23-25.02.2026

Introduction to biochemistry. Structure and function of bioorganic compounds.

Required lecture:

Harpers Illustrated Biochemistry chapters:

Amino Acids & Peptides (3)

Carbohydrates of Physiologic Significance (13)

Lipids of Physiologic Significance (14)

Denise R. Ferrier "Biochemistry” chapters:

Amino Acids (1)

Structure of proteins (2)

Introduction to Carbohydrates (7)

2-4.03.2026

Proteins

Required lecture:

Harpers Illustrated Biochemistry chapters:

• Section 1 – Structures & Functions of Proteins & Enzymes – chapters 3-5.
• Section 5 – Biochemistry of Extracellular & Intracellular Communication – chapter 40 – Membranes: Structure & Function
• Section 6 – chapters 47 – Glycoproteins, 48 – The extracellular Matrix

Denise R. Ferrier "Biochemistry”:

• Chapters 1-4 - Amino Acids, Structure of Proteins, Globular Proteins, Fibrous Proteins – collagens and elastin metabolism, the role of markers in clinical diagnostics.

Post-translational modifications of proteins (discussed on lecture and seminar):

• Phosphorylation/dephosphorylation, Limited proteolysis, Ubiquitination, Methylation, Acetylation, Lipid modifications (prenylation, myristoylation, palmitoylation), Glycosylation, Nitrosylation, Hydroxylation, γ-carboxylation, Deamination

9-11.03.2026

Nucleic acids

Required lecture:

Harpers Illustrated Biochemistry

Section VII, chapters:

Nucleotides (32)

Nucleic Acids. Structure & Function (34)

DNA. Organization, Replication & Repair (35)

RNA. Synthesis & Processing & Modification (36)

Protein Synthesis & the Genetic Code (37)

Regulation of Gene Expression  (38)

Molecular Genetics, Recombinant DNA & Genomic technology (39)

Denise R. Ferrier "Biochemistry”

UNIT VI: Storage and Expression of Genetic Information, ,  chapters:

DNA Structure, Replication and Repair (29)

RNA Structure, Synthesis and Processing (30)

Protein Synthesis (31)

Regulation of Gene Expression (32)

Biotechnology and Human Disease (33)

16-18.03.2026

Enzymes and coenzymes

Required lecture:

Denise R. Ferrier "Biochemistry” chapters:

Enzymes (5)

Bioenergetics and Oxidative Phosphorylation (6) subchapters (I – IV)

Harpers Illustrated Biochemistry chapters:

Enzymes: Mechanism of Action (7)

Enzymes: Kinetics (8)

Enzymes: Regulation of Activities (9)

Bioenergetics: The Role of ATP (11)

Lecture and seminar:

Examples of drugs as inhibitors – aspirin, ibuprofen, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, methotrexate, trimetoprim, beta-lactam antibiotics

23-25.03.2026

Vitamins and trace elements

Required lecture:

Harpers Illustrated Biochemistry chapters:

Micronutrients: Vitamins & Minerals (44)
Plasma Proteins & Immunoglobulins (52)

Denise R. Ferrier "Biochemistry” chapters:

Vitamins (28)

Antivitamins and clinical diagnostics of vitamins B6, B9, B12  (discussed on lecture and seminar)

8.04.2026

 Reactive oxygen species, alcohols and drugs. This lecture and seminar are scheduled 8th of April (on Wednesday as usual)

13-17.04.2026

Colloquium 1 will commence on the 13th of April  (from topic "Introduction to biochemistry"  to "ROS, alcohols and drugs")

Hormones and cytokines - Part I

Harpers Illustrated Biochemistry chapters:
Membranes: Structure and Function (40)
The Diversity of the Endocrine System (41)

Denise R. Ferrier "Biochemistry” chapters:
Complex Lipid Metabolism (17)

20-22.04.2026

 Hormones and cytokines - Part II

Required lecture:

Harpers Illustrated Biochemistry chapters:

The Diversity of the Endocrine System (41)

Hormone Action & Signal Transduction (42)

