BIOCHEM

EPORTFOLIO

CHARLES JEREMIAH LIPURA

1st Year Student in Nursing

Hello! I am Charles Jeremiah Lipura, most people call by my nickname,

cj. I am a student-athlete and I plan on being a nurse or maybe a
doctor someday. I love mathematics and I play some instruments too.
I live in the Aqua City of Cebu, Talisay City.

- Graduated in Lawaan - Graduated in Talisay City

Elementary School as the
valedictorian (2009- 2015)
- Graduated in the University
of Cebu - METC in Senior High
School (2019- 2021)
Science High School in Junior
High School (2015- 2019)
- Currently studying at the
University of Cebu - Banilad
under Nursing
 Introduction to
Biochemistry -
Summary

In our first official discussion, we were assessed on our knowledge and

understanding about biochemistry. I already had a grasp about how biochemistry
helps us understand more about molecules and cellular activity. From the term itself,
this is a branch of science which focuses a lot on the chemical substances and
processes that are present in a living organism. It is associated with the different fields
present today such as medicine, agriculture, cosmetics and many more. Our instructor
also effectively taught us the significance and impact of biochemistry in our lives today.

As what I have understood while studying about biochemistry is that everything

we see and encounter are all full of various molecules. And the interaction of these
biological macromolecules was also tackled in this period. The concepts that were
introduced to us included carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and many more. We were
effectively taught about its importance and how each of these topics can help us

understand more about the things that we encounter day by day such as food and
water. We were even tasked to complete a concept map about these major concepts
including the nucleic acid along with some examples, functions and food sources. In
carbohydrates, sugar units are connected together by glycosidic bonds. Lipids are
insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents. All proteins are composed of amino
acids which are connected by a peptide bond. There are 20 amino acids. Nucleic acids
are composed of nucleotides.

I also did my research beforehand because I was afraid that I may struggle in this
subject and there I learned that oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis, phosphorolysis,
decarboxylation, deamination and transamination are the major biochemical
reactions. We tackled them one by one, oxidation is the loss of electrons while
reduction is the gain of electrons. On the other hand, hydrolysis is the chemical process
in which a molecule is cleaved into two parts by the addition of a water molecule and
phosphorolysis is the splitting of a bond by the addition of phosphoric acid to a
compound. Moreover, decarboxylation is the loss of carbon dioxide, while deamination
is the removal of amino group. And lastly, transamination is the transfer of amino group
from one molecule to another.
 Introduction to
Biochemistry -
reflection

Based on the knowledge that I hold prior to our discussion; I would say
that I was not really good in the topics which were associated with
biochemistry but my interest in learning was really high. Ultimately, our
instructor focused a lot on our internal knowledge and by doing so, he
made a way to make us understand each topic by starting with the
overview, then ending with each specific topic.

Surprisingly, I had fun while learning because of how biochemistry is

connected to my dream job which is to be a professional doctor. I have
learned a lot of things and I’m sure that the knowledge that I have gained

from the introduction to biochemistry alone are already essential. In a

sense, the introduction to biochemistry somewhat gave me an idea about
what we were about to be facing in the future. And so, I diligently did my
research which was presented in the summary and I studied them one by
one. I would say that our first meeting together was fun and I enjoyed it a
lot because our instructor really knew how to make our class active. Many
of my colleagues had a lot of background knowledge already and that was
the one which inspired me to study and learn new things on my own. And
when we had our next meeting, I already had general notes in the main
topics of the subject such as proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates and all of
those came in handy.

All in all, our first topic was really fun to learn and understandable of
how our instructor effectively taught us those concepts. However, I had no
idea what was coming up next so I kept preparing.
 Organic
Chemistry I
(Alkane, Alkyne,
Alkyne) -
Summary

This topic was certainly one of the most interesting ones we had in this subject.
It first introduced us to the chemistry which focuses on compounds containing
carbon, this is widely known as organic chemistry.

