Medical Biochemistry (CFUBK_082)
About Study Course
Objective
To provide theoretical and practical knowledge of biochemical processes (digestion and metabolism) occurring in human organism on a molecular level. To facilitate the understanding of regulatory mechanisms of biochemical processes both on molecular as well as on physiological level. To elucidate differences in and specific adaptations of biochemical processes in various tissues/organs (cell metabolism). To gain insight in pathological processes related to energy metabolism. To know the use of important biochemical markers and understand basic principles of their quantitative and qualitative detection methods.
Prerequisites
Physics, chemistry, biology, anatomy.
Learning outcomes
1.On completion of the course students will be able to:
• explain and describe the synthesis and hydrolysis of proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates;
• name factors influencing enzyme activity;
• classify digestive enzymes according to their mechanism of action and name the enzymes involved in digestion of the main nutrient classes;
• recognise and name the basic metabolites of carbohydrate metabolism, name enzymes and characterise their principle of action, explain the role and regulation of various metabolic pathways and cycles (e.g. glycolysis, oxidative decarboxylation and the Krebs cycle, glycogen synthesis and breakdown);
• identify and recognise the major metabolites of lipid metabolism, name enzymes and describe their principle of action, explain the role and regulation of various metabolic pathways (e.g. beta oxidation, fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis);
• recognise and name the major metabolites of amino acid metabolism, name enzymes and characterise the principle of action, explain the role and regulation of metabolic pathways (e.g. ammonium detoxification and urea cycle);
• describe metabolic pathways in human metabolism that connect carbohydrates, lipids and amino acids and allow these groups of substances to transform into each other, name hormones that affect these transformations;
• name and explain complications related to dysfunction of biochemical pathways studied in the course (e.g. lactoacidosis and ketoacidosis);
• name and explain differences between biochemical processes of various tissues/organs (cellular metabolism) and their specific adaptations;
• learn methods required for basic biochemistry analysis performed in medicine.
1.1. Use of knowledge – ability to:
• explain how enzymes activity is affected, based on the mechanism of action of enzymes;
• explain how molecules are sequentially digested during digestion process, identify end products of digestion process;
• explain step by step using the appropriate metabolic pathways, carbohydrates degradation for energy generation and carbohydrate storage;
• explain sequentially with appropriate metabolic pathways, lipid breakdown for energy extraction and carbohydrates storage;
• explain sequentially using the appropriate metabolic pathways, the degradation of amino acids for energy generation, fate of the carbon skeleton and the ammonia detoxification;
• explain step by step using the appropriate metabolic pathways, interactions between fats and sugars and evaluate in which metabolic situations these transformations take place;
• explain the application and basic principle of biochemical tests of biological samples (blood and urine) used to determine the functional state of the human body.
2. Problem solving skills.
3. Skills to use scientific literature as a source of information.
4. Laboratory safety skills.
5. Communication skills gained through organized team work.
1.On completion of the course students will be able to:
• assess possible changes in the regulation of enzymes in various homeostatic disorders and predict the consequences on total metabolism;
• analyse possible changes on the digestive process with low activity of certain digestive enzymes, and predict consequences on the total spectrum of absorbed nutrients;
• analyse possible changes in human metabolism in the presence of some carbohydrate, lipid or amino acid pathway disorders and predict their effects on other metabolic pathways and human homeostasis;
• use the skills acquired in laboratory work – prepare and conduct laboratory experiment, use the relevant equipment and evaluate the results in further practical or scientific work;
• integrate knowledge of biochemistry as part of the knowledge of the individual by promoting a perception of the human as a single organism.
Study course planning
| Study programme | Study semester | Program level | Study course category | Lecturers | Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine | 3 | Master's | Required | Ilze Izabella Popesku, Dace Reihmane, Agnese Kokina, Ilze Izabella Popesku, Ilze Izabella Popesku, Agnese Kokina, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Linda Laizāne, Jeļena Raudeniece, Jeļena Raudeniece, Linda Laizāne, Agnese Kokina, Mērija Agnese Meiberga, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Mērija Agnese Meiberga, Reinis Putrālis, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Reinis Putrālis, Reinis Putrālis, Kalvis Brangulis, Kalvis Brangulis, Reinis Putrālis, Lauris Vasiļevskis, Uldis Apsalons, Uldis Apsalons, Lauris Vasiļevskis, Ilze Justamente, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Ilze Justamente, Ilze Justamente, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Kalvis Brangulis, Linda Laizāne, Mērija Agnese Meiberga, Mērija Agnese Meiberga, Ilze Izabella Popesku, Ilze Izabella Popesku, Mērija Agnese Meiberga, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Linda Laizāne, Uldis Apsalons, Uldis Apsalons, Linda Laizāne, Jeļena Raudeniece, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Jeļena Raudeniece, Ināra Nokalna, Kalvis Brangulis, Kalvis Brangulis, Ināra Nokalna, Reinis Putrālis, Ināra Nokalna, Ināra Nokalna, Reinis Putrālis, Ināra Nokalna | |
| Medicine | 3 | Master's | Required | Ilze Izabella Popesku, Dace Reihmane, Agnese Kokina, Ilze Izabella Popesku, Ilze Izabella Popesku, Agnese Kokina, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Linda Laizāne, Jeļena Raudeniece, Jeļena Raudeniece, Linda Laizāne, Agnese Kokina, Mērija Agnese Meiberga, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Mērija Agnese Meiberga, Reinis Putrālis, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Reinis Putrālis, Reinis Putrālis, Kalvis Brangulis, Kalvis Brangulis, Reinis Putrālis, Lauris Vasiļevskis, Uldis Apsalons, Uldis Apsalons, Lauris Vasiļevskis, Ilze Justamente, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Ilze Justamente, Ilze Justamente, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Kalvis Brangulis, Linda Laizāne, Mērija Agnese Meiberga, Mērija Agnese Meiberga, Ilze Izabella Popesku, Ilze Izabella Popesku, Mērija Agnese Meiberga, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Linda Laizāne, Uldis Apsalons, Uldis Apsalons, Linda Laizāne, Jeļena Raudeniece, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Jeļena Raudeniece, Ināra Nokalna, Kalvis Brangulis, Kalvis Brangulis, Ināra Nokalna, Reinis Putrālis, Ināra Nokalna, Ināra Nokalna, Reinis Putrālis, Ināra Nokalna |
| Study programme | Study semester | Program level | Study course category | Lecturers | Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine | 3 | Master's | Required | Ilze Izabella Popesku, Dace Reihmane, Agnese Kokina, Ilze Izabella Popesku, Ilze Izabella Popesku, Agnese Kokina, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Linda Laizāne, Jeļena Raudeniece, Jeļena Raudeniece, Linda Laizāne, Agnese Kokina, Mērija Agnese Meiberga, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Mērija Agnese Meiberga, Reinis Putrālis, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Reinis Putrālis, Reinis Putrālis, Kalvis Brangulis, Kalvis Brangulis, Reinis Putrālis, Lauris Vasiļevskis, Uldis Apsalons, Uldis Apsalons, Lauris Vasiļevskis, Ilze Justamente, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Ilze Justamente, Ilze Justamente, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Kalvis Brangulis, Linda Laizāne, Mērija Agnese Meiberga, Mērija Agnese Meiberga, Ilze Izabella Popesku, Ilze Izabella Popesku, Mērija Agnese Meiberga, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Linda Laizāne, Uldis Apsalons, Uldis Apsalons, Linda Laizāne, Jeļena Raudeniece, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Kristiāna Kovtuna, Jeļena Raudeniece, Ināra Nokalna, Kalvis Brangulis, Kalvis Brangulis, Ināra Nokalna, Reinis Putrālis, Ināra Nokalna, Ināra Nokalna, Reinis Putrālis, Ināra Nokalna |
