Biochemistry III- Proteins from gene to function

About this programme

Proteins are responsible for most activities in a cell. For example, they synthesise DNA, RNA, proteins and lipids, they facilitate the uptake of essential nutrients and ions, generate cellular energy and help the cell divide. Proteins that fail to function, through genetic mutations, are the cause of a number of diseases. And protein-based drugs are often a solution to treat these diseases. This course provides a deeper understanding of proteins, by studying their life and ultimately their death. We marvel at the birth of a protein on the ribosome, admire the complexities of its journey through the cell and are amazed at the intricacies of its folding and assembly into a functional unit. We also explore how it functions to carry out biochemical processes. We investigate the way that a protein is degraded so that the cycle can be repeated. Along the way you receive grounding in important methodologies to study proteins. The knowledge acquired is used to understand the molecular basis for protein-based diseases. It is also used to understand how protein-based drugs can be developed to treat these diseases. The course consists of several lectures and three laboratory practicals. There is also a literature assignment, where students work together in small groups to investigate a contemporary, front-line area of biochemical research. Details about these activities are described below. Lectures Lectures are given 9-12.00 or 13-16.00. The lectures are designed to provide students with an introduction to the area. It is expected that the students supplement lectures with readi