Biochemistry

The biochemistry module explores proteins, catalysis and biochemical pathways in depth, leading to a global view of how the metabolic network in the cell functions. Study of the metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids is used to illustrate biochemistry and thermodynamics in living cells, and how overlapping catabolic and anabolic pathways can be mutually regulated to allow a cell or organism to respond to changing conditions. Study of the three dimensional structures of proteins allows an understanding of how protein structure determines protein function. We will look in depth into how protein structure can explain catalysis by several enzymes, how structure governs interactions of proteins with ligands, other proteins, and nucleic acids, and how structure is involved in regulation of protein activity. This understanding of protein activity will be integrated into models describing how cells modulate complex metabolic pathways to their metabolic needs. Finally, at the scale of the whole metabolism of an organism (the metabolome), the module will consider the application of modelling techniques in the characterisation, understanding, and reconstruction of such complex networks.