Biosynthesis of Fatty Acid & Eicosanoids (23) subchapter Eicosanoids

Muscle & the Cytoskeleton (51) subchapter Nitric Oxide (NO)

Denise R. Ferrier "Biochemistry” chapters:

Complex lipid metabolism (17) subchapter (VIII) Prostaglandins and Related Compounds

Cytokines and growth factors - discussed on lecture and seminar

27-29.04.2026

Krebs cycle, Carbohydrates part I

Required lecture:

Denise R. Ferrier "Biochemistry” chapters:

Bioenergetics and Oxidative Phosphorylation (6)

Introduction to Carbohydrates (7)

Glycolysis (8)

Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle (9)

Metabolism of Monosaccharides and Disaccharides (12)

Harpers Illustrated Biochemistry chapters:

Nutrition, Digestion, & Absorption of Carbohydrates (43)

Section IV - Metabolism of Carbohydrates chapters:

Overview of Metabolism & the Provision of Metabolic Fuels (14)

Carbohydrates of Physiological Significance (15)

The Citric Acid Cycle: The Central Pathway of Carbohydrate, Lipid & Amino Acid Metabolism (16)

Glycolysis & the Oxidation of Pyruvate (17)

4-6.05.2026

 Carbohydrates - part II

 Required lecture:

Denise R. Ferrier "Biochemistry” chapters:

Gluconeogenesis (10)

Glycogen Metabolism (11)

Pentose Phosphate Pathway and NADPH (13)

Glycosaminoglycans, Proteoglycans, and Glycoproteins (14)

Diabetes Mellitus (25)

Harpers Illustrated Biochemistry chapters:

Metabolism of Glycogen (18)

Gluconeogenesis & the Control of Blood Glucose (19)

The Pentose Phosphate Pathway & Other Pathways of Hexose Metabolism (20)

Lecture and seminar:

Carbohydrates in fasting and fed state

Glycogen storage diseases

11-13.05.2026

Lipids and steroids - Part I

 Required lecture:

 Denise R. Ferrier "Biochemistry”:

Chapter 15: Metabolism of Dietary Lipids

Chapter 16: Fatty Acid, Triacylglycerol, and Ketone Body Metabolism

Chapter 17: Phospholipid, Glycosphingolipid, and Eicosanoid Metabolism

Chapter 18: Cholesterol, Lipoprotein and Steroid Metabolism

Harpers Illustrated Biochemistry:

Chapter 22: Oxidation of Fatty Acids: Ketogenesis

Chapter 23: Biosynthesis of Fatty Acids & Eicosanoids

Chapter 24: Metabolism of Acylglycerols& Sphingolipids

Chapter 25: Lipid Transport & Storage

Chapter 26: Cholesterol Synthesis, Transport, & Excretion

18-20.05.2026

Lipids and steroids - Part II

Required lecture - the same as for Lipids and steroids - part I

 25-27.05.2026

25th of May - Colloqium II - from Hormones and cytokines to Lipids and steroids (during Lab)

Purines, pyrimidines, porphyrins

Required lecture

Harpers Illustrated Biochemistry chapters:

Porphyrins & Bile Pigments (31)

Nucleotides (32)

Metabolism of Purine & Pyrimidine Nucleotides (33)

Denise R. Ferrier "Biochemistry” chapters:

Conversion of Amino Acids to Specialized Products (21) subchapter (II) Porphyrin Metabolism

Nucleotide Metabolism (22)

1-3.06.2026

Amino acids

Required lecture:

Harpers Illustrated Biochemistry chapters:

Amino Acids & Peptides (3)
Biosynthesis of the Nutritionally Nonessential Amino Acids (27)
Catabolism of Proteins & of Amino Acid Nitrogen (28)
Catabolism of the Carbon Skeletons of amino acids (29)

Denise R. Ferrier "Biochemistry” chapters:

Amino Acids (1)
Amino Acids: Disposal of Nitrogen (19)
Amino Acid Degradation and Synthesis (20)

8-10.06.2026

Integration of metabolism

 The final exam from Biochemistry V will be on the ......

The Biochemistry final exam