9 ECTS credits
235 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1017330BNR for all students in the 1st semester at a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.

Semester
1st semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Impossible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Enrollment Requirements
Students must have followed ‘Chemistry: Structure of Matter and Chemical Reactions I’ and 'Chemistry: Structure of Matter and Chemical Reactions II', before they can enroll for ‘Biochemistry’.
Taught in
Dutch
Faculty
Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences
Department
Bio-Engineering Sciences
Educational team
Jan Steyaert (course titular)
Laila Maes
Activities and contact hours
52 contact hours Lecture
39 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
Course Content

This Biochemistry course provides an introduction to the molecular design of life. First, we describe the molecular structure of nucleic acids, proteins and explain replication, transcription and  translation. Next we discribe biological membranes.

In a second part, we focus on the structure-function relation of proteins: Enzymatic activity (Lysozyme, RNase A, Chymotrypsine, ...), Coöperativity (Hemoglobine en ATCase), enzyme regulation and protein folding.

The last part of the course describes the metabolismof living animals including the key anabolic and catabolic patways (glycolysis, Krebbs cycle, oxidative fosforylation, glycogen metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, pentose phosphate patway, gluconeogenesis).

For the bio-engineers we also teach the metabolism of aminoacids and nucleic acids

Course material
Handbook (Required) : Biochemistry, Jeremy M. Berg, John L. Tymoczko and Lubert Stryer, 9de, Freeman / Macmillan, 9781319498504, 2023
Digital course material (Recommended) : Biochemie, De cursus wordt gedoceerd door gebruik van powerpoint slides., Powerpoint slides worden gebruikt en ook aan de studenten ter beschikking gesteld
Additional info

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Learning Outcomes

General competencies

Aim of the course

The students have a conceptual insight in the molecular basis of life. If possible, we teach these concepts using experimental results to train the students with the experimental approaches of the molecular biologist, biophysist, geneticist, ...

Troughout the course we aim at integrating the different subjects of the program. For example, ATCase, a key enzyme in the metabolism of nucleotides is also used as an example to describe the allosteric feedback regulation of enzymes.  

Competences aimed at

The students shoud be able to: 

  • Draw the structure of the key biological molecules
  • to describe the molecular forces that define the structure and the interactions between biomolecules and drive metabolism
  • understand the flow of information (replication, transcription and translation)
  • Can describe the structure-function relations of biological macromolecules (DNA, proteins,...) by using real examples.
  • Can describe the most important anabolic and catabolic pathways and integrate them in a broader metabolic network.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • mondeling examen with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

    Note: Het examen wordt schriftelijke voorbereid en mondeling afgenomen.

Additional info regarding evaluation

The examination ivolves a discussion between the student and the examinator, based on a written preparation by the student 

  
Representative questions include:

- Write down the covalent structure of the peptide Lys Ala His Val. What is the net charge of this peptide at pH5 ?
- Decribe the cooperative properties of hemoglobin.
- Describe the process of transcription
- Describe the oxidative part of the oxidative phosphorylation

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Bioengineering Sciences: Profile Cell and Gene Biotechnology (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Bioengineering Sciences: Profile Chemistry and Bioprocess Technology (only offered in Dutch)
Bachelor of Bioengineering Sciences: Initial track (only offered in Dutch)