Learning about this branch of chemistry, we tackled a lot of astounding and

meaningful terms which include hydrocarbons, alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, benzene,
aromatic and aliphatic, and many more. As we ventured upon these terms, we fully
understood that the term aromatic means that it contains benzene rings while
aliphatic refers to straight chains. Alkanes, also known as paraffins is a hydrocarbon
which contain only carbon-to-carbon single bond, On the other hand, alkenes which
is also called olefins are hydrocarbons which contain carbon-to-carbon double bond.
Lastly, alkynes contain carbon-to-carbon triple bonds. Alkanes are classified as

saturated hydrocarbons because it only contains carbon to carbon single bond. On

the other hand, alkenes and alkynes are both known as unsaturated hydrocarbons
for they contain both double and triple bonds.

In naming, alkanes always use the suffix -ane, while alkenes finish with -ene,
and alkynes with -yne. The term ‘cyclo’ refers to carbon atoms which form a ring
such as cycloalkane, and cycloalkene. Benzene is also a carbon chain ring which
contains 6 carbons that are alternating in single and double carbon-carbon bonds.
Interestingly, prefixes were also essential in the nomenclature of hydrocarbons and
we effectively understood how naming works especially when there are branches.
Prefixes include, -meth which means there is only one carbon atom, -eth when there
are two carbon atoms and the list goes on. One essential thing to be remembered
while naming is that you have to find the longest chain of carbon atoms which is
your parent name. After that, we now can proceed in naming the branches which
can either be carbon atoms or halogen group.
 Organic
Chemistry I
(Alkane, Alkyne,
Alkyne) -
reflection

I got to learn a lot of valuable knowledge about the

structure and nomenclature of the different hydrocarbons
present in our lives. I believe this knowledge is also
essential in our studies in the field of nursing.

Struggle is always present whenever we get to tackle a

new topic. The unfamiliarity is always a factor when it
comes to our learning but thankfully, we all learned it
slowly but surely. There are a lot to remember when it
comes to the naming alkanes, alkenes and alkynes which
is why I’ve learned how to focus more on specific details
because of this subject. In addition, our instructor has also
helped us go out of our comfort zone at times by making

each of us participate and answer his examples and I do

find it effective and fun at the same time. Alkanes, alkenes
and alkynes all specifically have its distinct characteristics
and application to our lives. Learning a lot about them will
surely improve your understanding about science,
particularly in biology.

Overall, this knowledge I have gained from this topic will

always stay with me and I’m thankful for how Mr.
Fernandez always understands us as students and his
effective way of teaching.
 Organic
Chemistry II
(Derivatives of
Hydrocarbon) -
Summary

We were first introduced to alcohols, which are among the most common
organic compounds. We were already aware of the importance of alcohols but it was
still astounding to be able to learn how alcohols are made and why they have such
names. Its general formula is ROH and is widely known to use the suffix -ol in naming
such us methanol, ethanol, etc. The next thing we learned was all about ethers and
its nomenclature. Ethers have a general formula of ROR’ which means that if there
are two aryl groups with an oxygen atom in between, we can immediately classify it
as an ether. It can be classified as symmetrical if the aryl groups attached to the
oxygen atom are the same, and unsymmetrical if the aryl groups are different. On the
other hand, we also tackled a lot about aldehydes and here we were taught about
what a carbonyl group means and how to name this derivative. With a general
formula of RCHO, we understood the application of aldehydes in our lives and in

naming one, it usually ends with the suffix -al. Ketones were next in line, and the
widely known “acetone” is actually is the simplest ketone with a general formula of
RCOR.
We then ventured upon carboxylic acids where we identified how these acids
are named along with its particular usage. COOH is the general formula of this
derivative where their properties vary significantly with their carbon-chain length,
molecular structure, and the presence of additional functional groups. After that, we
eventually reached esters which has a general formula of RCOOR’ which is formed
from the reaction of alcohols and carboxylic acids. In naming esters, we learned that
we should first determine the alcohol and acid part in order to name it correctly,
then we follow up with the branches. Next are the amines, from the term itself, these
are compounds which are connected and derived from ammonia. With a general
formula of RNH2, they are considered bases and are also found in plants. Moreover,
they can be classified as primary, secondary, and tertiary depending on the amount
of hydrogen that has been replaced by a hydrocarbon group. Amides, with a general
formula of RCNH2, are usually regarded as derivatives of carboxylic acids in which
the hydroxyl group has been replaced by an amine or ammonia. And lastly, we
discussed about thiols which compounds that contain the functional group
composed of a sulfur atom and a hydrogen atom.
 Organic
Chemistry II
(Derivatives of
Hydrocarbon) -
reflection

This was the topic which was the most challenging for me
because of the number of things that are needed to be
remembered in order to have proper knowledge about
these topics. It was also amazing to find out about the
how the derivatives of hydrocarbon are used in our daily
life and how they are produced.

