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 animal and plant systems. The animal stream will cover topics such as cancer metabolism and the metabolism of foreign agents (xenobiotics), molecular mechanisms related to drug development and 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 Medial 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.

Undergraduate LOs:

On satisfying the requirements of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. discuss recent advances in plant and animal biochemistry;
2. understand the biochemical evolution of photosynthesis and the specific signalling and metabolic processes involved in plant-pathogen interactions;
3. have an appreciation of the role that molecules play in a numbers of disease states and the therapies used to combat these disorders;
4. research and read the literature critically to assimilate views on new findings

• Tutorial assessment (20%; LO1, 2 and 3)
• Essay (20% LO1, 4 and 2 or 3)
• Final exam (60% LO1, 2 and 3)

3 lectures and one tutorial per week

Prerequisites BIOL2171 and CHEM1201

BIOL2161

None