Keele University Prospectus Undergraduate | 2016 | Page 54

NATURAL SCIENCES

Biochemistry
Overview

Biochemistry is the study of the activities of living
organisms at the cellular and molecular level. It is a
key science in medical research and diagnosis, and
has led to many important advances in the treatment
of human disease. A degree in biochemistry is the
first step towards a wide variety of careers in the
pharmaceutical and food industries, in the hospital
service, in many aspects of biological and medical
research and in education, as well as other more
generic graduate careers.
Our programme offers a particular emphasis on
mammalian biochemistry and human disease with
integrated coverage of molecular biology and is
taught by academics who are themselves engaged
in research in these areas.
You also have the opportunity to take a semester
abroad in your second year at one of our partner
institutes and you can apply for an academically
accredited industrial placement after your second
year. If your application is successful, the placement
is taken in an approved government or industrial
establishment or field centre in the UK or at a partner
institute abroad, the Pasteur Institute in Paris being
a favourite destination.

Course content

First year
The first year is an introduction to the four
key themes developed across the programme:
Macromolecules; Metabolism and Disease; Molecular
Biology; Cell Biology and Signalling.
Nature’s Tools: Proteins and Enzymes examines the
structure and function of proteins.
Metabolism: Major Metabolic Pathways shows how
we convert the chemical energy in the food we eat to
provide the energy and building blocks to sustain life.
Information and Inheritance explores the structure
and function of nucleic acids and the inheritance of
genetic material.
Cells and Organelles: Biochemical Aspects of Cell
Biology considers the structure of prokaryotic
and eukaryotic cells and how cells interact and
communicate with each other.
As a single honours student, you will additionally
cover Biochemistry Research Techniques, Case
Studies in Biochemistry and have to option to cover
Chemical Structure and Function, Human Physiology
and Pathology or take free electives.
Second year
During the second year, the emphasis is on
mammalian biochemistry and cell biology.
Gene and Protein Engineering looks at advances
in recombinant DNA technology and genomics.
Metabolism in Health and Disease investigates the
changes in metabolism associated with diseases
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such as diabetes.
Endocrinology and Signalling covers how which
cells respond to their environment, through
signalling pathways.
Molecular, Cellular and Structural Immunology
covers the immune system and its role in
combating disease.
Study abroad modules will have similar content to
those being replaced.
As a single honours student, you will also study
additional topics that may include human genetics,
glycobiology, microbes and parasites or free
electives.
Third year
Dual honours students take four modules, one of
which must be an experimental or non-experimental
research project or industrial placement. Major
route students take eight modules, including a
research project. All students will take Acquisition,
Analysis and Communication of Information,
which develops the skills required for retrieving and
interpreting published research and for analysing and
communicating experimental data. Your remaining
modules are selected from the list below, to reflect
your interests.
• Biochemistry and Therapy of Disease
• Structural Biology and Macromolecular Function
• Clinical Pathology
• Human Parasitology
• Advances in Medicine
• Biology of Disease
• Case studies in Biotechnology

Teaching and assessment

Biochemistry is a laboratory-based subject and our
course has a strong practical emphasis. Lab classes
are held in state of the art teaching laboratories.
In the final year, experimental projects are linked
to the research interests in the School of Life
Sciences. The laboratory programme also lets
you get to know staff in a relaxed environment,
and to develop other important skills such as
communication, problem solving and IT skills.
Our course is delivered by a team of enthusiastic
academics, researchers and visiting clinicians and
exposes you to a wide variety of teaching styles.
Lectures and supporting small group tutorials or
workshops help you consolidate your learning.
Performance is assessed by a mixture of examination
and in-course assessment. The proportion of each
varies somewhat between modules but is typically
weighted towards examination for taught modules
and course work in more independent study and
practical modules. In-course assessment may take
many forms including posters, essays, laboratory
reports, blogs and oral presentations.