Chemical biology is the manipulation of biological systems through the use of tools that have primarily been developed through synthetic chemistry. This advanced course focuses on providing an introduction to chemical biology via the study of papers published within the last five years in scientific journals. Areas that will be covered will include the design and generation of novel enzymes through incorporation of unnatural amino acids, computation design of new enzymes with specific properties, the use of fluorescent chemicals/proteins in biology, combinatorial chemistry and drug design, and glycobiology - the manipulation of sugars that are recognised by cells/proteins.
There is no laboratory component to the course. Extensive group-based workshop sessions will be run in which various series of papers will be discussed.
Note: This course is co-taught with undergraduate students but assessed separately.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Critically assess and analyse contemporary scientific literature, and communicated this analysis in writing.
- Evaluate the present state of the discipline of chemical biology
- Demonstrate a theoretical understanding of current techniques used in chemical biology
- Curate and organize information found in a series of scientific papers into a concise report
Other Information
All workshops for this course are compulsory. Absences must be notified (in advance, if possible) to the course convenor, and accompanied by adequate and appropriate documentation justifying the absence.
Indicative Assessment
- Workshop reports (5 in total) (100) [LO 1,2,3,4]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
The expected workload will consist of approximately 130 hours throughout the semester including:
- Face-to face component which consists of 3 x 1 hour lectures plus 1 x 3 hour workshop per week, throughout the semester.
- Approximately 58 hours of self-directed study which will include preparation for lectures, tutorials and workshops, and the preparation of reports.
Inherent Requirements
No specific inherent requirements have been identified for this course.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
No prescribed text. Scientific papers will be provided to students in the course.
Assumed Knowledge
A minimum of 24 units of university level chemistry/biochemistry
Recommended: Some prior understanding of biochemistry and chemistry is strongly recommended. This course will require strong English-language skills; substantial discussion, reading, written communication and oral presentations in group tutorials. with a cognate degree in Biology, Chemistry or Biochemistry should have suitable requisite knowledge for the course.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $4680 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $6720 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9203 | 21 Jul 2025 | 28 Jul 2025 | 31 Aug 2025 | 24 Oct 2025 | In Person | N/A |