Problem-Based Learning Resources

Endocrine/Reproduction/Gastrointestinal

Created by Eric C. Niederhoffer, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Copyright 2000- , E.C. Niederhoffer. All Rights Reserved.
All trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.


The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Problem-Based Learning Resources page is designed to support the three objective areas defined by the curriculum.

Check back often for resource page updates! [External links to resources are added (by me) and deleted (by them).]

  • Self-direct learning and articulation
  • Reasoning
  • Interpersonal and group skills

For more information concerning these objectives see PBL: A Student Guide.

As your tutor group works through a Problem-Based Learning Module, learning issues (LI) will be developed. Some groups (as well as some of the cases) are better at this than others. Some groups (and some of the cases) lose focus from time-to-time and important issues are lost in the shuffle.

In order to foster your ability to develop LI and build a knowledge base in biochemistry, including cell and molecular biology, I have created unit LI grids, featured topics, major points, and correlated readings. One can build a foundation by learning about specific topics or by asking questions pertinent to each case. You should note that many of the potential LI appear in multiple cases and across units. You have multiple opportunities to encounter these topics, so don't think that you must completely cover them with any particular case. These LIs will be revisited as the unit continues and also through cases encountered in other units. Note that the link to a PBLM resource page will be activated as tutor groups process that particular case (usually after the first tutor group session).

Metabolic pathways in ERG focus on where they start (substrates), where they finish (products), important intermediates, and hormone regulated steps that may be targets of medications. You have encountered all of these pathways in previous units, so our time will be spent discussing how hormonal regulation occurs and how the pieces fit together to provide a "big picture" view of metabolic pathway interrelationships. Some students have found it very useful to build a biochemistry pathways illustration or map containing the various regulatory roles of hormones and metabolites.

Cases

End-of-Unit Exam

The biochemistry review session materials are not yet available (pptx). Slides for the ERG EOU review are not yet available.

General Resources

You might anticipate exploring the following topics:

LI
 absorption of nutrients  fatty acid oxidation
 bases of clinical assays and tests  gene expression and regulation
 bile salts  gene transcription and translation
 bilirubin synthesis and conjugation (ppt)  glycogen synthesis and degradation
 bone remodeling  glycolysis
 chemical signals in inflammatory process  glycoproteins
 composition of egg  G proteins
 composition of esophageal tissue  hormonal control of digestion
 composition of gall bladder tissue  hormone processing and production
 composition of intestinal tissue  ion transport in gastrointestinal tract
 composition of liver tissue  ion transport in liver tissue
 composition of pancreatic tissue  metabolism of carbohydrates
 composition of sperm  metabolism of proteins
 composition of stomach tissue  metabolism of lipids
 digestion of nutrients  receptors and signal transduction
 digestive enzymes  reproductive hormone biosynthesis
 electron transport chain  serum proteins
 enzyme action  steroid hormone biosynthesis
 energy production in gastrointestinal tract  thyroid hormone biosynthesis
 energy production in liver  tricarboxylic acid cycle
 enzymes in clinical medicine  vitamins

General Internet Resources
 Biocarta cellular and metabolic pathways
 Corrrelated readings for clinical laboratory tests
 emedicine for diagnoses and differentials
 Endocrinology, metabolism and nutrition (McGill University)
 Food and nutrition information center (USDA)
 Lab Tests Online
 The Medical Biochemistry Page (for details of pathways)
 Urinalysis (University of Utah)
 USDA National Nutrient Database
 Videos of surgical procedures

I recommend the following textbooks for biochemistry and cell and molecular biology:

If you have a background in biochemistry use:

  • Salway, J. Medical biochemistry at a glance. 2nd edition, 2006. Blackwell. A good overview with pertinent details and illustrations.
  • Salway, J. G. Metabolism at a glance. 3rd edition, 2004. Blackwell. Effective illustrations for learning metabolic pathways. Good overview and pertinent details. The other "… at a glance" books are very good also. This is very good for learning metabolic pathways and regulation, probably the best that I have seen but is physical large in size. Some students find the illustrations too complicated.

If you DO NOT have a background in biochemistry use:

  • Baynes, J. W. and M. H. Dominiczak. Medical biochemistry. 2nd edition, 2005. Mosby-Yearbook. Good biochemistry textbook with better illustrations.
  • Lieberman, M. A. and A. Marks. Marks' essential medical biochemistry: a clinical approach. 3rd edition, 2008. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins. Has effective clinical correlations.
  • Meisenberg, G. and W. H. Simmons. Principles of medical biochemistry. 2nd edition, 2006. Mosby-Yearbook. Good biochemistry textbook with better illustrations.

High quality references/board review books:

  • Devlin, T. M. (ed.). 2010. Textbook of biochemistry with clinical correlations, 7th ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York. This is very good for most of what you need.
  • Hark, L. and G. Morrison. Medical nutrition & disease: a case-based approach. 3rd edition, 2006. Blackwell. Good overview and clinical information.
  • Karp, G. (ed.). 2010. Cell and molecular biology: concept and experiments, 6th ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York. This covers cell biology topics not found in Devlin.
  • Murray, R. K., D. K. Granner, and V. W. Rodwell. Harper’s illustrated biochemistry. 27th edition, 2006. McGraw Hill. Review book.
  • Nelson, D. L., and M. M. Cox. (ed.). 2008. Lehninger principles of biochemistry, 5th ed. Worth, New York. This is very good for most of what you need but lacks the clinical correlations found in Devlin.
  • Sardesai, V. M. Introduction to clinical nutrition. 2nd edition, 2003. Marcel Dekker. Good information, more biochemistry aspects of nutrition, some errors were noted in structures of molecules.

The following textbooks are also useful:

  • Braunwald, E., A. S. Fauci, D. L. Kasper, S. L. Hauser, D. L. Longo, and J. L. Jameson (ed.). 2001. Harrison's principles of internal medicine, 15th ed. McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York.
  • Scriver, C. R., A. L. Beaudet, D. Valle, W. S. Sly, B. Childs, K. Kinzler, and B. Vogelstein (ed.). 2001. The metabolic and molecular bases of inherited disease, 8th ed. McGraw-Hill, Inc., New York.

The following may be quite useful also:

 

C2000 Resources

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Resources

Submit your questions and comments to the following:
eniederhoffer@siumed.edu