As I engaged with this topic for the first time, I really

struggled because there were a lot of things to be
remembered but eventually, I got the hang of it. With my
knowledge from the previous topics about alkanes,
alkenes and alkynes, I began to understand the other
derivatives of hydrocarbon, the importance of these
derivatives, and how to name
each of them correctly.
When I got the hang of it, I immediately practiced a lot in
the internet and I would say that it was truly enjoyable to
have new and valuable knowledge while moving forward
into the future. When I realized that this topic was widely
engaged in the field of medicine, my interest grew and
grew and I started to do self-study particularly about the
thiols and amides because these were unfamiliar to me.

I enjoyed each moment we had as a class because of this

topic. We all struggled but still, we ultimately met our
goal, which was to learn something and be able to know
when to apply it in the future.
 Carbohydrates -
Summary

For me, this is one of the most useful topics we have ever
encountered because of how it taught us a lot of things which is
engaged in the medical field such as certain diseases, the causes of
these diseases, as well as how to perform measures against it. It has
also made us understand how complex and important carbohydrates
really is. From the term itself, carbohydrates are biomolecules which
are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms and is also
classified as “hydrates of carbon”.

Carbohydrates are the most widely distributed macromolecules on

the planet. In addition to several hydroxyl groups, they also have an
aldehyde or a keto group. Carbohydrates are energy stores,
structural constituents, and precursors of a variety of chemical
molecules such as lipids and amino acids. Carbohydrates are
separated into four groups. Monosaccharides are sugars with only
one polyhydroxy aldehyde or ketone molecule, glucose is one

example. Disaccharides are made up of two monosaccharides joined

together by a glycosidic bond, maltose is a good example. Three to
twelve monosaccharides make up oligosaccharides. Maltotriose, for
example, is a trisaccharide composed of three glucose molecules.
Polysaccharides are polysaccharides that contain more than twelve
monosaccharides and cellulose is a good example.

Stereoisomers and stereochemistry were also tackled in this topic

and it also made us learn about enantiomers. Moreover, we also
encountered both the Fischer Projection which focuses on straight
chains and Haworth Projections which shows a sugar in ring form.
After being introduced to both of those Projections, we all learned
to look and understand the structure of a certain sugar.

All in all, one should remember that carbohydrates are one of the
important biomolecules and it is necessary to know their functions
and classification. It is also widely engaged in a lot of fields which
includes food production, health and medicine, and chemistry.
 Carbohydrates -
reflection

So first and foremost, these was surely one of the most

familiar term for all of us students because of how it is
engaged to human beings, how it is present in the food
that we eat and how it was discussed in our elementary
years. However, as we continued with the topic, we were
eventually introduced to the structure, nomenclature and
complexity of carbohydrates and it was surely not easy to
grasp at first,

Because of these topic, I now learned how and where

carbohydrates are mostly found within the food around the
world. Moreover, this is one of the most important topics
we've ever faced because it taught us a lot of information
about the medical sector, such as different diseases, their
causes, and how to prevent
them. It has also taught us
about the importance and complexity of carbs. Your body
breaks down carbohydrates into glucose. Glucose, or blood
sugar, is the main source of energy for your body's cells,
tissues, and organs. Glucose can be used immediately or
stored in the liver and muscles for later use. These are only
a few of the things which I learned while studying by
myself prior to our discussion because it really motivated
me to learn more about the subject both for myself and my
future. In addition, there are three main types of
carbohydrates which are sugars, starches and fibers.

Surely, all the knowledge and understanding which we

have gained together as a class will be useful in our journey
in being nurses in the future.
 lipids-
summary

Next up, are the lipids. I was truly amazed by the complexity and
composition of lipids, this made me realize that there was still a lot
to learn from this subject. Most of us already encountered the term
lipids but what none of us could really explain what it is
scientifically but some had ideas. I learned a lot about how lipids
are present used for specific reasons as well as its origin and how it
is formed.

