Skills in Structural Biology

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• A theoretical understanding of optical spectroscopy sufficient to allow them to understand the principles behind the technique to allow them to begin to analyse experimental data.
• A theoretical understanding of NMR sufficient to allow them to understand the principles behind the technique to allow them to begin to analyse experimental data.
• A theoretical understanding of NMR sufficient to allow them to understand the principles behind the technique to allow them to begin to analyse experimental data.

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Obtain a practical insight into how X-ray crystallography is employed. This should include details on the nature of the samples that can be studied and how they are prepared for each form of analysis.
• Obtain a practical insight into how optical spectroscopy is employed. This should include details on the nature of the samples that can be studied and how they are prepared for each form of analysis.
• Understanding the principles behind the processing and interpretation of the data obtained from NMR spectroscopy, so that they can critically analyse their own data and that in the literature.
• Understanding the principles behind the processing and interpretation of the data obtained from X-ray diffraction, so that they can critically analyse their own data and that in the literature.
• Understanding the principles behind the processing and interpretation of the data obtained from optical spectroscopy, so that they can critically analyse their own data and that in the literature.
• Obtain a practical insight into how NMR spectroscopy is employed. This should include details on the nature of the samples that can be studied and how they are prepared for each form of analysis.

Student will acquire a foundation in the theory underpinning a range of biophysical techniques used to study structure and function of biomolecules. The students will have the opportunity to learn at a practical level how these techniques are employed, learning how to prepare relevant samples, conduct basic experiments, and the basics of the data analysis. The students will be expected to interpret the results in the context of the structural/biological significance.

Each of the sections will be taught using a combination of workshops and practicals (each totalling 8 hours). The workshops will provide the students with the theoretical background with which to interpret their experimental data and will be supplemented with worksheets to provide formative feedback. The workshops will also be used to help the teach the students how to process and interpret the experimental data that they obtain. During the practicals the students will have the opportunity to learn how to prepare samples, understand the basics of setting up the experiments and measuring experimental data on a chosen system.

Students will be expected to produce a report at the end each section that documents the results they obtained. This will provide them with a training in documenting the relevant materials and methods, processing the data and interpreting it in the context of the structure and function of the system under study. It is expected that each of these will be no more than 5 pages in length including all figures. The student will supplement this with 124h of independent study, which will include the preparation of all the relevant reports.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.