Nahrain College

First Year 2024 – 2025

Course Name :
Biochemistry(Biomolecules)
Credit hours: 3 ( 2 Theory + 2
Practical)
Prepared By
Dr. Seifeldeen Ahmed
Mohamed
 Course objectives and
contents
Course objectives
To provide student with most
important aspects of biochemistry
required in medical laboratory.
Course contents
Introduction to biochemistry, basic
knowledge about water and
electrolytes, carbohydrates, proteins ,
lipids , enzymes and nucleic acids.
(classification, structure and
 Course outcomes
Upon completion of this course, the
student will be able to:
1. Discuss the importance of biochemistry
and its relation with the other life
sciences.
2. Know the distribution and function of
water and electrolyte in the body.
3. Understand the structure ,function and
classification of carbohydrates,
proteins , lipids , enzymes and nucleic
acids.
 Lecture One
Introduction to
biochemistry
 Lecture content
o Organization of Organisms
o Definition of biochemistry and
medical biochemistry .
o Scope of Biochemistry
o Branches of Biochemistry
o History of biochemistry
o Biochemistry; and other life sciences
o Functional groups
o Terminology
 Organization of
Organisms
Two or more atoms combine to form
a molecule, such as the water ,
proteins, and sugars which are the
chemical building blocks of all body
structures.
The human body in terms of
fundamental levels of organization
that increase in complexity are:
subatomic particles, atoms,
molecules, organelles, cells, tissues,
 Biochemistry
Biochemistry is the application of
chemistry to the study of biological
processes (structure, composition and
chemical reactions of substances in
living systems) at the cellular and
molecular level
Biochemistry is the science concerned
with studying the various molecules that
occur in living cells and organisms and
their chemical reactions.
 Medical biochemistry
Health depends on a harmonious
balance of biochemical reactions
occurring in the body,
Disease reflects abnormalities in
biomolecules biochemical reactions,
or processes
Medical biochemistry is biochemistry
related to human health and disease.
 Medical biochemistry focus on
methodology & interpretation of
 Scopes of Biochemistry
Biochemistry studying:
 The structure and behavior of the molecules
in biological material and the ways these
molecules interact to form whole organism.
 Chemical changes in the organism during
digestion, absorption , excretion , growth
and multiplication .
 Transformation of one form of chemical
constituent to the other and energy
changes.
Branches of Biochemistry
 Medical Biochemistry-Deals with
chemical basis of human body which
supports disease diagnosis therapy and
research of medical field..
 Bacterial Biochemistry-Deals with
Microbes.
 Plant Biochemistry- Deals with Plants.
 Animal Biochemistry-Deals with
animals.
 Industrial Biochemistry-Deals with
industrial products.
 Branches of
Biochemistry
Toxicology: This field studies the
adverse effects of toxic or foreign
chemical substances on the
organisms, environmental and food.
Enzymology: The study of enzymes,
deficiency and their consequence in
diseases.
Natural products biochemistry: a
new area of research in biochemistry;
it evolved as a result of interest of
 History of biochemistry
Biochemistry emerged in the late 18th
and early 19th century.
The term “Biochemistry” was first
introduced by German chemist Carl
Neuberg in 1903 from Greek word “bios”
means “life”.
With increasing relevance of
biochemistry to clinical practice, clinical
biochemistry evolved, and consolidated
in the 1940s as an autonomous field.
 Biochemistry; and life
sciences
 Genetics; nucleic acids, their structures,
and functions constitute the core of
genetics.
 Physiology; biochemistry overlaps almost
completely with physiology (the study of
biological processes and functions).
 Immunology; a science that deals with
defense mechanisms against diseases, is
considered a branch of biochemistry
 Biochemistry; and life
sciences
Pathology; biochemistry explains, at
the molecular level, the symptoms and
pathogenesis of diseases.
Pharmacology and toxicology;
advances in these sciences depend
primarily on knowledge gained from
biochemistry as drugs and poisons are
metabolized inside the body in enzyme-
catalyzed biochemical reactions.
 Biochemistry; and life
sciences
 Biological sciences (microbiology, botany
and zoology) use biochemical approaches in
the study of different aspects of these
sciences.
 Physics : Laws as the laws of
thermodynamic are used in biochemistry .
