy transfer, the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis.  
• Respiration and catabolic pathways: glycolysis, fermentation, glycogenolysis, fatty acid b-oxidation, amino acid deamination, the urea cycle.  
• Biosynthetic and anabolic pathways: gluconeogenesis, glycogenesis, amino acid biosynthesis, fatty acid biosynthesis, membrane lipid biosynthesis.  
• Control of metabolic pathways under normal nutrition, starvation, diabetes and other metabolic diseases, anaerobic exercise, weight gain and dieting: the Cori cycle, ketone bodies,  
• Essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals in the diet,  
• Allosteric enzymes and metabolic pathway (feedback control)Quality control and quality assurance in laboratory measurement in Biomedical 

Photosynthesis: The structure of the chloroplast, chlorophylls, light reactions, dark reactions, Calvin cycle, photorespiration and C4 cycle.  

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

Mode: Attendance 

Teaching hours: 2 x 1 hour lectures, 1 x 1 hour tutorial, 1 x 3 hour practical class  

This unit will be supported by a LEO site. 

This unit uses an active learning approach to support students in their development of an increasingly complex and integrated understanding of biochemistry. Students are provided with two weekly lectures where their questions and active participation are encouraged; this will assist them in acquiring the essential knowledge to understand this diverse subject area.   

Students are required to attend and participate in weekly three-hour practical classes. In these classes, group work is encouraged; peer learning is an essential component of assisting in the development of understanding. These classes provide students with valuable opportunities to have a ‘hands on’ participation in their learning. Tasks such as protein isolation and separation provide students with opportunities to deepen their understanding of the application of theory.   

Students are also required to attend and participate in weekly one-hour tutorial classes. These classes also encourage group work and discussion. They reinforce key concepts first introduced in lectures, allowing students another, more intimate, opportunity to engage with the material.   

In addition to the formal face to face classes, this unit further supports student learning by providing extensive online material through LEO. This includes; relevant links to external material such as YouTube videos and additional useful material, catering to a variety of learning styles. 

Assessment strategy and rationale

This unit is generally taken as a second-year unit. The assessment strategy is designed to assist students to reach their learning objectives in a stepwise fashion, so they are encouraged to work consistently through semester; they are provided with early feedback so that they can seek assistance if required.

The 6 mid-semester tests are online and assess different aspects of the course content. Feedback is provided quickly, allowing students to gauge their progress, and to seek assistance if they wish. These tests help prepare the students for the final exam, having questions of the same standard to those on the exam.

The practical assessment allows students an opportunity to display their growing understanding, especially of the practical classes they have participated in.  

The final online exam assesses material from all content areas. Having been provided with feedback from the earlier assessments, students are now able to address misunderstandings and conceptual difficulties identified from these earlier tasks and show that they have now met these learning objectives.

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Bettelheim, F A., Brown, W.H. Campbell, M. K., Farrell, S., and Torres, O.J., (2010) Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry (8th ed) Thomson Brook/Cole Publishers  

Moran L. A., Horton R. A., Scrimgeour G., Perry M and Rawn D. (2013) ‘Principles of Biochemistry: Pearson New International Edition, 5/E, Pearson, Prentice Hall 

Appling D. R., Anthony-Cahill S. J. and Mathews C. K. (2016) ‘ Biochemistry: Concepts and Connections’ Prentice Hall. 

Boyer R. F. (2001) ‘Modern Experimental Biochemistry’ 3/E, Prentice Hall 

Baynes J. W. and Dominiczak M. H. (2014) ‘Medical Biochemistry’ 4th Edition, Elsevier Publishers, US 

Voet D., Voet J. G and Pratt C. W. (2013) ‘Fundamentals of Biochemistry: Life at the Molecular Level’ 4th Edition. John Wiley & Sons