Course Information

FACULTY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

VETERINARY BIOMOLECULAR SCIENCES –

BVMS I

Curriculumfor the degreeof bvms

COURSE INFORMATION

2005 –2006

COURSE LEADER:L. NASIR & C. BRITTON

QUALITY ASSURANCE OFFICER:V. DALE

EXAMINATION OFFICER:C.BRITTON

INFORMATION FOR THE FIRST YEAR COURSE IN

VETERINARY BIOMOLECULAR SCIENCES

ACADEMIC YEAR 2005/2006

PLEASE NOTE

Items contained within this Course Information Document are sometimes unavoidably subject to change. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the correct lecture, practical, tutorial and examination schedules. Lecture venues may be changed during the Course. The Year Notice boards and email should be checked daily.

Code of Professional Conduct to Fitness to Practice. You are reminded that you will be expected to have read the above code, sign for it and implemented during your time in the course.

Special Needs. All staff are not routinely made aware of Students with Disabilities. This information is considered confidential unless such a person agrees to complete disclosure. Consequently, the onus is on you to make individual staff aware of special needs you may have that impact on a particular method of teaching; staff will attempt to make reasonable adjustments. E.g. you may have a degree of red-green colour blindness and have difficulty distinguishing certain tissues or cells during microscopy.

CONTENTSPAGE NO

1.Place of the Course in the BVMS Degree Curriculum 1

2.Aims of the Course1

3.Learning Objectives of the Course1

4.Components of the Course (4.1 - 4.13)1-8

5.Course Content 8

6.Course Texts and Required Reading 8

7.Teaching Hours and Teaching Methods

7.1 Teaching Hours9

7.2 Lecture Course9

7.3Lab and Computer Classes10

7.4Tutorials10

7.5Self Directed Learning Assignment10

8.Methods of Assessment

8.1 Methods of Assessment of Student Learning and the Course11-12

8.2 Examinations and Course Work13-14

8.3Role of External examiner and oral exmainations14

8.4Marks to Grade Correlation for the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine15

8.5The External Examiner16

8.5Prizes16

9.Policy on exemptions and course certification16

10.Other Important Information17

10.1Protective Clothing, Health and Safety17

10.2Staff-student liaison, Student Notices, Illnes, Help & Advice17

10.3Staff 18

10.4Moodle18

11. Practical Competencies required of the Veterinary Surgeon19-20

12. Essential Competences Required of the New Veterinary Graduate20-22

INFORMATION FOR THE FIRST YEAR COURSE IN

VETERINARY BIOMOLECULAR SCIENCES

ACADEMIC YEAR 2005/2006

  1. PLACE OF THE COURSE IN THE BVMS DEGREE CURRICULUM

The Veterinary Biomolecular Sciences course is taught over two years jointly by the Divisions of Animal Production and Public health, Pathological Sciences and Infection and Immunity. Teaching is conducted by means of lectures and small group tutorials along with laboratory and computer-based classes and a Student Directed Learning Assignment. There is liaison with other Pre-Clinical courses and the later years of the course to ensure adequate coordination in appropriate areas. Most components of the course are taught on the main University campus at Gilmorehill, with some classes at the computer cluster of the VeterinarySchool at Garscube. The course is spread over the first and second years of the BVMS course.

  1. AIMS OF THE COURSE

To provide veterinary undergraduates with knowledge and understanding of:

  • molecular function in health and disease of animals
  • cellular function in health and disease of animals
  • cell signalling and interaction between tissues and organs in health and disease in animals
  • molecular and cellular functions of commensal and pathogenic microrganisms
  • applications of biotechnology to diagnosis and treatment of diseases of animals
  1. LEARNING OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE

The student should understand:

  • How biochemical and molecular mechanisms interact to maintain the health of animals
  • How malfunctions in biochemical and molecular mechanisms lead to disease in animals
  • How advances in biotechnology are improving the diagnosis and treatment of disese in animals

4.COMPONENTS OF THE COURSE

The Course is made up of several Components. Each Component is a set of Lectures with a series of Laboratory/computer classes and tutorials related to particular parts of the course. These components with their aims and learning objectives are listed below in the order they appear in the Course

4.1Introduction to Biomolecular Sciences

Aims:

  • To introduce students to veterinary biomolecular sciences in preparation for the succeeding parts of the lecture course.

