About third yr's biochem subjects chosen (1 Viewer)

[EdmondDW]

Anyone can give me some suggestions about third yr's biochem subjects?

I will choose four from molecular biology of protein, human biochemistry, molecular biology of nucleic acid, recombinant DNA & molecular cell biology 2...
I heard the protein one got lots of group work, personally I hate it, coz u never know
which kind of group members u will get...

Thanks in advance

 

[Survivor39]

Anyone can give me some suggestions about third yr's biochem subjects?

I will choose four from molecular biology of protein, human biochemistry, molecular biology of nucleic acid, recombinant DNA & molecular cell biology 2...
I heard the protein one got lots of group work, personally I hate it, coz u never know
which kind of group members u will get...

Thanks in advance

Hi Edmond. I didn't do any biochem subjects in 3rd year but I will let you know what I have heard from my friends who did biochem.

Human biochem is nothing like 2nd year biochem. It's much more fun because for the prac component, they used to have to keep a diary about what food intake for the entire week and work out indivdual metabolism or something along the lines of that.

Recombinant - you learn heaps of useful molecular techniques - wish I had done it. Good for honours preparations.

Molecular biology of nucleic acid - I heard it is really easy but that's as much as I know about this subject. You learn about major/minor grove of the DNA helix etc. (Seriously, how much can you learn about DNA?!)

Molecular Cell Biology 2 - If you do the adv version, you get to visit the Garvan Institute (not sure if they still offer the adv version). Seems like an interesting course. I would love to have done it myself.

Protein - don't know anything about it.

As to the group work, there will be some components of that in most subjects you do in 3rd year. I remember when I did MICR3XXX subjects, all of them require a goup presentation and group work. I know it's not easy. If you end up in a crappy group, you just have to take the initiative and be the group leader - assign roles and responsibilities and stand your ground as a leader and make people do stuff - otherwise you will be 1) doing all the work yourself or 2) not finishing the assignment or face handing in crap quality work. Make sure if you have certain members who aren't very good, offer more help. Ask them to let you or others to proofread their work and make require changes.

Good luck!

 

[EdmondDW]

Hi Edmond. I didn't do any biochem subjects in 3rd year but I will let you know what I have heard from my friends who did biochem.

Human biochem is nothing like 2nd year biochem. It's much more fun because for the prac component, they used to have to keep a diary about what food intake for the entire week and work out indivdual metabolism or something along the lines of that.

Recombinant - you learn heaps of useful molecular techniques - wish I had done it. Good for honours preparations.

Molecular biology of nucleic acid - I heard it is really easy but that's as much as I know about this subject. You learn about major/minor grove of the DNA helix etc. (Seriously, how much can you learn about DNA?!)

Molecular Cell Biology 2 - If you do the adv version, you get to visit the Garvan Institute (not sure if they still offer the adv version). Seems like an interesting course. I would love to have done it myself.

Protein - don't know anything about it.

As to the group work, there will be some components of that in most subjects you do in 3rd year. I remember when I did MICR3XXX subjects, all of them require a goup presentation and group work. I know it's not easy. If you end up in a crappy group, you just have to take the initiative and be the group leader - assign roles and responsibilities and stand your ground as a leader and make people do stuff - otherwise you will be 1) doing all the work yourself or 2) not finishing the assignment or face handing in crap quality work. Make sure if you have certain members who aren't very good, offer more help. Ask them to let you or others to proofread their work and make require changes.

Good luck!

Woo, thanks very much. And another thing is have u ever done
BABS3301 Biochemistry Laboratrory project (Advanced) , it is laboratory work based course...do u think it is necessary to take it to help u get used to the lab life earlier?

BTW did u get a whilte Christmas in England, I haven't seen snow for years...

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year, and good luck for ur research

 

[Survivor39]

I have done BABS3301 Biochemistry Laboratrory project (Advanced).

The assessments were a literature review, a journal club, grant application, and lab work. I can't remeber the exact detail because it wasn't well organised and there was no assessment outlines (back then). You get deducted marks at 5 points intervals, which is a bit stupid. So you either get like 75, 80, 85 or 90 etc.

You have to spend at least 6 hrs a week in the lab of your chosen supervisor but to be honest I spent far more than that and I think it has an impact on my study for the other courses. Six hrs a week really isn't enough and then you have to leave and come back the week after - what kinds of experiments allow that kind of space? So I ended up going in a few days a week.

