The biochemistry of major food ingredients including proteins, oil, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals; functional and nutritional properties will be emphasized.
Fundamental concepts of drug action and toxicity; clinically useful agents in central and peripheral disorders; toxicology of drugs and agents that are hazardous to living organisms.
Classification, identification, structure, physiology, and genetics of microorganisms; importance of microorganisms in health, environment, and biotechnology.
Structure and function of the cell and sub-cellular organelles; from genes to proteins; membrane and cytoskeleton; cell communication and cell signaling; cell cycle and programmed cell death.
This course covers the clinical manifestations, physiology, pathophysiology and treatment of common human diseases, with focus on the underlying biochemical basis of the diseases and treatment.
Current status and future potential of Biotechnology, with emphasis on the fundamentals of plant molecular biology and biotechnology. Using examples of marketable products from food industry, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and agricultural fields. The role of basic research in the development and production biotechnology products will be described.
Practical and theoretical consideration of recombinant DNA techniques, including plasmid construction, PCR, mutagenesis, transformation, sequencing, and bioinformatic analysis. The use of recombinant DNA for protein expression. Graded P or F.
Major classes of biochemical compounds; primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures of macromolecules; enzyme kinetics and mechanisms; biosynthesis of DNA and RNA; transfer RNA and protein synthesis.
