Course manual 2024/2025

Course content

The course is an introduction to the fundamentals of the chemistry life. What is life, what is necessary for life, how did life evolve? We will introduce how a cell functions at a basic level, from DNA to proteins and explain how the main organelles function at a molecular level. Specifically, the course deals with cellular compartmentalisation, lipid membranes, DNA transcription, protein synthesis, mitochondrial function and bio-orthongonal chemistry.

Study materials

Literature

Biochemistry Ninth Edition 2019, Lubert Stryer; Jeremy Berg; John Tymoczko; Gregory Gatto. ISBN:9781319402853

Other

Other material will be provided on Canvas.

Objectives

The student can compare basic cellular function and the organelles involved.
The student is able to explain the function and structure lipid membranes.
The student is able to illustrate the main processes of DNA transcription.
The student is able to illustrate the main processes involved in protein translation (synthesis).
The student is able to explain the main functions of the mitochondria.
The student is able to differentiate the principles and main reactions in bioorthogonal chemistry.
The student is able to participate in a scientific discussion during the plenary discussions.
The student is able to offer help during group work assignments in the plenary discussions.
The student is able to commit to a scientific position and justify it during the plenary discussion.
The student is able to perform and execute experiments along a given protocol.
The student is able to demonstrate accurate pipetting skills.
The student is able to adopt experimental setups meaningful if circumstances request.

Teaching methods

Self-study
Computer lab session/practical training
Lecture
Plenary Discussions
Working independently on e.g. a project or thesis

Learning activities

Activity	Hours
Lecture	27
Plenary discussions	9
Tutorials	4
Practical training	20
Working independently / in Learning Groups(!)	9
Self Study	96
Final Exam	3
Total	168	(6 EC x 28 h)

Attendance

Programme's requirements concerning attendance (OER-B):

Active participation is expected of each student in the course for which he is registered.
If a student cannot attend an obligatory part of a programme's component due to circumstances beyond his control, he must report in writing to the teacher in question as soon as possible. The teacher, if necessary after consulting the study adviser, may decide to issue the student a replacing assignment.
It is not allowed to miss obligatory parts of the programme's component if there is no case of circumstances beyond one's control.
In case of participating qualitatively or quantitatively insufficiently, the examiner can expel a student from further participation in the programme's component or a part of that component. Conditions for sufficient participation are fixed in advance in the study guide and/or on Canvas.

Additional requirements for this course:

Students have to pass the practical course part and have to pass the final exam to complete the course successfully.

Therefore the practical course parts are obligatory and must not be missed.

Assessment

Item and weight	Details
Final grade
0.8 (80%) Tentamen	Must be ≥ 6, Mandatory
0.2 (20%) Submission Measuring Report	Must be ≥ 6, Mandatory

Teaching language is English, but exams will be optionally in English or Dutch.

Inspection of assessed work

To receive a grade for the practical course part, the students hand in their report in Canvas as an assignment. These assignments will be graded and results will show up for each individual student in Canvas Grades.

Assignments

All provided worksheets are not graded they are supposed to assist the self-study and do not have to be handed in. These worksheets should be answered before our plenary discussions.

Reports are treated as the result of the practical course part. Students have to hand them in as Canvas Assignment and will receive the partial grade for the practical course via Canvas Grades.

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Course structure and time table are available on Canvas.

Additional information