BioChemistry & Pharmacology
Understand how the molecules in your body work together and interact with different chemicals to influence health and diseases
Introduction
Biochemistry and pharmacology are core to biomedical sciences, providing insights into molecular processes, disease mechanisms, and the effects of drugs. Students will gain a deeper understanding of how drugs are designed and how they function at the molecular level that is crucial for developing therapeutic treatments.
Whether you are considering a career in health sciences or are simply curious about the science of life, this course will equip you with the knowledge to understand the molecular basis of health and medicine.
The Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded in 2024 to David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper for their breakthrough work predicting and designing the structure of proteins, the building blocks of life.
Curriculum: Course Code: AT-055
This program explores the chemical and biological processes essential for life, and how various substances—such as medications, toxins, and nutrients—interact with biological systems.
Various modules focus on how key biomolecules such as proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids, as well as enzymatic functions, metabolic pathways, and molecular interactions get perturbed in various diseases. Ongoing advancements in pharmacology are driving innovations in diagnostics, treatments, and personalized medicine, leading to improved healthcare outcomes and the development of more effective therapies for a variety of conditions.
Pharmacology delves into drug classification of key drug targets like enzymes and ion channels, how drugs act on the disease, how it moves through the body, mechanism of action, how it's broken down (metabolized), and how it's eventually removed.
Case studies are integrated to connect biomedical chemistry and pharmacology concepts to practical applications, fostering a deeper understanding of disease biology and therapeutic strategies. This course combines foundational knowledge with real-world insights to prepare students for advanced studies.
Capstone Project
Students can undertake capstone projects exploring drug mechanisms, biomarker discovery, metabolic pathways, drug design, pharmacological case studies, and diagnostic assay development.
Highlights
- Biomolecules and metabolic pathways
- Molecular interactions and Drugs mechanism of action
- Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics
- Drug development and Innovations in personalized medicine
- Practical applications and careers in pharmaceutical sciences
Career counseling about an increasingly wide range of available careers, including research (academic & Pharmaceutical company based), teaching, Medical practitioners, to name a few.
We will further discuss new career profiles in the field of biochemistry with industry professionals. We will provide additional career resources, highlight potential jobs along with answering any and all your questions.
Activities & Credits
Students learn to make high quality science posters & hone their presentation skills.
Learn to draft scientific write-ups with clear and convincing narratives.
Outstanding students also get opportunities for long-term projects with mentors.
Recent Student Projects
Targeting Glucose Metabolism & Transport for Cancer Treatment
https://elioacademy.org/ishita-yadav
Ishita Yadav
(Amador Valley High School)
Cancer cells alter their metabolism to support uncontrolled growth and proliferation. Unlike normal cells, cancer cells rely heavily on glycolysis, even in the presence of oxygen—a phenomenon known as the Warburg Effect. The study highlights the potential of targeting glucose metabolism as a therapeutic strategy in cancer treatment.
Phenylketonuria (PKU)
https://elioacademy.org/francesca-gomez
Francesca Chevarría Gómez
(Max Uhle Peruvian-German School)
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder, which means, two copies of the mutation must be present for the disease to develop. PKU can be caused by 400 different known variants in the PAH gene. The phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) enzyme performs the breakdown of the amino acid phenylalanine (phe) into tyrosine (Tyr), which is required by the body to produce stress neurotransmitters such as epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine.
WANT TO WORK ON YOUR OWN PROJECT ?
Apply to ELIO mentored projects in Genetics, Neuroscience, Medical Data Science, Biochemistry (Click Here)
