The annual subject of Biochemistry is programmed in the second year of the Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry and is part of the Fundamental Module within the Fundamental Complements of Chemistry, together with subjects such as Materials Science and Chemical Engineering.

This subject expands on some of the basic concepts of Biology described in the first year, providing students with an overview of fundamental aspects of Biochemistry such as bioenergetics, biocatalysis, metabolism and the expression of genetic information. In addition, students will also become familiar with genetic engineering techniques and the application of biochemistry in different fields of industry. Finally, the course also includes an experimental section in which the student will get to know and develop some basic techniques of biochemical methodology.

As this is a fundamental complementary subject, there are no prerequisites for taking it, but it is advisable to have acquired the competences of the subject Biology in the first year.

Finally, the knowledge and skills developed in this subject will be necessary for students to be able to reinforce the connection between biochemistry and modern chemistry and their application in health, the environment, food technology, biotechnology and biomaterials in future courses.

This subject is included in the educational innovation project of the 5th HBP/PIE i3lab call ‘Playing with Biochemistry to work on the SDGs’.

The competences (MXCMX) and learning outcomes (LO) of the core module for the subject Biochemistry are:



SPECIFIC

M02CM06 - To know the basic aspects of the systems and diverse biochemical processes.

LO1- The student will be able to describe the fundamental concepts of bioenergetics and cellular metabolism.

LO2- The student will be able to explain the basis of enzymatic reactions and apply the concepts of catalysis, kinetics and enzymatic inhibition.

LO3- The student will be able to describe the molecular basis of gene transfer and gene expression.

LO4- The student will be able to apply the knowledge acquired to qualitative and quantitative problem solving.



TRANSVERSAL COMPETENCES:

M02CM09 - To be able to present in oral and written form, in an understandable way, phenomena and processes related to Chemistry and related subjects.

LO5- The student will be able to explain and develop fundamental processes in biochemistry.

LO6- The student will be able to carry out simple experiments in biochemistry, and interpret the results presenting them in a practical report.

M02CM10 - Ability to search and select information in the field of chemistry and other scientific fields using bibliography and information and communication technologies.

LO7- The student will be able to compile and synthesise information on biochemical processes related to industry and health.

M02CM11 - Be able to relate chemistry to other disciplines, as well as understand its impact on today's society and the importance of the industrial chemical sector.

LO8- The student will be able to explain and present applications of biochemistry in health and industry.

BThe Biochemistry course consists of several theoretical blocks:



Block 1: Biocatalysis. Enzymes: classification of enzymes, kinetics and mechanisms. Factors that condition the action of enzymes: cofactors, coenzymes. Enzyme inhibition and regulation. Quantification of enzyme activity.

Block 2: Bioenergetics. Thermodynamic concepts. High energy bonds. Gibbs free energy. ATP and energy coupling. Redox reactions. Transport through membranes.

Block 3: Metabolism. Introduction to coupled reactions, metabolic reactions arranged in pathways. The example of glycolysis.

Block 4: Metabolic building blocks. Structure and function of genes (prokaryotes and eukaryotes). Transcription, Translation. Protein processing and protein localisation and transport. Basic concepts of genetic engineering.

Block 5: Proteomics and Metabolomics. Introduction to Proteomics and Metabolomics Concept of proteome. Proteomics study methods and applications. Concept of metabolome. Applications.

Block 6: Biochemistry and Industry. Incidence of biochemistry in the fields of industry, the environment, health and food Biochemical systems in different industrial fields.



The practical content of the course consists of classroom practice (GA) and laboratory practice (PL). On the one hand, in the classroom practicals, through the resolution of a series of theoretical and numerical problems, the acquisition of the knowledge worked on in each theoretical block will be mobilised. On the other hand, three experimental practices are carried out in the laboratory practices (PL):

PL1: Determination of the kinetic parameters of the enzyme beta-galactosidase (Block 1).

PL2: Analysis of carbohydrate metabolism in yeast (Block 3).

PL3: Electrophoresis of nucleic acids in agarose gels (Block 4).

The teaching methodology includes lectures, classroom practice, seminars and laboratory practice:

- The master classes consist of the teacher giving a presentation explaining the contents of the subject using of a presentation in digital format and different links to audiovisual content (available in Egela). Students will also be encouraged to ask questions, and the teacher, in turn, will ask questions for reflection and subsequent communication by the students. In this way, the teacher will be able to provide the necessary feedback for each master class. Finally, during the hours corresponding to the master classes, different activities and methodologies will be carried out, such as formative assessment questionnaires after each thematic block or inverted classroom and cooperative learning methodologies to analyse the different applications of Biochemistry in industry.

- In classroom practicals, students will solve problems and programmed questions. These practicals are usually used as additional material to the theoretical lectures or laboratory practicals.

- Practical classes in the laboratory are the way of acquiring a methodology and skills suitable for working in a laboratory. In other words, students will acquire manual dexterity, the ability to observe and obtain, analyse and reflect on the results obtained and their subsequent communication through the practice reports generated. In addition, the laboratory practicals are closely related to the theoretical content of the subject, so that students can apply the knowledge acquired in the lectures to a real situation-problem of experimental work.

- The seminar sessions will be used to reinforce the knowledge required for the completion of the practical report.



As part of the HBP/PIE i3lab educational innovation project ‘Playing with Biochemistry to work on the SDGs’, gamification and flipped classroom techniques will be used to encourage student participation and integrate the Sustainable Development Goals Health and well-being, Quality education and Industry, innovation and infrastructure.