Lipids are the important components of biomembranes. Storage

lipids and membrane lipids are the two types. The storage lipids
group includes fats, oils, and waxes. Glycerophospholipids,
sphingolipids, and cholesterol are examples of membrane lipids. We
have also tackled about how lipids are used in our everyday life
such as how they function as an energy source and storage, how
they are present in both hormones and vitamins, as well as how
they play their role in vitamin absorption, protection and insulation.

On the other hand, fatty acids were also a main focus of this
particular concept. These acids are components of storage and
membrane lipids. Fatty acids are actually divided into 2 main
concepts, saturated fatty acid where it has it is comprised of only
carbon to carbon single bond while unsaturated fatty acids are
composed of carbon-to-carbon double bonds. This is actually
evident in the way each of their respective structures are formed.
Moreover, we were also taught about glycerides and its to
classifications which are neutral glycerides and phospho-glycerides.
Going back to the fatty acids, these substances also undergo
different reactions constantly. These are caused by how its
components respond to other substances. The possible reactions
include esterification, acid hydrolysis, saponification, and
hydrogenation.

To sum it all up. lipids play an important role in the formation and
function of biomembranes. They are also essential in their own right
and they hold a specific purpose in this world. It was pleasing and
astounding to learn about the structure, complexity, nomenclature
and even the reactions that lipids are involved in and I’m looking
forward to learn more.
 lipids-
reflection

First of all, I was a bit familiar about the term "lipids" but I
didn't have enough knowledge about it to be able to learn
by myself. Lipids are actually any of a diverse group of
organic compounds including fats, oils, hormones, and
certain components of membranes that are grouped
together because they do not interact appreciably with
water. In other words, they are insoluble with water.

Thanks to be the topic prior to lipids which was all about

carbohydrates, I already had a bit of background about the
terms which were introduced to us. For instance, one type
of lipid, the triglycerides, is sequestered as fat in adipose
cells, which serve as the energy-storage depot for
organisms and also provide thermal insulation. Some lipids
such as steroid hormones serve
as chemical messengers
between cells, tissues, and organs, and others
communicate signals between biochemical systems within
a single cell. While studying about this topic, I learned that
the major types of lipids include fats and oils, waxes,
phospholipids, and steroids. Now, these are already familiar
to us because of the past discussions we had about these
terms. Because of this, we now didn't have as much trouble
and struggle as we had in the past. I'm grateful for our
instructor's way of teaching because it helps us understand
the topics even more without missing any information.

All of those terms and knowledge will all be used by us

students in the field of medicine.
 proteins-
summary

And last but not the least, the last topic we tackled together as a
class was all about proteins. This time, all of us already had a bit
of confidence when we arrived at this concept because of the
past lessons which I consider to be entirely essential in our life as
nursing students. Like what we usually do, we first had an
overview about the topic and we were asked questions about our
familiarity with the term proteins along with its application in
our every day life.

We learned that protein was derived from the Greek word

“prota” which means “of primary importance”. From that alone,
we already realized how essential proteins are. Moreover,
proteins are classified as macromolecules which are formed by
amino acids. Hydrolysis allows amino acids to be liberated from
proteins. Even before DNA, proteins were already given the key

role in biological function. In terms of structure and function,

they are the most complex of all living molecules. In addition,
they are also required for the proper functioning of a cell and
have a variety of structures ranging from primary to quaternary.
Proteins include a total of 20 distinct amino acids, with
hundreds to thousands of these amino acids linked together in
long chains to form a protein. Glycine is the simplest amino acid.
Usually, amino acids are coded with three letters. Ex: Alanine is
coded as Ala and Arginine is coded as Arg. To add up, amino
acids are classified into three categories: aliphatic, aromatic and
heterocyclic amino acids. There are other classifications which
were introduced to us during discussion and this includes
neutral polar, neutral nonpolar, acidic and basic amino acids.
Peptide bond is formed by dehydration and it is the main entity
which makes amino acids link with each other.

To sum it all up, proteins are among the fundamental molecules

of biology and are responsible for most of the complex functions
that make life possible. The amino acid sequence of a protein
determines its 3D structure. I’m glad that I have learned all of
these things under our instructor, Mr. Fernandez because of how
he understands us and makes us learn at the most efficient way.