Learning Objectives:the students should be able to

  • Understand the relationship between biomolecular sciences, biology and veterinary medicine
  • Be familiar with the levels of organisation in biology, emphasising molecule, cell and organism
  • Appreciate the concept of the genome as a set of genes containing information for an organism

4.2Proteins

Aims:

  • To present a basis for understanding the structures and activities of proteins which will be encountered throughout the course and in veterinary practice

Learning Objectives: the students should be able to

  • Draw the general structure of L-alpha aminoacids
  • Describe examples of polar, non-polar and charged side chains
  • Describe the ionisation of aminoacids and their side chains
  • Draw the structure of the peptide linkage and describe how peptides are named
  • Cite examples of peptides with high biological activity
  • Explain classification of proteins based on shape
  • Define the terms primary structure, secondary structure, supersecondary structure, domain, tertiary and quaternary structure
  • Draw the structures of -helix,  sheets, -turns and collagen helix
  • Describe the structure and function of fibrous proteins
  • Describe the interaction between deoxyhaemoglobin and oxygen as a model for allosteric effects
  • Describe the types of weak interactions which maintain protein structure and allow interaction with other molecules

4.3Cell Biology

Aims:

  • To introduce and present the structure and function of cell membranes and cellular organelles.
  • To introduce and present the processes of mammalian cell growth and cell death

Learning Objectives: the students should be able to

  • Describe the structure of phospholipid bilayers and their importance as the basis for cell membranes
  • Understand the role of additional lipids (cholesterol and glycolipids) in membrane structure.
  • Outline the difference between transmembrane, lipid linked and peripheralmembrane proteins.
  • Outline the functions of membrane proteins.
  • Describe the factors that contribute to membrane fluidity and asymmetry.
  • Know the basic structure of eukaryotic cells.
  • Describe the structure and function of cell organelles.
  • Outline the pathways by which proteins are transported within the cell.
  • Outline the principle elements of the cytoskeleton (microfilamants, microtubules and intermediate filaments).
  • Describe the transport (diffusion, active, facilitated) of small molecules in and out of cells
  • Describe the role of exocytosis and endocytosis in the transport of large molecules in and out of cells.
  • Describe the mammalian cell cycle.
  • Describe how progress through the cell cycle is controlled by cyclins and cylin dependent. kinases and ‘checkpoints’.
  • Understand the association between loss of cell cycle control and cancer.
  • Explain the mechanisms of cell death (apoptosis and necrosis).
  • List the differences between apoptosis and necrosis.

4.4Molecular Biology

Aims:

  • To present the biochemistry of nucleotides and nucleic acids.
  • To present the basic molecular biological processes involved in hereditary and gene expression.

Learning Objectives: the students should be able to

  • Describe the base, sugar and phosphate moieties of nucleotides.
  • Describe phosphodiester bond and the concept of chain polarity and the 3' and 5' ends of polynucleotides.
  • Explain the importance of primary and secondary structure in DNA/RNA.
  • Describe the main features of the double helical Watson Crick model of DNA.
  • Understand the implications of the antiparrallel complementary nature of DNA.
  • Describe 4 types of template directed nucleic acid polymerises.
  • Understand the structure of chromatin and chromosomes.
  • Describe the general features of DNA replication (semi-conservative, replication origins, fork movement).
  • Describe the role of DNA polymerases in replication.
  • Explain the attainment of fidelity of DNA replication.
  • Describe the function of proteins and enzymes at the replication fork.
  • Outline damage to DNA and its repair.
  • Describe the process of transcription.
  • Describe 5' capping, 3' tailing and nuclear exit.
  • Define introns and exons and splicing of eukaryotic RNA.
  • Describe the ribosome, rRNA and tRNAs and their functions.
  • Explain codon, anticodons and features of the genetic code.
  • Describe the concept of open reading frame.
  • Describe initiation and termination of translation.
  • Outline post synthetic modification of proteins and their targeting to specific locations.
  • Outline eukaryotic gene regulation.

4.5Enzymes

Aims:

  • To give an understanding of the importance of enzymes in metabolism.
  • To explain the function of enzymes as biological catalysts in relation to their protein structure.

Learning Objectives: the students should be able to

  • Understand enzyme nomenclature based on reactions catalysed.
  • Explain the mechanism by which enzymes act as catalysts.
  • Be familiar with the kinetics of enzyme activity (Kmax, Vmax, Lineweaver plot).
  • Explain the mechanism of enzyme action in relation to active sites, binding sites, orientation and proximity.
  • Be familiar with enzyme specificity and the requirement for optimal reaction conditions.
  • Explain in molecular terms irreversible, reversible, competitive and non-competitive enzyme inhibition.
  • Understand the regulation of enzyme activity, allosteric modulation and enzymes in metabolic regulation.

