MLS211 Medical Biochemistry

What is this course about?

Description

Medical biochemistry is the area of general pathology that performs analyses on human specimens such as blood plasma and serum, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, serous fluids and tissue biopsies. The course describes common biochemical tests used in the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases. On completion of this course, you will be able to demonstrate and evaluate current knowledge in the basic principles and practices of the medical biochemistry laboratory, including disorders of amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism, dyslipidaemias, and routine chemistries for major organ system functions.

How will this course be delivered?

Course Topics

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

LFS251

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

Not applicable

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

It is recommended that students have prior knowledge and skills in chemistry, biochemistry and human physiology.

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

Details of early feedback on progress

In Week 3, you will be submitting the Basic Laboratory Competencies Report (Task 1a) worth 10% of your final course grade. During Practical 1 (Week 1) and Practical 2 (Week 2), you will complete a set of laboratory competencies commonly used in biochemistry. You will be expected to attempt a set of exercises, including laboratory maths, for the Task 1a Report based on the work you complete during Practicals 1 and 2. The report will be submitted online via Turnitin on Canvas. The feedback provided by your course coordinator on your Task 1a Report will give you confidence in undertaking the remaining practical classes in the MLS211 course.

Assessment tasks

Completion of laboratory exercises throughout the semester in the form of three short practical reports submitted online via Turnitin on Canvas and a practical problem set completed in-class. Approximately 2500 words in total.

1-hour duration

2-hour duration

Directed study hours

A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.

Schedule

Introduction to medical biochemistry and human specimen collection.

Overview of the MLS211 course, including teaching staff, online learning modules, tutorial and practical classes, prescribed textbook, useful websites, and assessment tasks. 
Human specimen collection and handling. Revising important concepts.

Principles and practices in medical biochemistry.

Introduction to the clinical biochemistry section of a pathology laboratory. 
Overview of instrumentation in medical biochemistry. 
The importance of standards and controls for laboratory analysis. 
Analytical performance parameters and decision limits. 
Reference ranges for diagnostic tests in clinical biochemistry. 
Quality assurance and quality control in the laboratory. 
Basic laboratory statistics in medical biochemistry.

Metabolic Syndrome (Part A): Disorders of carbohydrate metabolism.

Overview of metabolic syndrome. 
Biochemistry of carbohydrates. 
Diagnostic criteria for prediabetes and diabetes. 
Glucose tolerance tests. 
Other carbohydrate-related analytes. 
Clinical testing for blood glucose.

Metabolic Syndrome (Part B): Biochemistry of the blood lipids and lipoproteins.

Review of lipid biochemistry. 
Lipoprotein structure and function (chylomicrons, VLDLs, LDLs, HDLs and Lpa).
Importance of apolipoproteins.

Metabolic Syndrome (Part C): Blood serum lipid profiles and assessment of cardiovascular disease risk.

Dyslipidaemias and atherosclerosis. 
Methodologies used to measure blood lipids and lipoproteins. 
Assessment of cardiovascular disease risk using blood serum lipid profiles.

Disorders of amino acid and protein metabolism.

Basic amino acid and protein chemistry. 
Aminoacidopathies. 
Total serum protein and albumin methodologies and clinical interpretations. 
Serum protein electrophoresis and clinical interpretations.

Enzymes of clinical significance.

Revision on enzyme biochemistry.
Enzyme classification, kinetics, cofactors and isoenzymes. 
Measuring enzyme activity for clinical diagnosis.

Assessment of renal function.

Overview of kidney function and diseases.
Nephrotic syndrome; acute and chronic renal failure.
Renal replacement therapies.
Biochemical tests for kidney function.
Blood nonprotein nitrogen, urea, creatinine and uric acid. 
Biochemical measurements of renal clearance.
Microalbuminuria.

Assessment of cardiac function.

Classification of cardiac diseases. 
Considerations for selecting cardiac biomarkers.
Cardiac enzymes and isoenzymes. 
Cardiac protein biomarkers (troponins, myoglobin).
Emerging cardiac biomarkers.

Assessment of liver function.

The liver and bilirubin metabolism. 
Common disorders of the liver. 
Jaundice (prehepatic, intrahepatic and posthepatic). 
Liver function tests. 
Testing hepatic enzymes in blood serum.

Assessment of gastrointestinal function.

Overview of the functions of the gastrointestinal tract. 
Gastrointestinal regulatory peptides. 
Laboratory assessment of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.
Zollinger-Ellison's Syndrome.
Lactose intolerance.
Bile salt malabsorption.
Coeliac disease.
Protein-losing enteropathy.

Body water and electrolyte homeostasis.

Total body water and body fluid composition.
Major electrolytes.
Anion gap.
Osmolarity, osmolality and osmolal gap.
Ion-selective electrodes for electrolyte analysis.
Clinical importance of sodium potassium and chloride ions.

Blood gases, pH and buffer systems.

Blood gases and acid-base balance – role of lungs and kidneys. 
The blood bicarbonate buffering system. 
Metabolic acidosis and alkalosis.
Respiratory acidosis and alkalosis.
Blood gas analysers. 
Clinical interpretations of blood acid-base disorders using measurements of blood oxygen saturation, pH, PO2, PCO2 and bicarbonate.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.

Specific requirements

You will be expected to purchase the MLS211 Course Manual from the My Print Shop at UniSC.  You will require a laboratory coat, safety glasses and closed non-slip footwear for the course practical classes.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation.  It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline.  This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.

Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person.  You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.

In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin.  This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:

The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%.
The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale.
You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct.

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate (the rates are cumulative): 
- 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
- 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day 
- 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
- A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. 
Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. 
To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.

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UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.

The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.

Study help

For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.

If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.

Wellbeing Services

Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.

AccessAbility Services

Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.

To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

• Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
• Review of Assessment and Final Grades
• Supplementary Assessment
• Central Examinations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Conduct
• Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

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