 Chemistry :Bonding and interactions
between atoms and molecules eg hydrogen
bonding, ionic bond , sulfur bond …….etc are
existence in biomolecules .
 Biochemistry; and life
sciences
Food science : Biochemists
determine the chemical composition
of foods, develop methods to extract
nutrients from waste products.
Agriculture : Biochemists study the
interaction of herbicides with plants.
 Functional groups
Functional groups are the
fundamental building blocks of
organic chemistry, providing a
pathway to understanding the vast
diversity of organic compounds.
Functional groups are specific
groupings of atoms within molecules
that have distinct properties and
determine the characteristic
reactions of those molecules.
 Functional groups
Functional groups are crucial to the
structure and function of biological
molecules
Understanding the functional groups
present in biomolecules affords insights
into their behavior, reactivity, and
ultimately, their biological roles.
Functional groups can alter the acid-base
properties of compounds
 Functional Groups and
Molecular Properties
 Increased Solubility: Compounds with
polar functional groups tend to be more
soluble in polar solvents like water. For
instance, sugars are highly soluble, while
hydrocarbons not.
 Enhanced Boiling and Melting Points:
The presence of hydrogen bonding typically
raises the boiling and melting points of
compounds. For example, water has a much
higher boiling point than methane.
 functional groups commonly
found in biological molecules
Hydroxyl Group (-OH): Found in
alcohols and sugars, the hydroxyl
group enhances solubility in water
and contributes to the formation of
hydrogen bonds. This is crucial for
the reactivity and stability of
biomolecules such as carbohydrates.
Carbonyl Group (C=O): Present in
aldehydes and ketones, greatly
influence the properties and
 functional groups commonly
found in biological molecules
Carboxyl Group (-COOH): Present
in amino acids and organic acids, the
carboxyl group is responsible for
acidity and can participate in
reactions that are vital for metabolic
processes.
Amino Group (-NH2): Characteristic
of amino acids, the amino group
contributes basicity and is essential
for protein synthesis.
 functional groups commonly
found in biological molecules
Sulfhydryl Group (-SH): can form
disulfide bridges that are essential for
maintaining protein structure. These
bonds stabilize the three-dimensional
configurations of proteins
Phosphate Group (-PO42−): Integral to
energy transfer in cells, phosphate
groups are found in ATP (adenosine
triphosphate), the primary energy
carrier.
 Terminology
 Isomers : Are different molecules that
composed of the same number and kind of
atoms .
 Condensation : Reactions that bind two
molecules in which water molecule was
eliminated .
 Hydrolysis : Breakdown of molecules to
smaller one .
 Homestasis : The state of dynamic
equilibrium
 Terminology
 Hydrophilic :Ionic or polar substances that
has an affinity for water (interact with
water) .
 Hydrophobic : Non ionic or non polar
substance not dissolve in water .
 Hydrocarbons: These molecules mainly
consist of two elements, Hydrogen and
Carbon.
 Aromatic : Contain one or more benzene
rings; each ring consists of 6 C-atoms.
 Terminology
A buffer is "a solution that tends to
resist a change in pH on addition of a
small amount of strong acid or base.“
The pH: pH is simply a more
convenient way of specifying the
concentration of H+ ions in solution.
Thermodynamic: is the area of
science concerned with heat and
temperature and their relationship
with energy and work.
 Terminology
Polar molecule is one in which one
end is partially positive and the other
partially negative.
Amphipathic molecules are
molecules that contain both polar
and nonpolar groups.
Acid : is a substance that donates
hydrogen ions.
A base :is a substance that accepts
hydrogen ions (proton acceptor).
 Review Questions
[Link] is biochemistry?
2. Why is it important for medical
students to study biochemistry?
3. Assuming there were no biochemists
in the world up till year 2010, do you
think medicine sciences will be
practiced the way they are practiced
today? Explain your answer.
 Review Questions
Which of these pair are mismatching ?
a. Physiology is the study of biological processes and
functions.
b. Toxicology field studies the adverse effects of toxic
c. Hydrophilic :Polar interact with water .
d. Hydrophobic : Non ionic or polar
Which of these pair are matching ?
e. Zoology is a physical science.
f. Amphipathic molecules is a hydrophobic molecule
g. Biochemistry emerged in the late 15th and early 18th
century.
h. Medical biochemistry related to human health and
disease