Module Specification
The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module.
Title BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
Code LIFE104
Coordinator Dr AD Bates
Biochemistry
A.D.Bates@liverpool.ac.uk
Year CATS Level Semester CATS Value
Session 2016-17 Level 4 FHEQ Second Semester 15

Pre-requisites before taking this module (other modules and/or general educational/academic requirements):
LIFE101; LIFE103; LIFE105; LIFE107; LIFE109 A2 level Chemistry or equivalent 

Modules for which this module is a pre-requisite:
CHEM058 

Co-requisite modules:
 

Linked Modules:
 

Teaching Schedule
  Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other TOTAL
Study Hours 24

         12

6

 42
Timetable (if known) Refers to timetabled lectures
  		        Problem-solving sessions, group discussions and workshops, assessment
This consists of a 2-hour terminal exam, plus four online tests, which will be timetabled into specific periods.
  		 
Private Study 108
TOTAL HOURS 150

Assessment
EXAM Duration Timing
(Semester)		 % of
final
mark		 Resit/resubmission
opportunity		 Penalty for late
submission		 Notes
Unseen Written Exam  2h  2  80  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Assessment 2 Notes (applying to all assessments) 1029479 Assessment will be objective assessments (e.g. multiple choice and extended matching questions). Written examination will be objective assessments (e.g. multiple choice, extended matching questions, short-answer questions).  
CONTINUOUS Duration Timing
(Semester)		 % of
final
mark		 Resit/resubmission
opportunity		 Penalty for late
submission		 Notes
Coursework  4 h  2  20  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Assessment 1 

Aims
  • This module aims to develop in students:
     
    Knowledge and understanding of the chemical reactions that underpin biological processes

  • Awareness of the chemical processes that are required to understand pharmacological principles

  • The ability to apply, evaluate and interpret this knowledge to solve problems, in biochemistry, pharmacology and biomedicine.

    		•

    Learning Outcomes
    Apply basic thermodynamic principles to biological systems and energetics

    Identify the principles of electronic structure and organic and bioinorganic chemical reactions, and their analysis

    Describe the anomalous properties of water and their importance in biological systems

    Use the principles of chemical reaction rates to quantify enzymatic reactions and pharmacokinetics

    Explain the application of basic spectroscopic techniques

    Describe how these chemical and thermodynamic principles explain key biological mechanisms

    Teaching and Learning Strategies

    Lecture -

    Refers to timetabled lectures

    Workshop -

    Problem-solving sessions, group discussions and workshops, assessment

    Assessment -

    This consists of a 2-hour terminal exam, plus four online tests, which will be timetabled into specific periods.

    Syllabus
    1 

    Thermodynamics (2 sessions)

    Systems, First Law, Second Law

    Reactions/cells/organisms as thermodynamic systems

    Entropy, enthalpy, free energy

    Standard Free energy – actual free energy

    ATP and hexokinase in erythrocytes: free energy relations and energy coupling

    Equilibrium constant, relationship to standard free energy change


    Structure (4 sessions)

    Orbitals and bonding (reprise)

    Electronegativity, polar bonds, ions

    Structure, conformation and stereochemistry of drugs and biological molecules

    Stereochemistry

    Oxidation/reduction

    Electrochemical potential – relationship to ∆G, equilibria

     

    Organic chemical reactions (3 sessions)

    Electrophiles, nucleophiles

    Nucleophlic substitution reactions (SN1, SN2)

    Elimination reactions (E1 and E2)

    Nucleophilic addition reactions

    C-C bond formation

    Electrophilic aromatic substitution: substituent directing effects, substituents deactivating effects

    Drug fluorination

     

    Water (2 sessions)

    H-bonding

    Polarization

    Solvation

    H-phobic effect, hydropathy/protein folding, base stacking, membranes

    Dissociation, Kw

    Acids, bases, Ka, pKa

             Amino acids

    Henderson-Hasselbalch

    Buffers

     

    Kinetics (4 sessions)

    Exponential decline and half life

               Radioactivity, drug clearance

    Rates of chemical reactions

    First order, second order

    Rate constants, rate equations

    Relationship to ∆G, equilibria, binding and Kd

    Chemical catalysis

    Enzyme catalysis

    ES complex model/steady state

    Michaelis –Menten

             Link to ligand binding

    Enzyme inhibition

             Competitive, non-competitive, mixed examples.

     

    Spectroscopy (3 sessions)

    Absorption, emission, fluorescence principles

    UV-vis, IR

    Mass spectrometry

    Basic NMR

     

    Bioinorganic Chemistry (2 sessions)

    Metal ions and coordination chemistry 

    Iron in proteins: Haems; P450; FeS centres

    Copper and managanese ions in proteins

     

    Bioenergetics (2 sessions)

    Understanding energy conversion in biological systems; reduction potential, electron transfer and proton gradients.

     

    Enzyme catalysis (2 sessions)

    Amino acid c hemistry – serine proteases

    Co-factor chemistry – pyridoxal phosphate

    Recommended Texts
    Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module.
    Explanation of Reading List: