PART I: Introduction to Biochemistry
Elements of Organic Chemistry:
General Overview of Carbon Compounds. Alkanes, Alkenes, Alkynes, Benzene. Overview of Functional Groups: Alcohols, Ethers and Phenols. Aldehydes and Ketones. Amines and Heterocycles.
Energy Changes in Chemical Reactions and Chemical Thermodynamics:
Thermodynamics and Work. The First and The Second Law of Thermodynamics. Enthalpy and Entropy Free Energy. Spontaneity and Equilibrium. Thermodynamics and Life.
Enzymes: classification, kinetics, and control
PART II: STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF BIOMOLECULES
Carbohydrate: General aspects and classification. Monosaccharides, Disaccharides and Polysaccharides.
Lipids: General aspects and classification. Fatty Acids, Triglycerides, Phospholipids, Sterols and Cholesterol.
Proteins: Amino Acids, Peptides, and Proteins. Covalent structures and three-dimensional structures of proteins. Protein Folding and Dynamics. Hemoglobin and Mioblobin. Protein Function
Pathological Hemoglobin.
Nucleic Acids: structure, fuction and general aspects. Nucleotides and Nucleosides
PART III: METABOLISM
Introduction to Metabolism:
Carbohydrate metabolism I: major metabolic pathways and their control. Glycolysis. Citric Acid Cycle. Electron Transport and Oxidative Phosphorylation. Carbohydrate metabolism II: special pathways and glycoconjugates. Glycogen Metabolism, Gluconeogenesis and the Pentose Phosphate Pathway.
Lipid Metabolism: utilization and storage of energy in lipid form. Pathways of metabolism of special lipids: β-oxidation and ketogenesis.
Protein Metabolism: Amino acid metabolism and Urea cycle.