4.6Central Pathways of Metabolism

Aims:

  • To present the organisation of cellular metabolism and its relationship to thermodynamics.
  • To describe the reactions of the central pathways of carbon metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation.

Learning Objectives (Cellular metabolism):the students should be able to

  • Define the terms autotrophic and heterotrophic and their significance for the metabolism of higher organisms
  • Understand the limitations of chemical thermodynamics as applied to cellular metabolism
  • Understand the conservation of energy in the form of ATP
  • State the significance of anaerobic and aerobic metabolism to the economy of the cell
  • Understand the importance of various redox compounds as cofactors in metabolism
  • Outline the significance of the chemistry and thermodynamics of glycolysis
  • Understand the significance of the irreversible reactions in glycolysis
  • Understand the role of pyruvate reduction in regenerating NAD+
  • Know how monosaccharides other than glucose enter metabolism
  • Know the structure/function relationships of glycogen and its metabolism
  • Understand the significance of pentose phosphate pathway in comparison with glycolysis
  • Know the reactions of pyruvate dehydrogenase and the significance of its cofactors
  • Know in outline the reactions of the Krebs cycle and its relation with other pathways
  • Understand the significance of anaplerotic pathways
  • Know the precursors and pathways of gluconeogenesis, and their physiological significance

Learning Objectives (Oxidative Phosphorylation):the students should be able to

  • Describe the form and functions of mitochondria and its inner and outer membrane, matrix and inter membrane space
  • Understand the origin of the components of the mitochondrion
  • Know the process of oxidative phosphorylation
  • Understand the relevance of reduced cofactors, NADH and FADH2 as a source of energy
  • Understand the electron transport chain as a series of redox reactions
  • Understand the relation of free energy to reduction potential in relation to the electron transport chain
  • Describe the components of the electron transport chain
  • Be familiar with the components of the ATPase complex
  • Understand the phosphorylation of ADP on ATPase
  • Provide evidence to support the chemiosmotic theory of oxidative phosphorylation
  • Understand transport systems across mitochondrial membranes

4.7Lipid and Ketone Body Metabolism

Aims

  • Describe the types of lipids, their nomenclature, structure and function
  • Explain the importance of lipids and lipid metabolism in biological processes
  • Demonstrate how lipids are transported, oxidised and synthesised

Learning Objectives: the students should be able to

  • Understand the role of lipoproteins in transport of lipid between tissues
  • Describe adipose tissue as source of stored lipid and triglyceride as a source of stored energy
  • Describe Carnitine acyl transferase in the transport of fatty acid into mitochondrion
  • Understand -oxidation of acyl-CoA, with production of NADH and acetyl CoA and its control
  • Explain fatty acid synthesis in the cytoplasm
  • Describe the citrate shuttle for the export of acetyl CoA from the mitochondrion
  • Understand fatty acid synthase complex as a multi domain enzyme
  • Describe the synthesis of malonyl CoA
  • Compare fatty acid synthesis to -oxidation
  • Understand cholesterol biosynthesis and its control
  • Understand phopholipid metabolism

4.8 Concepts of Biostatistics :

Aims:

  • Introduce the science of statistics as a tool for experimental design and analysis
  • Provide an understanding of the use of statistics in scientific research.
  • Provide an understanding of statistical concepts and how to use computer programs

Learning Objectives: the student should be able to

  • Describe the use of means and distributions to summarise data
  • Present the analysis of categorical data
  • Introduce the analysis of continuously distributed data
  • Be familiar with the use of correlations and regression analysis to examine relationships among traits
  • Illustrate analysis of variance to partition variation in continuously distributed traits

4.9Genetics

Aims:

  • Provide an understanding of chromosomal disorders (cytogenetics)
  • Provide an understanding of single gene disorders (mendelian gneetics)
  • Provide an understanding of quantitative genetics

Learning Objectives:the student should be able to

  • Define and describe how karyotype ar e prepared
  • Describe the different types of chromosomal abnormalities (structural and numerical)
  • Discuss how abnormal karyotypes arise and the consequences for reproduction and performance traits
  • Describe the types of gene mutations that cause genetic diseases
  • Explain X chromosome inactivation and its consequences
  • Describe the different models for inherited single gene disorders
  • Discuss the factors that complicate basic modes of inheritance
  • Define and describe quantititative or multifactorial traits
  • Explain how some quantitiative traits are due to a combination of genetic and environmental influences

