Biochemistry I

Catalog description

This course delves into the critical role of macromolecules and chemical reactions in living organisms, with a focus on molecular interactions, metabolic pathways, and the regulatory mechanisms that underpin biological processes. The student will start by analyzing macromolecules in organisms and study information on the structure, function, and interactions of key biological macromolecules including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, emphasizing their roles in cellular functions and intercellular interactions. The course then builds to analyzing macromolecules in organisms by building on this foundation, examining the interactions between these macromolecules and the forces driving these interactions, such as intermolecular forces and solubility principles. Finally, the student will explore chemical reactions in organisms through enzyme function and inhibition, metabolic pathways, like glycolysis and the citric acid cycle, and the electron transport chain, as well as the regulation of these pathways and the impact of metabolic disorders. Throughout the course, students will engage in activities and analyses that deepen their understanding of these biochemical processes and their relevance to the functioning of living organisms.