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THE UNIVERSITY OF BAMENDA L’UNIVERSITé DE BAMENDA
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P.O Box 39, Bambili B.P. 39, Bambili

Tel: (237) 233 360 033 / 233 366 029 Tel: (237) 233 360 033 / 233 366 029
Fax: (237) 233 366 030 Fax: (237) 233 366 030
Website: www.uniba-edu.cmEmail : info@uniba-edu.cm Site Web: www.uniba-edu.cm Email : info@uniba-edu.cm

Course Outline

Faculty/School: FHS Department: MLS

Code: BMSH 2105 Course Title: Molecular Biology Semester: 1ST CV: 4

Day: Tues and Wed Time: 8-10am Year: 2023-2024

Instructors: Dr Asanghanwa Milca and Dr Farikou Oumarou

Office/Hours: 8am – 3pm

Tel/Email: 673900151 / masangha@yahoo.com and 695271349 /

Course Description: This course is designed to give a strong research and scientific background in
Molecular Biology to students at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, within the Medical,
Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences. This is a course in charge of studying from a molecular
perspective, the processes that take place in living organisms.
Learning Objectives: At the end of this course, students are expected to:

1. Draw and describe the major cell organelles, macromolecules and explain the properties of nucleic acids
2. Describe the process of DNA Replication, DNA Transcription and Translation
3. Discuss Gene manipulation: DNA cloning both invivo and invitro and how to sequence DNA
4. Discuss the different cloning vectors and oncogenes found in Tumor viruses

METHOD OF INSTRUCTION:
A learner-oriented teaching approach shall be used. Lectures will be tailored to fit the needs of students
in the context of the course description and syllabus while giving enough room to accommodate related
topics that may emerge from group discussion to enhance understanding of required topics. We would
embrace case-based teaching and other active learning activities because they stimulate intellectual
camaraderie, argumentation, and cooperative problem solving and lay the groundwork for life-long
collaborative practice. The course will be taught through interactions by means of lectures and
presentations, group assignments, individual questions. Lectures will be both online and university-
organized classroom interaction sessions. This course requires lectures (30hrs), tutorials (15hrs) and
practical sessions (15hrs).

1
ATTENDANCE/EVALUATION: ____ 30 MCQs for continuous assessment and 70 MCQs for the Exam.
Practical session will make up 10/30 marks for the CA.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

1. Lodish, H., Matsudaira, P., Krieger, M., Scott, M.P., Zipursky, L., Darnell J. (2008). Molecular Cell Biology,
5th ed, New York
2. David,L.N., Michael, M.C.(2004). Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry, American Association for the
Advancement of Science. New York.
3. Molecular Biology and Applied Genetics for Medical Laboratory Technology Students by Mohammed Awole
Adem of Jimma University, 2006

4. Introduction to Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering by Oliver Brandenberg et al., 2011

COURSE CONTENT

WEEK SLOT CONTENT L T P

DAY TIME

1 Tues Discussion of the Course Outline and course expectations. 2

General introduction: Scope of the course.
Dr A. 8-
10am Introduction: Description of a Molecular Biology Laboratory
Wed 2

2 Tues 8- Cells and molecules and protein structure 2

10am 1. Cell and molecules
Dr A. • Cellular classification,
• Subcellular organelles,
• Macromolecules and large macromolecular
assemblies.
2. Protein structure:
• Amino acids,
• Protein structure and function.

Wed 2
Tutorials

3 Tues Nucleic acids, Prokaryotic and eukaryotic 2

chromosome structure:
Dr A. 8- 1. Nucleic acids
10am • properties of nucleic acids,
• nucleic acid structure,
• chemical and physical properties of nucleic
acids,
• spectroscopic and thermal properties of nucleic
acids.
• DNA supercoiling
Wed

2
 2. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic chromosome 2
structure:
• prokaryotic chromosome structure,
• chromatin structure,
• eukaryotic chromosome structure,
• genome complexity,
• the flow of genetic information

4 Tues DNA Replication: 2

• DNA replication, an overview,
Dr A. 8- • bacterial DNA replication,
10am
• the cell cycle,
• eukaryotic DNA replication,
Wed 2

5 Tues Transcription and Translation 2

Dr A. 8- Basic principles and steps

10am
Regulation of transcription
Wed 2
• The Genetic Code

6 Tues Gene manipulation 2

• DNA cloning, an overview.
Dr A 12-
• Preparation of plasmid DNA,
14pm
• restriction enzymes and electrophoresis,
• ligation, transformation and analysis of
recombinants

Wed 2
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Applications of cloning
7 Tues Cloning vectors 2
• Types
Dr F 12- • Design of plasmid vectors,
14pm
Wed • Bacteriophage vectors, Cosmids, YACs and 2
BACs,
• Eukaryotic vectors,

8 Tues Gene libraries and screening: 2

• genomic Libraries
Dr F. 8-
• screening procedures
10am
Wed 2

9 Tues DNA damage and repair recombination, 2

• Types of DNA damage and repair
• Mutagenesis.
3
 Dr F. 8-
10am
Wed Tutorials 2

10 Tues Bacteriophages and eukaryotic viruses 2

• Introduction to viruses, Bacteriophages, DNA
Dr F. 8- viruses
10am
• categories of oncogenes,
Wed • tumor suppressor genes, 2
• apoptosis.
11 Tues DNA Sequencing 2

Dr F. 8- • Maxam-Gilbert’s Method
10am
• The Sanger Method
Wed 2

12 Tues Practical Session 2

Both 8-
10am
Wed 2

13 Tues Tutorials 2

Both 8-
10am
Wed General Revision 2

TOTAL 30 15 15

Course Master: Dr Asanghanwa Milca

Co-Lecturer: Dr Farikou Oumarou

Head of Department: Prof Nguemaiam Flore.