Course Details in

Module Title	LM Bio-inorganic Chemistry
School	Chemistry
Department	Chemistry
Module Code	03 28079
Module Lead	Dr Adrian Wright
Level	Masters Level
Credits	10
Semester	Semester 1
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Lecture-20 hours Guided independent study-80 hours Total: 100 hours
Exclusions
Description	This module is composed of two components. The first seeks to introduce the interdisciplinary field of biomaterial science from the chemist’s perspective. Biomaterial science is the study and application of materials to problems in biology and medicine. Biomaterials have been in use for more than 2000 years, stretching back to the Romans, Chinese and Aztecs who used gold in dentistry. Now advanced biomaterials are regularly employed in devices ranging from heart valves and hip joint replacements, to many aspects of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. Understanding the chemistry of biomaterials is crucial in the development of their application. This course provides an introduction to this chemistry by providing a general background to biomaterials science and then focuses on the use of various materials, including polymers, alloys and ceramics, as biomaterials in a range of biomedical devices. In the second component of the module, the importance of metal ions in biology and their relative abundance in the body will be explored. The topics to be covered include: hydrolytic enzymes; metallo-proteins and metallo-enzymes; up-take and storage; and elements in medicine.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Define and discuss the terms “biomaterial” and “biocompatibility” with respect to their use in medical devices; Define key mechanical properties of materials and contrast such properties across natural and synthetic materials; Describe the basic in vivo interactions at the surface of an implant; Discuss the use of polymers, ceramics and metals as biomaterials and identify the principal properties that lead to specific applications; Understand and explain the importance of metal ions in biology and their relative abundances in the body; Understand and explain the structural and hydrolytic roles of zinc- and nickel-containing proteins; Appreciate the importance and understand the function of metals in medicine, including platinum, gold and lithium; Understand the problems concomitant with the use of metals in a biological system, illustrated through a case study of iron in siderophores, transferrin and ferritin; Understand the importance of biological electron transfer, the range of redox potentials and how to tune them, iron-sulfur Proteins, rubendoxins, 2Fe ferredoxins, haem proteins and cytochromes.
Assessment	28079-01 : Module Assessment : Exam (School Arranged) - Written Unseen (100%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Worksheets (20%) and exam (80%)
Other
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