Entry requirements

Alt 1. 60 credits Chemistry including Chemistry of the Cell, 5 credits or Biochemistry I, 5 credits or equivalent. Alt 2. 45 credits Chemistry including Chemistry of the Cell, 5 credits or Biochemistry I, 5 credits or equivalent in addition Genetics and Genetic Engineering, 15 credits.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• Account for the different interactions that are important at formation of structures in biological systems
• Account for basic concept within statistical thermodynamics and apply this on biological systems, macromolecules in solution, conformational equilibria, membrane equilibria, ligand binding and cooperativity
• Describe the different principles that apply to the role of transport proteins in biological membranes
• Account for typical membrane structures the most common model systems and the methods to study distribution to and transport through biological membranes
• Describe how kinetic factors can influence the precision in an enzyme catalysed row reaction
• Explain the principles of processive enzymes
• Describe how binding equilibria can be influenced by steric impediments in one or two dimensions
• Account for the most common methods for determination of equilibrium - and rate constants for macromolecule-ligand interactions.
• Explain different transport processes and their importance within biological systems and biochemical experiments

Content

The structure of biological macromolecules. Statistical thermodynamics especially applied on biological systems, macromolecules in solution, conformational equilibria, membrane equilibria, ligand binding and cooperativity. Reaction kinetics with a specialisation in precision in biosynthetic processes. Membrane structures. Methods to study equilibrium and speed for association-dissociation process. Membrane proteins and membrane transport. Processive enzymes, ligand binding with steric impediments in one and two dimensions. Physical methods for studies of the interaction of biological macromolecules. Transport processes with relevance in biological systems and experimental biochemistry.

Instruction

The teaching is given as lectures, lessons, seminars, laboratory sessions and projects with presentations. Communication training and profile according to chosen specialisation integrated with other course parts.

Assessment

Written tests are organised at the end of the course and/or during the course and correspond 6 HE credits. The laboratory sessions correspond to 4 HE credits. The final grade is received such as a joining of the results of the written examination and the laboratory sessions.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.