You do learn a great deal about research but I didn't really get any good experimental results out of it. If you want a taste of research, I suggest a summer scholarship which allows you to be there everyday and focus on the project.

Miraculously we had a white Christmas here in Cambridge and all the locals were surprised because there hasn't been one for 20+ years! It usually snows in Jan or Feb in Cambridge.

 

[tmahendradatta]

Anyone can give me some suggestions about third yr's biochem subjects?

I will choose four from molecular biology of protein, human biochemistry, molecular biology of nucleic acid, recombinant DNA & molecular cell biology 2...
I heard the protein one got lots of group work, personally I hate it, coz u never know
which kind of group members u will get...

Thanks in advance

I didn't do human biochem; but I did Moecular DNA and proteins --> So I'l chip in.

Proteins in 2009 was run by Dallia Catzel. It was a little unorganised and the group work was difficult on a people level (there were 5 people in a group... too maany people). However, ironically, its probably the one course science course I did that resembled real life lab (I've done a vacation research scholarship). But Dallia is on maternityleave.... so I have no idea whose going to be running the course; or what the course structure will be like this year. Proteins theory work is okay too. Just the Paul Curmi guy will get you a little confused. Biochemistry by Berg + review papers on the topics will get you through the theory aspect of this course. THe lab stuff --> will be very dependent on people/soft skills.

DNA is run by Vincent Murray. Very good and organised course. Ya - the work is 'easy'; but there is still alot to remember. I recommend putting your hand up and applying to the advance research thing they offer. It'll give you contacts for honours within BABS.

Tip for third year -> there is a shit load of team work this year. In fact, they rape you with team work. I think for every subject I did; there was at least one team assignment. Obviously; try to choose members you know well. But just know you'll still have to run through the whole team forming, storming. norming, performing process for each assignment.

Also - I recommend looking into Marc Wilkins Commercial Biotechnology that runs in semester 1. I think all scientist needs to understand the whole commercialisation process; incase an oppurtunity to commercialise something ever presents itself. It is the quickest route in getting your research from the 'bench to the bedside'; imho. Also - Marc wilkins knows his shit/runs a tight ship.

 

[tmahendradatta]

BABS3301 Biochemistry Laboratrory project (Advanced) , it is laboratory work based course...do u think it is necessary to take it to help u get used to the lab life earlier?

**** yes. But not for academic/mark purposes (exams don't test how good of a researcher you'll be). More so to figure out wether you like research or not (where both outcomes are good results --> if you come out of work experience feeling indifferent and still unsure whether you'd like it or not; there is a problem).

It also gives you some insight into what honours/PhD might be like because you get to talk to them, see their life style, etc,etc.

 

[EdmondDW]

I didn't do human biochem; but I did Moecular DNA and proteins --> So I'l chip in.

Proteins in 2009 was run by Dallia Catzel. It was a little unorganised and the group work was difficult on a people level (there were 5 people in a group... too maany people). However, ironically, its probably the one course science course I did that resembled real life lab (I've done a vacation research scholarship). But Dallia is on maternityleave.... so I have no idea whose going to be running the course; or what the course structure will be like this year. Proteins theory work is okay too. Just the Paul Curmi guy will get you a little confused. Biochemistry by Berg + review papers on the topics will get you through the theory aspect of this course. THe lab stuff --> will be very dependent on people/soft skills.

DNA is run by Vincent Murray. Very good and organised course. Ya - the work is 'easy'; but there is still alot to remember. I recommend putting your hand up and applying to the advance research thing they offer. It'll give you contacts for honours within BABS.

Tip for third year -> there is a shit load of team work this year. In fact, they rape you with team work. I think for every subject I did; there was at least one team assignment. Obviously; try to choose members you know well. But just know you'll still have to run through the whole team forming, storming. norming, performing process for each assignment.

Also - I recommend looking into Marc Wilkins Commercial Biotechnology that runs in semester 1. I think all scientist needs to understand the whole commercialisation process; incase an oppurtunity to commercialise something ever presents itself. It is the quickest route in getting your research from the 'bench to the bedside'; imho. Also - Marc wilkins knows his shit/runs a tight ship.

LOL...I suspect Dallia Catzel will come back to teach that course next session...

I did second yr's cell bio, she taught some sections which are terrible...contents r disorganised, lecture notes are rubbish....and she usually finished her lectures in 20 to 30 mins (supposed to be 1 hr)...

If she taught molecular protein, I will swap it to third yr physical chem in my first week...

How I wished babs subjects r as organised as chem schooll...