Biochemistry II

Instance: 2022/2023 - 1S

Cycles of Study/Courses

Teaching language

Objectives

Understanding of the structure of lipids and their functions in the organisation and metabolism of the human body as well as the role of amino acids in metabolism. Students should have acquired a good knowledge of the fundamental biochemical structures and processes which help them to understand, for example, the pathology associated with certain dysfunctions. This serves as a support upon which to broaden their understanding of the subject matters of Haematology, Immunology, Physiology, Pharmacology and Toxicology. Understanding of biochemical structure-functions relationships. Acquisition of the necessary experimental methodology needed for the characterisation and evaluation of biochemical functions performed by sub-cellular structures (mitochondrias). Development of good laboratory practices in the utilisation of all laboratory equipment.

Learning outcomes and competences

Comprehension of metabolism integration. Some metabolic diseases

Working method

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Program

Program
Structure of Lipids: simple and complex lipids. Triacylglycerols, phosphoglycerides, sphingolipids, steroids, terpenic lipids. Structure and function of bio membranes. Lipids in the human body – organisation and metabolism. Fatty acid oxidation and synthesis. Glucose and fatty acids. Synthesis of Lipids.
Amino acids metabolism. Nitrogen fixation.
Metabolic interrelationships.

Laboratory programme: preparation of mitochondrias – identification, characterisation and evaluation of some biochemical functions.

Mandatory literature

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical Education: 2 h/week presented in "data show" ("by power point") and previous distribution of the presentations to the students.

Laboratorial education: 2 h/week. In the beginning of the semester a Manual of Laboratory is supplied to the students, where these will find the protocols of the works to execute and the respective theoretical explanation. The students perform individually the biochemical procedures foreseen in the laboratorial content of the discipline.

At the beginning of the semester two hours weekly are scheduled for student consultation.

keywords

Evaluation Type

Assessment Components

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Eligibility for exams

Attendance to theoretical classes is not compulsory.
Student attendance to laboratorial classes is mandatory. Those students whose attendance is lower than 75% of the foreseen classes are considered as without attendance.

Calculation formula of final grade

The evaluation is performed in accordance with the current norms provided by the Pedagogic Committee of the Faculty of Pharmacy.
Students under a special regime, who are not obliged to attend laboratorial classes have to perform a final laboratorial exam.
Approval in the laboratorial evaluation, whether distributed or in a final exam, will be considered as valid, for the following 3 years.

Final written evaluation exam: includes the evaluation of theoretical (70%) and laboratorial content (30%) of the discipline.
Students with marks > 9.4 (out of 20) are considered as approved in the discipline. There are no oral exams for students with marks between 8.0 and 9.4, out of 20.

Examinations or Special Assignments

Students under a special regime, who are not obliged to attend laboratorial classes have to perform the final laboratorial exam.

The approval in this component is mandatory to proceed with the final written evaluation exam.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Classification improvement

The student has the right to request the repeat of the final written exam to improve the mark, only one time, in the normal or in the resource periods following the period in which the approval in the discipline was obtained.
The higher mark obtained in both final written exams, will be considered for the evaluation of the final mark in the discipline.

Observations

Language of Teaching:

Portuguese and, eventually, French and English.



In the academic year (22/23) students will only attend lectures, 
theoretical and laboratory, in alternate weeks, i.e.

The students of the laboratory classes will be divided into 2 turns, 
in which one shift does the experimental work and the other develops 
some proposed topics to learn to perform calculations in the Excel program.



In the event of a new outbreak of a pandemic, the face-to-face teaching method may have to be transformed into distance learning.



Classification improvement



1) The classification improvement only applies when the student has passed the course unit.



2) Classification improvement can only be requested once and requires prior registration with 
the academic services.



3) Classification improvement compulsorily covers the repetition of the Final Exam (theoretical component + theoretical-practical component) and optionally the repetition of laboratory evaluation by laboratory exam (in this case, the student must inform the UC teachers). It is not allowed to improve only the classification of the laboratory evaluation.



The improvement of classification by laboratory exam can only occur after approval in the Curricular Unit.



The final classification of the curricular unit will be the highest of those obtained in the two tests carried out (after the sum of the final exam + laboratory evaluation).