Comprehensive Human Biochemistry

The year-one MD Program curriculum at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison includes a course called Comprehensive Human Biochemistry.

Overarching Course Goals for Comprehensive Human Biochemistry

• Provide a background and understanding of the structure/function relationships of major macromolecules of biomedical relevance including carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids
  
  
• Provide a background and understanding of the principles of enzyme structure, kinetics, regulation and function and the application of principles to the action of drugs, toxins, metabolism, coagulation and other cellular activities
  
  
• Provide a background and understanding of the key metabolic reactions and pathways in human metabolism, how they are regulated and their tissue specific functions in metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleotides. Make logical applications of this knowledge to the diagnosis of human metabolic diseases
  
  
• Provide a background and understanding of biochemical principles of water soluble hormone action (e.g. insulin, glucagon, epinephrine, ACTH and growth hormone) and lipid soluble hormone action (e.g. steroid hormones and thyroid hormones) including knowledge of receptor signaling, site of synthesis and target tissue and biological responses and key disease states
  
  
• Provide practical experience and teamwork skills in the diagnosis and epidemiological evaluation associated with disease states that arise from disturbances in biochemical processes
  
  
• Apply these basic biochemical principles, both now and in the future, to understand normal biology and the pathophysiology associated with disturbances in CNS, endocrine, cardiovascular, hemodynamic, muscle, hepatic, GI tract and renal organ/tissue function