4.10Nitrogen metabolism

Aims:

  • Present the biochemical pathways for the synthesis and degradation of nitrogen containing biochemical compounds
  • Demonstrate the importance of the source and fates of amine groups and carbon skeletons

Learning Objectives:the students should be able to

  • Know the central roles of glutamine synthetase and glutamate dehydrogenase in nitrogen metabolism
  • Understand the role of amino transaminases and pyridoxal phosphate in the transfer of amino groups from amino to keto-acids
  • Explain the mechanism of transport of ammonia from brain & muscle to liver and the role of glutamine and alanine
  • Understand the toxic effect of ammonia and the metabolism of the urea cycle in mammals
  • Understand the linkage between urea cycle and TCA cycle
  • Know the metabolic intermediates that are the source of carbon skeletons for amino acids
  • Give examples of synthesis of amino acids (essential and non essential)
  • Understand the importance of amino acids as precursors of other N-compounds - porphyrins, nucleotides and hormones
  • Know the importance of deamination in amino acid catabolism
  • Explain how glucogenic amino acids can provide glucose by gluconeogenesis
  • Understand the role of ketogenic amino acids in ketone body metabolism
  • Explain the catabolism of nucleotides
  • Understand the comparative aspect of nitrogen metabolism with particular reference to ruminants and carnivores

4.11 Biochemistry of digestion and nutrition

Aims:

  • To describe the importance of the major and minor nutrients to the metabolism of an animal's body.
  • To present the biochemical mechanisms of digestion and absorption of the major nutrients in mono-gastric animals
  • To describe the process of fermentation, digestion and absorption of nutrients in ruminating animals

Learning Objectives: the students should be able to

  • Understand the importance of protein, lipid and carbohydrate in the diet
  • Understand the digestion of carbohydrate, protein and lipid in non-ruminant
  • Understand an outline of biochemical interactions in the rumen
  • Know how fermentation in the rumen leads to the production of volatile fatty acids
  • Know how nitrogen in the diet is assimilated by ruminants
  • Understand the requirement for minerals in the diet and their role in metabolism
  • Know the fat and water soluble vitamins and their role in metabolism
  • Explain the role of trace elements in metabolism

4.12 Biochemistry of blood

Aims:

  • Provide and understanding of the biochemical aspects of the red blood cell, its metabolism and maintenance during its life span and the transport of O2 and CO2 by the red blood cell,
  • Describe the roles of globins in oxygen binding and the effects of ligands on the binding
  • Describe the synthesis and degradation of haemoglobin and the structures and functions of selected plasma proteins pertinent to their roles in transport of solutes around the body

Learning Objectives: the students should be able to

  • Describe the components of blood
  • Describe the principal classes of plasma proteins and their roles in transport
  • Understand the blood clotting mechanism
  • Describe the main proteins involved in blood clotting and clot lysis
  • Describe the main proteins in the red blood cell membrane and their functions
  • Explain the importance of carbonic anhydrase
  • Describe the role of glycolysis in the production of 2,3-BPG
  • Explain the importance of the PPP and NADPH
  • Describe the anti-oxidant defense mechanisms of the red blood cell
  • Outline the main structural features of hemoglobin and myoglobin
  • Compare the properties of myoglobin (hyperbolic) and hemoglobin (sigmoid)
  • Describe the overall transport of O2, CO2 and H+ by the red blood cell
  • Explain the effects of CO2, H+ and 2,3-BPG on oxygen binding by Hb
  • Understand the phsysiological importance of allosteric regulation of Hb
  • Explain the differences between maternal and foetal Hb
  • Explain the basis of Hb diseases
  • Outline the synthesis of Hb
  • Describe the death of the RBC and the production of bilirubin

4.13 Cellular signalling & Molecular Endocrinology

Aims:

  • To present the general principles of cell signaling with particular emphasis on the role of hormones
  • To show how hormones can be classified by (i) their chemical nature, (ii) the cellular location of their specific receptors and (iii) whether they induce short- or long-term responses
  • To present the signaling pathways employed by different classes of hormones and demonstrate how such pathways alter the behaviour of cells and elicit biological effects.

Learning Objectives: the students should be able to