Courses

This course deals with advanced topics in carbohydrate chemistry, carbohydrate disorders, lipid chemistry, glycolipid structure in the context of cellular processes and disease states; lipid disorders and N- and O-glycans- key post-translational modifications...

Each student will undertake a major research project and present a written dissertation. In addition, students will present an oral defence of their thesis

Review of bacterial genetics and genomics.  Microbial diversity, distribution and detection in the environment. 
Microbial responses to environmental changes: Direct physical and chemical effects, fine control, coarse control, morphological &...

Pathways of xenobiotic metabolism; Phase I and II reactions.  Enzymology and molecular mechanisms of xenobiotic metabolism; cytochrome P-450-dependent mixed-function oxidation reactions, microsomal flavin-containing monooxygenases, prostaglandin...

Carbohydrates: germination of seeds with carbohyrate stores; storage carbohydrates (starch, sucrose and other reserve carbohydrates); structural carbohydrates (cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin); the biosynthesis of carbohydrates.
Lipids:  germination of...

 
Introductory practical clinical biochemistry: Laboratory investigations; specimen collection, analytical methods and standardization (calibration standards, precision, accuracy, sensitivity, specificity etc); review of analytical and separation...

Pathophysiology of the following tropical parasitic diseases: Malaria, trypanosomiasis, filarasis, schistosomiasis and gastrointestinal worm infestations.  Biochemistry of the causative parasites with emphasis on host-parasite interrelationships:...

Cell Biology:  Preparation of Cytoskeleton: Reactivation of Ciliary Beat; Cytoskeletal transformation e.g of sea urchins coelomocyles: Induction of Shape Change via Hypotonic Shock; Effect of Colchicine on Coelomocyte Cell Shape Changes; Effect of Ca2+...

Genetic Foundations: Overview of Mendelian and non-Mendelian inheritance, Transformation, transduction, and conjugation, Recombination and complementation, Mutational analysis, Genetic mapping and linkage, Analysis.
Chromatin and Chromosomes: Overview of...

Types of cellular regulation: endocrine, paracrine, autocrine, direct cell-to-cell communication
Primary signalling molecules: growth factors, hormones, neurotransmitters
Structure and properties of receptors: Cell surface and intracellular receptors, G-...