Structure and function of cellular biomolecules

This is the first of two units in the Biochemistry second year curriculum. These are two 6-credit point units introducing you to the fundamental concepts and knowledge required to understand cellular function at a molecular level and building the skills necessary for you to interpret biochemical information and perform biochemical experiments. The curriculum builds on foundational knowledge of cell biology and organic and physical chemistry, establishes the skills and understanding you will need for the more specialised third year biochemistry units and provides a broad appreciation of cellular processes relevant to all areas of life science.

In this unit (Structure and function of biomolecules), you will develop knowledge of the organelles and classes of molecules (nucleic acids, proteins, and membrane lipids) that exist within a functioning cell and understanding of how such biochemical components are produced and organised in the process of cellular replication. You will also develop skills in relation to the identification, quantification and localisation of cellular biomolecules, measurement of enzyme function, and testing hypotheses related to biosynthetic processes.