• Continuous Assessment System
• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Written test to be taken (%): 25
  • Multiple-Choice Test (%): 20
  • Realization of Practical Work (exercises, cases or problems) (%): 25
  • Team projects (problem solving, project design)) (%): 20
  • Exhibition of works, readings ... (%): 10

The assessment system is continuous and will consist of several formative (with the corresponding feedback) and verifying or summative tests.

Throughout the course, students will carry out different activities that will reflect the degree of mastery of the concepts, both theoretical and practical, learned in terms of the programmed academic results (RA). The tests will be complemented with the elaboration of three practice reports.

Formative assessment will be promoted. To this end, guidance will be provided to students for the improvement of the tests and reports carried out.

The continuous assessment of the subject is broken down into the following three sections:

a) Written test to be developed (25%).

b) Multiple-choice tests (%20).

c) Practical work (exercises, cases and problems) (25%).

d) Team work on laboratory practicals (20%).

e) Exhibition of work (10%).

The criteria for the evaluation of the aforementioned sections will be adequacy of the answers, integration of the information, approach and development of the problem exercises, correct use of units of measurement, clarity and precision in the language used, appropriate completion of the practice protocol, analysis, interpretation and presentation of results.



The final grade of the course corresponds to the sum of the partial grades of the assessed sections. A minimum mark of 40% in the practical assessment and a minimum mark of 50% in the written exams is required to pass the course.



Students who choose continuous assessment have the right to waive the final written exam and their final grade is not submitted. In addition, they also have the right to waive this for a period of 18 weeks from the beginning of the course. Therefore, the assessment that will then take place will be the final assessment.



The final assessment will consist of a single final test to accredit the competences corresponding to the subject, which will be constituted in such a way that 100% of the corresponding qualification is obtained.



In any case, the completion of the laboratory practicals is compulsory.

EAccording to article 9 of the Regulations for the evaluation of students of Official Undergraduate Degrees (https://www.ehu.eus/es/web/estudiosdegrado-gradukoikasketak/ebaluaziorako-arautegia#NormativadeEvaluaci%C3%B31):

- Students who do not pass the subject in the ordinary call, regardless of the assessment system chosen, will have the right to sit the exams and activities that make up the final assessment test in the extraordinary call.

- The only assessment system for subjects in extraordinary exams will be the final assessment.

- In addition, students may keep the positive results obtained during the course. In the case of having obtained negative results through the continuous assessment, these results cannot be kept for the extraordinary call, in which the student will be able to obtain 100% of the grade.

Failure to take the written test will be understood as resignation.

Students will have at their disposal in the virtual classroom (eGela) the didactic material to be worked on in the different sessions: presentations, exercises, practice protocols, articles, worksheets, etc.
It will also be essential that before each practice, students have the corresponding means to acquire and prepare the necessary teaching material: books, texts, notes, copies or electronic media.

Basic bibliography

-Bioquímica: conceptos esenciales (2021). Elena Feduchi Canosa. 3ª ed. Editorial Médica Panamericana.

-Lehninger. Principles of Biochemistry (2021). D.L. Nelson, M. M. Cox. , A.A Hoskins. 8th Ed., New York: Macmillan Learning.

-Bioquímica (2013) Stryer, Berg & Tymoczko. 7ª Ed., Editorial Reverte, Barcelona.

-Bioquímica curso básico (2014) John L. Tymoczko, Jeremy M. Berg, Lubert Stryer. Editorial Reverte, Barcelona.

-Principios de bioquímica médica (2018). AutoresGerhard Meisenberg, G. & Simmons, WH,Gerhard Meisenberg. 4th Ed.

-BIOQUÍMICA Las bases moleculares de la vida (2009) T. McKee & J.R. McKee. 4 Ed., McGraw Hill Interamericana Editores, México.

-Molecular biology techniques: a classroom laboratory manual. Carson, S (2019), Miller, H.B., Srougi M. Witherow, S. Libro electrónico, Elsevier 4rd edition.

-Molecular biotechnology: principles and applications of recombinant DNA. (2017). Bernard, R. Glick, Cheryl L. Patten ASM Press, 5th ed.

In-depth bibliography

-Netter bioquímica esencial (2020). Peter Ronner, Frank H Netter, Frank H Netter(Il.) Barcelona. Elsevier,
-Life sciences industry: from laboratories to commercialization of research. (2021). Kumara, B, Prasad, R, Behera, S. Springer,
-Principios de bioquímica médica (2018). AutoresGerhard Meisenberg, G. & Simmons, WH,Gerhard Meisenberg. 4th Ed.
-Introduction to biologic and biosimilar product development and analysis (2018). Karen Nagel, K, Springer.
-Bioquímica. Mathews, CK & van Holde, KE (2002) 3ª edición McGraw Hill Interamericana, Madrid.
-Molecular Biology of the Cell (5th ed) (2008) Alberts A, Johnson A, Lewis J, Raff M, Roberts K & Walter P. Garland Science
-Fundamentals of Biochemistry (2006) 2nd ed. Voet D, Voet, JG & Pratt CW. John Wiley & Sons, New York.
-Bioquímica Cuantitativa, Vol II (1996) Macarulla JM, Marino A. & Macarulla A. Reverté, Barcelona.

Journals

-https://www.elhuyar.eus/es
-http://www.ehu.eus/ojs/index.php/ekaia
-https://zientzia.info/
-http://www.investigacionyciencia.es

Web addresses

-Voet and Voet: http://www.wiley.com/college/fob/quiz/index.html
-http://www.zientzia.net
-http://www.ehu.es/biomoleculas
-http://www1.euskadi.net/euskalterm/indice
-https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/recombinant-dna-technology-and-transgenic-animals-34513/
-https://es.khanacademy.org/search?referer=%2F&page_search_query=bioqu%C3%ADmica
-https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetically-modified-organisms-gmos-transgenic-crops-nbsp-732/