Offered to students admitted to Year 1 in ALL
Major/Minor ALL
Course Type
Offer in 2024 - 2025 Y N
Course Code CHEM4444
Date2024/10/11 18:49
Enquiry for Course Details
CHEM4444 Chemical biology (6 credits) Academic Year 2024
Offering Department Chemistry Quota 50
Course Co-ordinator Prof X C Li, Chemistry < xuechenl@hku.hk >
Teachers Involved (Prof X C Li,Chemistry)
Course Objectives To understand how to use chemical approaches to emulate biological systems to study natural molecules and generate new functional molecules.  Useful as an introduction to research in areas of chemical biology, medicinal chemistry and biotechnology.
Course Contents & Topics Chemical biology of nucleic acids, protein chemistry, protein posttranslational modifications, carbohydrate chemistry, chemical glycobiology and tools and techniques in chemical biology.
Course Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

CLO 1 understand chemical biology approaches in studying biology
CLO 2 give examples of how to use chemical methods to produce natural biomolecules and new biomolecules wiht altered functions
CLO 3 compare chemical biology and traditional biology approaches in drug discovery
Pre-requisites
(and Co-requisites and
Impermissible combinations)		 Pass in BIOC3601 or CHEM3441
Course Status with Related Major/Minor /Professional Core 2024 Major in Biochemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2024 Major in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2024 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) ( Disciplinary Elective )
2024 Minor in Biochemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2024 Minor in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2023 Major in Biochemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2023 Major in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2023 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) ( Disciplinary Elective )
2023 Minor in Biochemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2023 Minor in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2022 Major in Biochemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2022 Major in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2022 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) ( Disciplinary Elective )
2022 Minor in Biochemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2022 Minor in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2021 Major in Biochemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2021 Major in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2021 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) ( Disciplinary Elective )
2021 Minor in Biochemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2021 Minor in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2020 Major in Biochemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2020 Major in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2020 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) ( Disciplinary Elective )
2020 Minor in Biochemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
2020 Minor in Chemistry ( Disciplinary Elective )
Course to PLO Mapping 2024 Major in Biochemistry < PLO 1,2,3,4,5 >
2024 Major in Chemistry < PLO 1,2,6 >
2024 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) < PLO 1,2,6 >
2023 Major in Biochemistry < PLO 1,2,3,4,5 >
2023 Major in Chemistry < PLO 1,2,6 >
2023 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) < PLO 1,2,6 >
2022 Major in Biochemistry < PLO 1,2,3,4,5 >
2022 Major in Chemistry < PLO 1,2,6 >
2022 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) < PLO 1,2,6 >
2021 Major in Biochemistry < PLO 1,2,3,4,5 >
2021 Major in Chemistry < PLO 1,2,6 >
2021 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) < PLO 1,2,6 >
2020 Major in Biochemistry < PLO 1,2,3,4,5 >
2020 Major in Chemistry < PLO 1,2,6 >
2020 Major in Chemistry (Intensive) < PLO 1,2,6 >
Offer in 2024 - 2025 Y        2nd sem    Examination May     
Offer in 2025 - 2026 Y
Course Grade A+ to F
Grade Descriptors
A Demonstrate thorough mastery at an advanced level of extensive knowledge and skills required for attaining all the course learning outcomes. Show strong analytical and critical abilities and logical thinking, with evidence of original thought, and ability to apply knowledge to a wide range of complex, familiar and unfamiliar situations. Apply highly effective organizational and presentational skills. Insightful use and critical analysis / evaluation of information drawn from a full range of high quality sources and to quote/reference aptly.
B Demonstrate substantial command of a broad range of knowledge and skills required for attaining at least most of the course learning outcomes. Show evidence of analytical and critical abilities and logical thinking, and ability to apply knowledge to familiar and some unfamiliar situations. Apply effective organizational and presentational skills. Critical use of relevant information from sources, showing ability to make meaningful comparisons between different secondary interpretations and to quote/reference aptly.
C Demonstrate general but incomplete command of knowledge and skills required for attaining most of the course learning outcomes. Show evidence of some analytical and critical abilities and logical thinking, and ability to apply knowledge to most familiar situations. Apply moderately effective organizational and presentational skills. Use of relevant information from sources, showing ability to make comparisons between different interpretations and to quote/reference aptly.
D Demonstrate partial but limited command of knowledge and skills required for attaining some of the course learning outcomes. Show evidence of some coherent and logical thinking, but with limited analytical and critical abilities. Show limited ability to apply knowledge to solve problems. Apply limited or barely effective organizational and presentational skills. Use and reference of several sources, but mainly through summary rather than analysis and comparison.
Fail Demonstrate little or no evidence of command of knowledge and skills required for attaining the course learning outcomes. Lack of analytical and critical abilities, logical and coherent thinking. Show very little or no ability to apply knowledge to solve problems. Organization and presentational skills are minimally effective or ineffective. Limited use of secondary sources and no critical comparison of them.
Communication-intensive Course N
Course Type Lecture-based course
Course Teaching
& Learning Activities
Activities Details No. of Hours
Lectures 36
Tutorials (tutorials/discussion) 12
Reading / Self study 100
Assessment Methods
and Weighting
Methods Details Weighting in final
course grade (%)		 Assessment Methods
to CLO Mapping
Assignments 5 CLO 1,2,3
Examination 50 CLO 1,2,3
Presentation 25 CLO 1,2,3
Test 20 CLO 1,2,3
Required/recommended reading
and online materials		 Foundations of Chemical Biology by C.M. Dobson, J.A. Gerrard and A.J. Pratt.
Course Website Nil
Additional Course Information Nil
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