Rapid advances in plant and animal biochemistry over recent years have fundamentally changed fields of science ranging from medicine to agriculture and food security. This course will present these recent advances exploring both the specifics and commonalities that exist in biochemistry when comparing mammalian and plant systems. The medical biochemistry stream will cover topics such as cancer metabolism, personalised immunology, molecular mechanisms related to drug development, ion channel function and aspects of translational medicine. In the plant stream, topics to be covered include plant disease, CO2 fixation, photosynthesis and climate change. Lectures will be presented from experts from both the John Curtin School of Medical Research and the Research School of Biology. This course offers an excellent opportunity for students to understand how biochemistry impacts everyday life, and expand their knowledge of biochemistry across a platform of diverse and important disciplines.
Note: Graduate students attend joint classes with undergraduates but are assessed separately.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- appreciate the background science related to plant and animal biochemistry that will drive future biotechnological developments.
- comprehend the processes involved in plant-pathogen interactions (i.e. biochemical evolution of photosynthesis, the specific signaling and metabolic processes) that will shape future advances
- have an understanding of the role that molecules play in a numbers of disease states and the therapies used to combat these disorders. This will enable students to have an informed view of current issues driving medical therapies.
- critically review and research scientific literature and be able to canvas ideas and opinions on a particular research topic.
Other Information
The Biology Teaching and Learning Centre is located in Building 116. Alternatively you can email rsb.studentadmin@anu.edu.au to request a permission code to enrol in this course.Indicative Assessment
- Medical biochemistry assignment assessment (20) [LO 1,2,3]
- 1000 word essay and 10 min of oral seminar presentation (20) [LO 1,4]
- Mid semester and Final exam (50) [LO 1,2,3]
- Tutorial quizes (10) [LO 1,2,3,4]
In response to COVID-19: Please note that Semester 2 Class Summary information (available under the classes tab) is as up to date as possible. Changes to Class Summaries not captured by this publication will be available to enrolled students via Wattle.
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
The expected workload will consist of approximately 130 hours throughout the semester including:
- Face-to face component which may consist of 3 x 1 hour lectures per week and 1 x 1 hours of tutorial per week throughout the semester.
- Approximately 75 hours of self-study which will include preparation for lectures, presentations and other assessment tasks.
Students are expected to actively participate and contribute towards discussions.
Inherent Requirements
Not yet determined
Requisite and Incompatibility
You will need to contact the Biology Teaching and Learning Centre or John Curtin School of Medical Research to request a permission code to enrol in this course.
Prescribed Texts
Nil
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $4050 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2020 | $5760 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3685 | 24 Feb 2020 | 02 Mar 2020 | 08 May 2020 | 05 Jun 2020 | In Person | View |
