CELL (5 MARKS)
Cell structure – organelle, cytoskeleton and biomembranes – structure and function Methods of separation and analysis. Water, pH and buffers, Henderson Hasselbach equation, buffer system, colloids, laws of mass action, surface tension, osmosis, diffusion.
ENZYMES (5 MARKS)
Enzymes – Classification, mechanism of action, factors affecting enzyme activity Inhibition and activation of enzyme activity, regulation of enzyme activity, isoenzymes, clinical enzymology – diagnostic and therapeutic applications
CHEMISTRY METABOLISM AND DISORDERS OF AMINOACIDS & PROTEINS (15 MARKS)
Chemistry of amino acids and proteins – classification of amino acids, physical and chemical properties of amino acids. Structural organization of proteins. Study of protein structure Structure – Function – relationship of proteins Special proteins – Plasma proteins, immunoglobulin (techniques of detection, separation and quantitation) Contractile proteins, structural proteins (collagen, elastin, keratin) and functional proteins Glycoprotein – Types, functions and formation
Hemoglobin: Structure of hemoglobin, different types of Hb – Transport of oxygen, CO2- buffering action, Hb variants – hemoglobinopathies and thalassemias, myoglobin. Heme synthesis and break down, porphyrias and jaundice. Disorders of hemopoietic system, Ferro kinetic studies, Hemoglobinopathies, immunoglobinopathies, porphyrias and their lab diagnosis, Coagulation studies. Inborn errors of Aminoacids and protein metabolism. Abnormalities in tissue proteins – inherited and protein folding disorders, Prions
CHEMISTRY, METABOLISM AND DISORDERS OF CARBOHYDRATE (10 MARKS)
Chemistry of carbohydrates – classification and biological importance, chemistry and functions of monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides including glycosaminoglycans. Metabolism of carbohydrates, TCA cycle and biological oxidation (Major and minor metabolic pathways – steps, significance, regulation and interrelationships etc)
CHEMISTRY, METABOLISM AND DISORDERS OF LIPID (10 MARKS)
Chemistry of lipids – classification and biological importance, chemistry and functions of triglycerides, phospholipids, glycolipids, fatty acids, cholesterol, lipoproteins and prostaglandins.
Metabolic profile of different organs – Liver, skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle, brain, kidney, erythrocytes, adipose tissue, lens and retina.
Metabolic interrelationships & metabolic alterations in starvation and obesity.
Ketosis, atherosclerosis, fatty liver, lysosomal storage disorders, dyslipidemias and their lab diagnosis.
Organic acidurias and their laboratory diagnosis.
Regulation of glucose levels in body fluids-diabetes mellitus, metabolic alterations, complications and biochemical basis of management. Biochemical basis of complications in Diabetes mellitus and secondary degenerative changes associated with diabetes mellitus. Glycogen Storage diseases, galactosemia, reducing substances in urine and aids to laboratory diagnosis of these disorders. Inborn errors of Carbohydrate metabolism
BIOSTATISTICS (5 MARKS)
Basic principles of research methodology – Formulation of research hypothesis, study designing, sampling, data analysis and reporting with essential knowledge of statistical analysis.
Population distributions: Populations and samples-Frequency distributions
Basic distribution statistics: Measures of central tendencies, measures of variation, confidence intervals and measures of accuracy and precision
Parametric comparisons of populations : Null hypothesis and statistical significance, two hypothesis, comparison of random variation (precision)-the F test, comparison of means (accuracy or bias)-the t test, ANOVA (one way analysis of variance), testing a sample for outliers using the gap test
Reference intervals and clinical decision limits: Reference population, reference individuals, reference sample group, reference values, reference distribution, reference limits, reference intervals, Protocol for obtaining reference values and establishing health associated reference intervals, selection of reference intervals, pre analytical and analytical variables
Analysis of reference values: Statistical methods, confidence intervals, treatment of outlying observations, partitioning of reference values, transference, presentation of reference intervals, intra individual reference intervals, ROC curve (receiver operating characteristic curve
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TECHNIQUES (20 MARKS)
Purines and pyrimidines – their derivatives – nucleosides, nucleotides, nucleic acids. Metabolism of purines and pyrimidines and disorders Structure and functions of nucleic acids, organization of DNA in cells
Replication –steps (prokaryotic and eukaryotic), enzymes, fidelity, DNA repair, inhibitors
Transcription – (prokaryotic and eukaryotic) different types of RNA polymerases, post transcriptional modifications, inhibitors
Translation – (prokaryotic and eukaryotic) Steps, factors involved, post translational modifications, inhibitors, protein folding and targeting Regulation of gene expression,prokaryotic and eukaryotic Epigenetics Cell cycle, cell to cell adhesion, recognition, signaling, growth factors and cytokines Apoptosis, Role of mitochondria, mitochondrial DNA, Mitochondrial cytopathies. Genetic basis of cancer, Oncogenes and oncosuppressor genes, tumour markers
Techniques in molecular biology : Recombinant DNA technology, Southern blotting, RFLP, PCR, Genomic library, DNA finger printing, transgenics, gene knock out, stem cell biology, RNA interference, Gene targeting, DNA micro array, Gene therapy and vectors. Molecular methods in prenatal & new born screening, Markers of chromosomal aneuploidy in maternal serum (Quad screen) NAT for foetal DNA in maternal circulation.
Immunology –Immunity-Antigen, Antibodies – Immunoglobulins, Antigen-Antibody reactions, complement system, Structure and functions of the Immune system, Immune Response, Immunodeficiency diseases, Hypersensitivity, Autoimmunity, Immunology of Transplantation and Malignancy, Immuno heamatology, Stem cell biology and applications
Basic principles of Bioinformatics
NUTRITION (10 MARKS)
Nutrition – Food composition – general nutritional requirements, energy requirements, biological value of proteins, Respiratory quotient, B.M.R., SDA, balanced diet, diet formulation in health and disease, mixed diet, nutritional supplements, food toxins, additives, parenteral nutrition Digestion and absorption of different nutrients. Disorders of digestion and malabsorption syndromes, dietary fibers
Disorders of nutrition- PEM, obesity, dietary fibers, laboratory diagnosis of nutritional disorders and national nutritional programme
Vitamins – Classification, source active forms, metabolic role, deficiency manifestations, RDA and hypervitaminosis,antivitamins, assays.
Minerals: Macro and micro minerals – Source, requirements, biochemical functions, deficiency and excess
Biochemistry of free radicals and antioxidants
Environmental toxicology, metabolism of xenobiotics.
Muscular contraction, nerve conduction, coagulation of blood
Inborn errors of metabolism: Inborn errors of carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids & mineral metabolism.
