Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine BSc

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.

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.

You’ll learn about Nature's building blocks including the structure and functions of lipids, amino acids, carbohydrates and nucleotides. You'll also learn about the reactivity of these molecules and their biological roles through case studies.

This module will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the structures of DNA and RNA and how the information within these nucleic acids is maintained and expressed in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell types. Additionally, this module describes how nucleic acids can be manipulated in vitro using molecular biological approaches. Practical classes will focus your learning on the cloning and manipulation of DNA to express recombinant proteins in bacterial systems.

This module considers the mechanisms and purpose of cell to cell signalling and metabolic regulation and includes the regulation of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and an outline of the various major signalling systems in mammals including signal transduction in G-protein coupled signalling systems, growth factors, cytokines and their receptors, cell-cell signalling and the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the role of the ubiquitin-proteasome system. The regulation and integration of various metabolic pathways will be covered in health and disease illustrated with specific examples and related to the signalling pathways covered in this module to provide an understanding of how biochemical processes are integrated and regulated. The module also includes laboratory classes where you will use techniques to study signal transduction and metabolism.

This module considers the structure and function of soluble proteins and how individual proteins can be studied in molecular detail. More specifically you will learn about the problems associated with studying membrane-bound proteins and build an in-depth understanding of enzyme kinetics and catalysis. You will learn about the practical aspects of affinity purification, SDS PAGE, western blotting, enzyme assays, bioinformatics and molecular modelling approaches.

This module further develops and enhances the skills you will have learned in the year one skills module. In year two you will write a short dissertation, solve biochemical problems, explore the scientific method applied to biochemistry, learn how to present science to the public and look issues around the ethics of science and research. The module includes lectures, tutorials and workshops.

The module provides both a theoretical description of modern spectroscopic techniques (NMR, IR, and mass spectrometry) for structural analysis of organic and biological molecules and practical applications of these techniques in problem solving. Aspects of the stereochemistry of bio-organic molecules are covered, including conformational analysis and stereocontrol in bio-organic reactions.

This module studies transporters and channels, groups of proteins responsible for controlling the flow of substances across lipid bilayers that are critical for cellular homeostasis. You will learn the basics of transporter and channel biology, and then apply this knowledge to design virtual experiments, the simulated results of which would gradually reveal the molecular basis of a transporter or channel related disease. You will design a series of “virtual experiments”, with appropriate controls, in order to probe the function of a particular gene in a physiological condition.

The module is divided into two parts: (a) Functional group chemistry: synthetic transformations of alcohols, amines, carbonyls, and alkenes, and how these transformations are used to synthesise complex molecules such as natural products or pharmaceutical agents. (b) Synthesis: Introduction to retrosynthetic analysis and synthesis of organic molecules using a selection of pharmaceutical agents as examples. Formative feedback is given on the material in this module at the associated workshops. Summative feedback is provided after the exam by the module convenor.

This module is aimed at introducing the students to the methodological arsenal for studying complex macromolecular systems in vitro and in cells using specific biological examples. It provides an overview of the structures and function of biological macromolecules and macromolecular assemblies with an emphasis on proteins. The module introduces modern structural methods and advanced microscopy techniques in the context of their biological applications.

You will study microbiology, learning about pathogenic microbes including viruses, fungi, parasites and the roles of bacteria in health and disease. You will learn how the body generates immunity; the causes of diseases associated with faulty immune responses will be considered. In applied microbiology you will be introduced to recombinant DNA technology and prokaryotic gene regulation.

Primary objective of the module

This module will examine in depth the analysis of drug action, and its application to the design and use of current therapeutics.

Module content

This module will examine in depth the analysis of drug action, and its application to the design and use of current therapeutics. We will define what drugs are, the different ways they act at the cellular and molecular level, and pharmacokinetic principles underlying drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination.   This framework will provide the basis to explore the rationale and goals of treatment for clinical therapeutic case studies.  These will highlight major current challenges to human health – in cardiovascular and respiratory disease, diabetes and obesity, CNS disorders, cancer and infectious disease.  Overall, the student 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. 

Molecular events that occur during the control of gene expression in bacteria will be explored. You'll learn by considering case studies, which will show you how complex programmes of gene action can occur in response to environmental stimuli. You will also study the regulation of genes in pathogenic bacteria.

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 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 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. 

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 will introduce you to advanced ideas about aspects of cellular and molecular immunology. You will learn about innate and humoral immunity and how humans can mount defence against infections from agents such as the HIV and diseases such as asthma. In addition you will find out about the major proteins involved and the genes coding for some of the proteins will be discussed. There will be two hours of lectures a week.

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.

This course aims to explain the background and rationale for the development of bioinformatics and computational biology. It will reveal the scope and role of bioinformatics resources and how they underpin scientific research globally, and illustrate the expedience of bioinformatics tools in molecular and cellular biochemistry research. Students will gain direct experience of using bioinformatics tools to process and interpret biological data

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.