Essentials of Biomolecules: Nucleic Acids and Peptides

Essentials of Biomolecules: Nucleic Acids and Peptides.

The proposed course aims to provide the essentials of chemistry and biology of two very important classes of biomolecules: nucleic acids (DNA/RNA) and proteins.

The course allows us to decipher: how structural features are translated into biological functions; how highly organized and selective chemical reactions are adopted that allows DNA to replicate or dictates step-wise synthesis of a specific sequence of proteins; how organic chemistry tools in combination with enzymes were ingeniously applied to determine sequences of DNA and proteins and how chemical modifications could be done to mimic similar biological properties.

The course also includes modern techniques, the development of biomolecular probes as high-throughput detection of biomolecules, single nucleotide polymorphisms, and disease diagnosis. Overall, the course falls within the domain of organic chemistry and chemical biology.

INTENDED AUDIENCE: For chemistry, Biochemistry, and Biotechnology students