Biochemistry MSci

Through lectures, workshops and tutorials this module will enable you to develop core skills in scientific writing, data handling and analysis, experimental design and scientific presentations. This module is designed to develop your problem solving scientific skills. An important aspect of this module is the small-group tutorials which allow you to get to know the member of staff who will be your tutor for the duration of your studies.

This module combines lectures and laboratory classes and introduces you to the structure and function of significant molecules in cells, and the important metabolic processes which occur inside them. You will study, amongst other topics, protein and enzyme structure and function, the biosynthesis of cell components, and the role of cell membranes in barrier and transport processes. You'll examine how information in DNA is used to determine the structure of gene products. Topics include DNA structure, transcription and translation and mutation and recombinant DNA technology.

This module provides the essential chemistry that biochemists need to understand the life process at the molecular level. The module includes atomic and molecular structure, bonding and reactivity, spectroscopy, “curly arrow” organic reactions and core organic chemistry and is taught by means of lectures and workshops.

Life on Earth provides an introduction to the fundamental characteristics and properties of the myriad of organisms which inhabit our planet, from viruses, bacteria and Archaea, to plants and animals. In weekly lectures, and regular laboratory practical classes, you will consider how living organisms are classified, how they are related genetically and phylogenetically, and basic aspects of their structure and function.

Starting with Darwin’s theory of evolution, you will learn how natural selection and other evolutionary forces have shaped the ways in which organisms interact with each other and their environment. In addition to lectures, practical classes will give you hands-on experience with a range of ecological and behavioural concepts in the laboratory and the field.

This module will give you a good grounding in the basic principles of the nervous system of humans and other animals. Topics will include neuroanatomy, cellular neuroscience, neuropharmacology, sensory systems, neuroendocrinology, memory, behavioural neuroscience and diseases of the nervous system. These will be delivered through weekly lectures and practical classes.

In this module, you will be introduced to the physiology of major systems such as cardiovascular, nervous, and musculoskeletal, including some aspects of drug action. This module will allow you to understand your biochemical and genetics knowledge in the context of the intact organism. This module includes lectures and laboratory classes.

This module serves as an introduction to the key skills of experimental design and data interpretation related to genomic analysis. You will design a series of ‘virtual’ laboratory experiments, with appropriate controls in order to probe the function of a particular gene in a physiological condition.

Develop your chemical knowledge and understanding from year one. You will study:

• organometallics structure, bonding and principal reaction types
• definitions, examples and applications of stereochemistry
• organic spectroscopy by determining structures through NMR, IR and MS
• functional group interconversion of alcohols, amines, carbonyls, and alkenes
• an introduction to retrosynthetic analysis and synthesis

This module enables you to develop an elementary understanding of modern molecular imaging techniques, in addition to a historical overview of microscopy. You will acquire theoretical and practical knowledge of how to localise and analyse macromolecule behaviours in fixed and living cells.

This module will provide an in-depth analysis of drug action, and its application to the design and use of current therapeutics. You will learn to define what drugs are, the different ways they act at the cellular and molecular level, and the pharmacokinetic principles underlying drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination. You will explore examples in cardiovascular and respiratory disease, diabetes and obesity, CNS disorders, cancer and infectious disease. Overall, you will develop a deep understanding of what the discipline of pharmacology represents, and its application to both basic biological research and current and future medical advances.

You'll cover the key groups of eukaryotic and prokaryotic microorganisms relevant to microbial biotechnology, principles of GM, and strain improvement in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The impact of “omics”, systems biology, synthetic biology and effects of stress on industrial microorganisms are explored, alongside the activities of key microorganisms that we exploit for biotechnology.

This module covers various aspects of macromolecular structure of biological molecules including proteins and DNA and how these molecules interact in cells. You will learn about the biotechnological applications of these macromolecules and their interactions, and the methods that are available to study them.

Learn how to use your biochemical knowledge to explain topics such as the hormonal control of metabolism, how fasting and overfeeding affects the body, and how problems within human body processing can lead to diseases. In addition, you will be able to describe two classes of important biochemical diseases including the inborn errors of metabolism and neurological disorders. There will be one hour of lectures a week for a full year.

This project aims to give students the ability to analyse a relevant biological problem in-depth in a modern research environment. There will be three different approaches available including the opportunity to research a laboratory-based project on a topic related to the interests of academic staff, a group-lab based project with outcomes to be decided by the student or an individual topic of interest with an in-depth literary survey of its background. There will be two days a week of project work.

