Module CHEM2051: Biological Chemistry

Department: Chemistry

CHEM2051: Biological Chemistry

Prerequisites

• Core Chemistry 1 (CHEM1078) AND Mathematical and Experimental Tools required in Chemistry (CHEM1111).

Corequisites

• Chemistry of the Elements (CHEM2077) OR Structure and Reactivity in Organic Chemistry (CHEM2087) OR Properties of Molecules (CHEM2097) OR Inorganic Concepts and Applications (CHEM3097) OR Advanced Organic Chemistry (CHEM3117) OR Molecules and their Interactions (CHEM3137).

Excluded Combination of Modules

• This module may not be taken in the same year of study as Computational Chemistry (CHEM2061)

Aims

• To emphasise and expand applications of chemical knowledge to biological systems.

Content

• Peptides and peptidomimetics: Structure and properties of natural amino acids. Solution and solid-phase peptide synthesis. Modified and cyclic peptide synthesis. Peptoid chemistry. Introduction to analysis methods, including circular dichroism and mass spectrometry.
• Sugars and lipids: Biological roles of various sugars and derivatives. Structure, conformation and reactivity of monosaccharides. Chemical and enzymatic synthesis of disaccharides, including protecting group chemistry and selective glycoside synthesis. The structure and biological roles of lipids, and their roles in membranes.
• Metals in biological systems: Bioinorganic chemistry of metals. Overview of elements essential to life. Biological roles of redox-active metal ions. Structure and mechanism of selected metalloenzymes.

Learning Outcomes

• Explain the importance of metals in life processes.
• Design and plan methods for the synthesis of oligo-peptides and saccharides.
• Understanding of the structure and reactivity of amino-acids, peptides, sugars and lipids and their importance in biological chemistry.

• Deliver a flash presentation in an area of relevant literature.

• Written communication advanced through the use of essay type questions in lecture-support worksheets.
• Problem-solving developed through workshops.
• Demonstrate presentation and scientific communication skills.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Lectures are used to convey concepts, demonstrate what is required to be learned and to illustrate the application of theory to practical examples. When appropriate, lectures will be supported by written on-line material, or by information and relevant links on Blackboard Learn Ultra.
• Private study should be used by students to develop their subject-specific knowledge and self-motivation, through reading textbooks and literature. Students will be able to obtain further help in their studies by approaching their lecturers, either after lectures or at other mutually convenient times.
• Workshops are where groups of students consider problems and explore common shared difficulties. Problem exercises provide students the chance to develop their theoretical understanding and problem-solving skills. This ensures that students have understood the work and can apply it to real life situations. These are formatively assessed.
• The flash presentation allows students to develop their presentation skills and communicate information in their own words.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Set work in preparation for workshops.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University