M.SC BIOCHEMISTRY

BIOCHEMISTRY — M Sc
Goal
The program is designed to enable a student acquire sound knowledge in the subject and develop
practical skills to contribute effectively in academics and health sciences research.
OBJECTIVES
1. At the end of the 2 years training in Biochemistry, the PG student is expected to demonstrate sound
knowledge of general concepts and principles of Biochemistry. Evolutionary perspectives of
biomolecules, cell organelles and diversity provided at the molecular level, discuss various aspects
of nutrition and metabolism under different physiological conditions, explain the occurrence, regulation
and interrelationship of metabolic events, identify the molecular/metabolic basis of a disease, explain
concepts of body defense/immunology and detoxification, molecular and cell biology, describe the
principles of various biochemical techniques and instrumentations and analyze and interpret the
data.
2. Plan & conduct lecture, practical demonstrations & tutorial classes.
3. Critically review & comment on research papers
4. Prepare research protocols to conduct experimental studies, analyse, interpret diseases, experimental
results of generate hypothesis.
5. Be familiar with literature survey / computer skills, basic knowledge of biostatistics.
METHODOLOGY
Following methods are used to facilitate learning and training of the students.
A. Theory
1. Tutorials: will be held for 1 hour duration, at least twice a month. The objective is to provide an
opportunity to the students to have interaction with the teachers and gain maximum coordinated
information on the subject.
6 Syllabus M Sc / M Biotech — AIIMS
2. Seminars: will be held once a month. The topics will be chosen from the latest advances in the
subject and also from areas of general biological / biochemical interest. One student will take up a
topic for one seminar, prepare and speak on it. Presentation and discussion will be for 1 hour. By
this exercise, the students will know the advanced developments in the fields & also learn, comprehend
and explain the information they have obtained.
3. Journal club: To develop a) skills of analysis, evaluation and presentation of research papers b)
familiarity with approaches and methodologies of research and c) to update on new development/
emerging trends in biochemistry.
4. Invited lectures: to gain access to recent work by an expert in an area and opportunity for free
interactions with scientists of eminence.
5. Relevant lectures in biotechnology
B. Practicals
Core- Biochemistry.
These will include some of the Biochemistry practicals from the undergraduate course.
Advanced practicals- Biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, immunology.
Some of the biochemistry practicals from the undergraduate course and from cell biology and immunology.
Students will attend this weekly biochemistry practicals. Other practicals will be arranged in the Deptt.
laboratories.
Advanced : Biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, immunology.
1. Study of the cell – (i) Cell culture, lymphocyte isolation & culture, growth rate studies, staining
techniques (ii) Cell fractionation, homogenization of the tissue, centrifugation, marker enzyme assays
(iii) Microscopy and microphotography.
2. Quantitative assays – (i) Enzyme assays (ii) RIA (iii) ELISA iv) DNA, RNA & proteins
3. Protein fractionation – (i) Salting in and out, gel filtration, electrophoretic separation (ii) Gel
filtration affinity based techniques (iii) SDS-PAGE (iv) Electrophoretic separation of LDH isoenzymes
4. Enzymology – purification of enzyme & its kinetics
5. DNA – (i) Genomic and plasmid DNA isolation (ii) Restriction enzyme digestion (iii) Electrophoresis
(iv) PCR (v) RT-PCR
6. Southern blotting
7. Western blotting
8. Tissue culture
9. Absorption & fluorescence spectroscopy
10. Chromatographic techniques – HPLC, Gel filtration, ion exchange, affinity chromatography
These practicals will give an exposure to the students on the basic techniques as well as advanced
techniques. A researcher uses in his/her studies.
C. Thesis
A small topic based on-going work will well established / standardized parameters.
Course and Curriculum of Biochemistry 7
Oral examination
1. Thesis work presentation and discussion.
2. General viva voce and practical bench viva.
Paper I: Essentials of biochemistry and advances in intermediary metabolism. Duration- 3 hrs, Marks-
100.
(Section 1)
Paper II: Nutrition, vitamins, hormones and immunology. Duration- 3 hrs, Marks-100.
(Section 2)
Paper III: Molecular biology, Biostatistics, Clinical Biochemistry and techniques in Biochemistry. Duration-
3 hrs, Marks-100.
(Section 3)
Practicals: Duration- 2 days, Marks-300.
SECTION 1
PAPER I : Biomolecular, chemical bonding, structure and function of carbohydrates, proteins and lipid,
water and its properties, cell composition, architecture and function, enzymes coenzymes, metabolism
of carbohydrate, amino acids and lipids, in born of metabolism. Principles of thermodynamics, Bioenergetics
and oxidative phosphorylation. Blood clotting – biochemistry, body fluids – pH and acid base
balance and their importance in clinical biochemistry, muscle contraction. Techniques in the study of
proteins, carbohydrates and lipids.
SECTION 2
PAPER II : Hormones – chemistry, mechanism of action and physiological effects. Nutrition and food
assimilation, macronutrients and micronutrients, vitamins and trace elements, chemistry and metabolism
of purines and pyrimidines. Immunology.
SECTION 3
PAPER III : Nucleic acids - structure synthesis, regulation. Molecular biology and recombinant DNA
technology, genomics and proteomics, DNA microarrays, biochemical genetics, environmental
biochemistry. Oncogenes, group factors, biochemistry of cancer, clinical biochemistry. Experimental
techniques in biochemical research and study of cell. Current topics, biostatistics and its application in
research and clinical chemistry, Journal club seminars.
Books recommended
1. Biochemistry Ed Lubert Stryer. W.H. Freeman and Company, New York.
2. Principles of Biochemistry. Ed Lehninger, Nelson and Cox. CBS publishers and distributors.
3. Harper’s Biochemistry. Ed. R.K. Murray, D.K. Granner, P.A. Mayes and V.W. Rodwell. Appleton
and Lange, Stamford, Connecticut.
4. Textbook of Biochemstry with Clinical Correlations. Ed. Thomas M. Devlin.Wiley-Liss Publishers.
8 Syllabus M Sc / M Biotech — AIIMS
5. Genes VI. Ed Benjamin Lewin. Oxford University Press.
6. Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry. Ed Burtis and Ashwood. W.B. Saunders Company.
7. Principles and techniques of practical biochemistry. Ed Keith Wilson and John Walker. Cambridge
University Press.
8. Biochemistry. Ed Donald Voet and Judith G. Voet. John Wiley & sons, Inc.
9. Molecular Cloning- A Laboratory Manual. J. Sambrook, E.F.Fritsch and T.Maniatis. Cold Spring
Harbor Laboratory Press.
10. Molecular Cell Biology, H. Lodish, A. Berk, S.L.Zipursky, P. Matsudaira, D. Baltimore, J. Darnell