Explore UCD

UCD Home >

BIOC30010

Academic Year 2024/2025

Metabolism and Disease (BIOC30010)

Subject:
Biochemistry
College:
Science
School:
Biomolecular & Biomed Science
Level:
3 (Degree)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Tanja Narancic
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module examines the metabolism of amino acids, nucleotides, carbohydrates and cholesterol with a special emphasis on metabolism based diseases. Topics covered include protein nutritional requirements in humans, amino acid and nucleotide formation and breakdown, the role of vitamins and cofactors in health and disease, how enzyme deficiencies can cause diseases, how enzyme inhibitors can be used to treat diseases, cholesterol metabolism and membrane trafficking. In the practical classes students will quantify biomolecules and assess the protein content of a given diet. One of the main aims is to ensure students can obtain accurate experimental results.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:1. Judge the accuracy of their pipetting and spectrophotometric techniques relative to that of the class.2. Explain how and why ATP is used to facilitate biochemical reactions. 3. Describe the formation and breakdown of amino acids and nucleotides. 4. Explain the biochemical basis of diseases such as gout, spina bifida, alcaptonuria, porphyrias and Parkinson's disease and how enzyme inhibitors can be used to treat diseases such as cancer. 5. Describe the role of selected cofactors in health and disease. 6. Describe cholesterol metabolism and membrane trafficking. 7.Describe carbohydrate metabolism and the role of hormones in the glycogen regulation and glycogen storage diseases. Understand the metabolism of alcohol and the metabolic changes in diabetes.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Tutorial

2
Practical

20
Specified Learning Activities

8
Autonomous Student Learning

64
Total

118

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This modules uses problem solving skills by understanding the methods and techniques used in a laboratory experiment. It also improves the writing skills by generating several laboratory reports with feedback from the instructor and coordinators.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

It is recommended that students taking this module have successfully completed BIOC20050 or other modules with equivalent learning outcomes.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Report(s): Continuous assessment. Two lab practicals write ups. Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11 Graded No
15
 No
Practical Skills Assessment: Class test related to lab classes. Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
15
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: A formative assessment. Preparation for the final exam. Week 6, Week 7, Week 8 Graded No
10
 No
Exam (Online): Online, open book exam. Problem based questions with short (maximum 300 words) written answers. End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
 Graded No
60
 No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback will be available for all laboratory classes and their write ups. This will help to answer the laboratory test at the end of the semester.

Name Role
Dr Patrick Caffrey Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Gerard Cagney Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Chandralal Hewage Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Seema Nathwani Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Atia Batool Tutor
Ms Manushak Hovsepyan Tutor
Ms Clodagh Murphy Tutor
Ellen Purcell Tutor

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Laboratory Offering 1 Week(s) - 11 Mon 10:00 - 11:50
Autumn Laboratory Offering 1 Week(s) - 2, 4, 6, 7 Mon 10:00 - 12:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Thurs 12:00 - 12:50
Autumn Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Tues 14:00 - 14:50
Print this page
Fill in the following details:
Enter the body of your query here.

From time to time UCD would like to send you further information that we feel, based on your enquiry, would be of interest to you.