CHEM 731/7310-02 - Proteins

Description

Discussion of specialized topics related to the research interests of the members of the Centre. For example, recent offerings have included: Metalloproteins and Metalloenzymes; Heme Proteins; Chemistry of Enzymatic Reaction Mechanisms; Peptides –  Synthesis, Structure and Function; Food Enzymology; Advanced Microbial Physicology; NMR in Biological Systems.

Proteins, with their amazing complexity and diversity, have become very well characterized and increasingly designable, with applications in many areas such as medicine, agriculture and biotechnology. This course will familiarize students with modern advanced knowledge of proteins, with a focus on their structure, function and design. It will cover an introduction to methods for structure determination and prediction (eg. NMR, x-ray crystallography, cryo electron microscopy and computational methods). Additional topics will include: protein folding and dynamics, protein misfolding and aggregation in nature and disease; recombinant protein production, engineering, and design, to advance fundamental knowledge as well as medical and biotechnological applications. Students will also obtain experience in reading, evaluation and presentation (oral and written) of papers from current scientific literature as well as peer feedback.

Learning Outcomes

• Develop current, advanced knowledge of proteins, including a high resolution molecular and mechanistic perspective
• Develop advanced skills in searching and understanding scientific literature
• Develop in depth knowledge of specific topics relating to protein folding, function and design