BIOC30010 Metabolism and Disease

Academic Year 2020/2021

This module examines the metabolism of amino acids, nucleotides, carbohydrates and cholesterol with a special emphasis on metabolism based diseases. Topics covered include protein nutritional requirements in humans, amino acid and nucleotide formation and breakdown, the role of vitamins and cofactors in health and disease, how enzyme deficiencies can cause diseases, how enzyme inhibitors can be used to treat diseases, cholesterol metabolism and membrane trafficking. In the practical classes students will quantify biomolecules and assess the protein content of a given diet. One of the main aims is to ensure students can obtain accurate experimental results.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:1. Judge the accuracy of their pipetting and spectrophotometric techniques relative to that of the class.2. Explain how and why ATP is used to facilitate biochemical reactions. 3. Describe the formation and breakdown of amino acids and nucleotides. 4. Explain the biochemical basis of diseases such as gout, spina bifida, alcaptonuria, porphyrias and Parkinson's disease and how enzyme inhibitors can be used to treat diseases such as cancer. 5. Describe the role of selected cofactors in health and disease. 6. Describe cholesterol metabolism and membrane trafficking. 7.Describe carbohydrate metabolism and the role of hormones in the glycogen regulation and glycogen storage diseases. Understand the metabolism of alcohol and the metabolic changes in diabetes.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24

Tutorial

2

Practical

20

Specified Learning Activities

8

Autonomous Student Learning

64

Total

118

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This modules uses problem solving skills by understanding the methods and techniques used in a laboratory experiment. It also improves the writing skills by generating several laboratory reports with feedback from the instructor and coordinators.

 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

It is recommended that students taking this module have successfully completed BIOC20050 or other modules with equivalent learning outcomes.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Continuous Assessment: Laboratory practical write ups Varies over the Trimester n/a Graded No

15

Class Test: Test related to laboratory classes Unspecified n/a Graded No

15

Examination: Online open book assignment at the end of semester Unspecified Yes Graded No

70


Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback will be available for all laboratory classes and their write ups. This will help to answer the laboratory test at the end of the semester.

Name Role
Dr Patrick Caffrey Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Gerard Cagney Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Tanja Narancic Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Ms Manushak Hovsepyan Tutor
Mr Patrick Brendan Timmons Tutor