This module is divided into three parts: Firstly the application of genetic engineering to construct vectors that maximize the expression the expression of protein from cloned genes or cDNAs in heterologous systems will be discussed. Modern methods for the purification of recombinant proteins will be described. In the spring the module covers the life history of a protein from birth (synthesis) to death (apoptosis). The other major aspects that are involved include a discussion of protein folding, the cytoskeleton, protein and vesicle trafficking including endocytosis and protein degradation.

Study modern ideas surrounding tumourigenesis and tumour progression. The first part of the course covers our current understanding of the molecular basis of tumour progression. Following lectures will focus both on research into the fundamentals of cancer biology and the biochemical basis for the treatment of patients with cancer.

This module covers some of the more modern ideas surrounding tumourigenesis and tumour progression. The first part of the course will cover our current understanding of the molecular basis of tumour progression. Following lectures will focus both on research into the fundamentals of cancer biology and the biochemical basis for the treatment of patients with cancer. The following features will be included:

1. The role of oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes in normal and tumour cells.
2. Multistep tumourigenesis and the hallmarks of cancer.
3. Cancer cell invasion and metastasis.
4. Genome instability.
5. Cancer stem cells.
6. The tumour microenvironment.
7. Cancer research.
8. Cancer therapy.

The aim of this course is to expand the student’s knowledge of how cancer cells form, how they metastasise and explain and discuss how cancer research is undertaken and current approaches to cancer treatments.

Students should gain a good appreciation of the applications for a range of enzymological, chemical and molecular biological techniques to probe cellular processes and catalysis at the forefront in chemical biology research.

This module represents a culmination of principles and techniques from a biophysical, molecular, biochemical and genetic perspective.

This module focuses on the molecular biology that drives the fundamental principles behind the survival of microorganisms and their interaction with humans.

Lectures will discuss the interaction between the host and pathogens and how they drive the mechanisms of infection and immunity.

There will be two hours of lectures a week.

In this module you will examine the molecular hardware and operational concepts used by eukaryotic cells to govern their growth, proliferation and phenotypic development. You will study how cells respond to their environment and communicate via the exchange of signalling factors that bind to specific target receptors. There will be two hours of lectures a week.

This module will develop an understanding of protein structure, stability, design and methods of structural analysis. In addition you will understand the protein folding problem and experimental approaches to the analysis of protein folding kinetics and the application of site-directed mutagenesis.

You will also be expected to develop a number of spectroscopic experimental techniques to probe protein structures.

There will be two hours of lectures a week.

During this module you will be building on previous learning and acquiring knowledge, skills and attitudes required for assessment and management of patients with a core spectrum of clinical presentations and conditions which involve or result from alterations to biochemical pathways. This includes an understanding of the normal structure and function of important biological molecules in human cells and of important metabolic processes that occur within cells and the structure and function of our genetic material. This will predominantly be within lectures and seminars.

This module covers the use of various biochemical and molecular biological analytical techniques employed in clinical diagnosis, as well as the development of new molecular therapies based on modern biochemical and molecular biological techniques. By the end of the module you will understand the scientific basis behind a variety of molecular medical diagnostics and the methods for the development of new molecular therapies. The module is assessed by a two-hour essay based exam. 

This module offers an introduction to the skills required in a modern scientific career. Through a series of lectures, you will become familiar with the best practice in oral, written and internet-based communication skills. This will be supplemented by tutorials, in which you will discuss recent key papers with peers, and write for a lay audience. Workshops will give you the opportunity to produce materials such as a web-page and poster. This module consists of one two hour lecture each week, and a series of single six-hour workshops over six weeks.

This project aims to give students the ability to analyse a relevant biological problem in-depth in a modern research environment. There will be three different approaches available including the opportunity to research a laboratory-based project on a topic related to the interests of academic staff, a group-lab based project with outcomes to be decided by the student or an individual topic of interest with an in-depth literary survey of its background. There will be two days a week of project work.

This module will bring you up to date with the latest technological developments in biochemistry that you are unlikely to have encountered in detail in your first three years. We also discuss and explore how new technologies with broad implications come into existence and follow the process of establishment, acceptance and dissemination through the scientific community. This module involves having a three hour workshop each week. 

This is an advanced level biological statistics module which builds on basic undergraduate training. Lectures discuss concepts in experimental design, biological probability, generalised linear modelling and multivariate statistics. Practical sessions build on this conceptual outline, giving you hands-on experience of problem solving and analytical software, and some basic programming skills. You will spend three to four hours within lectures and workshops when studying this module.

A consideration of science ‘as a process’, with brief introductions to the history, philosophy and sociological norms of science. You will cover aspects of the scientific literature and scientific communication, peer review, 'metrics’, including citation analysis, journal impact factors, and the 'h' and other indices of measuring scientists' performances. You will also cover ethics in science and the changing relationship between scientists, government and the public. You will have a three hour lecture once per week during this module.