FDSC20100

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Academic Year 2025/2026

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Agricultural Biochemistry (FDSC20100)

Subject: : Food Science

College: : Health & Agricultural Sciences

School: : Agriculture & Food Science

Level: : 2 (Intermediate)

Credits: : 5

Module Coordinator: : Assoc Professor Nigel Patrick Brunton

Trimester: : Spring

Mode of Delivery: : On Campus

Internship Module: : No

How will I be graded? : Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

The main aim of this module is to introduce students to how living cells (animal and plant) can extract energy from highly reduced organic molecules (i.e. carbohydrates, fats, proteins) and convert them to a usuable form of energy suitable to the living cell. Various metabolic pathways will be covered, as will the control mechanisms and interactions of the metabolic pathways operative in the cells.

About this Module

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What will I learn?

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to: Explain how living cells can extract, transform and utilise energy from their environment. Predict how the mammalian organism reacts to various states of nutrition, which it may be subjected to over a period. Assess the role, mode of action and interaction of various hormones involved in nutrient metabolism.

Indicative Module Content:

Introduction General concepts and key terminology \ Enzymes – Nomenclature, action, key factors on enzyme activity, inhibition \ Digestion - Ruminant and Monogastric digestion \ Metabolism of carbohydrates Glycolysis \ Metabolism of carbohydrates – Gluconeogenesis \ Glycogen – Formation breakdown and regulation of its metabolism \ Regulation of Glucose Metabolism \ Structure and function of mitochondria \ The citric acid cycle \ Oxidative phosphorylation – Electron transport chain \ ATP synthesis and energetic considerations \ Photosynthesis – Light reactions – Photosystems in plants \ Photosynthesis – Calvin cycle \ Metabolism of fatty acids – Lipid oxidation \ Metabolism of fatty acids – Ketone bodies and their metabolic role \ Metabolism of fatty acids – Biosynthesis of a new fatty acid \ Lipid transport and role of lipoproteins \ Protein degradation and turnover – Amino acids nomencalture and synthesis \ Amino acid catabolism \ Amino acid biosynthesis \ Urea cycle \ Role of hormones in regulation of body functions \ Metabolic enzymes: Insulin and glucagon \ Integration of metabolic pathways – Role of organs –Food intake and starvation \

How will I learn?

Student Effort Hours:

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Approaches to Teaching and Learning:

The module content is delivered via a series of lectures at the end of each lecture a series of multiple choice questions are addressed based on the content of the lecture. Two in term MCQ's (not negatively marked) are held which contribute 10% each to the final marks and a tutorial going through questions similar to those on the MCQ is held after each MCQ. Student complete 4 labs with experiments (which may be held online) designed to align with and compliment the lecture material. 1 week after the lab the students hand in a worksheet which is corrected and returned after 2 weeks with a breakdown of where errors have occurred. Each worksheet contributes 5% of the final marks (20% overall). The final exam is worth 60% of the final mark and is a MCQ (not negatively marked). AI may not be used for any assessments in this module.

Am I eligible to take this module?

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Learning Recommendations:\

CHEM 00020 Introductory chemistry\ CHEM 10040 The Molecular World

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Module Requisites and Incompatibles

Required:\ CHEM10010 - Intro to Biomolecules\ \ Incompatibles:\ FDSC20020 - Nutritional Energy Metabolism\ \ \  \

How will I be assessed?

Assessment Strategy

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Carry forward of passed components

Yes

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What happens if I fail?

Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. \

Assessment feedback

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment\ • Group/class feedback, post-assessment\ • Online automated feedback\

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

For the lab components students receive feedback in the form of a breakdown of each question on a worksheet with a commentary on where errors have occurred within 2 weeks after handing in the worksheet. For the in term MCQ's students receive their mark within 7 days and an in-class tutorial is held in which questions on the MCQ are addressed. A series of of online MCQ's quizzes are also available in which the student is told whether or not they have given the correct answer. At the end of each lecture the module co-coordinator goes through a number of MCQ questions based on the lecture topic.

Reading List

Biochemistry – Berg, Tymoczko, Stryer\ \ Textbook of biochemistry with clinical correlations – Devlin\ \ Biochemistry – Zubay\ \ Biochemistry – A case orientated approach -Montgomery\ \ Fundamentals of Biochemistry: Life at molecular level, 3rd Ed - Voet\ \ Harper's illustrated biochemistry by Murray, Robert K\

Associated Staff

When is this module offered?

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.

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