MD (Biochemistry)
PG Resident Resource
Approximate distribution of Topics for Theory Papers
Paper | Topics |
---|---|
1 | Relevant topics of chemistry, physics, physiology,anatomy, microbiology, pathology,pharmacology,medical education technology, Medical ethics, Research methodology |
2 | Biochemistry of Carbohydrate,Lipids,Proteins,hemoglobin and other important proteins,enzymes,Water,pH,minerals,vitamins. |
3 | Nucleic acid metabolism and genetics, immunology and endocrinology |
4 | Laboratory medicine,Clinical chemistry,Molecular diagnostics and recent advances |
The Postgraduate study is integrative in nature. Overlap of topics is expected in all papers
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PG Previous question paper
batch | Month & year | theory | |
---|---|---|---|
2022-2025 | Dec 2024 | Prelims | prelims_theory_paper_nov_2024.pdf |
University | university_theory_paper_2025_1_.pdf |
Example List of questions for PG (MD Biochemistry Students)
Core biochemistry
- How H2O2 is formed in human body | Describe biochemical reactions causing H2O2 mediated damage to cell membrane lipid| How NADPH is used to metabolize H2O2| How G6PD mutations are inherited| What are biochemical events causing hemolysis in G6PD deficiency| Explain principle of Methelene Blue based screening test for diagnosis of G6PD deficiency
- Explain role of Fe2+, heme and globins in hemoglobin mediated O2 and CO2 transport. Emphasize role of distal and proximal histidine of globin. Enlist series of molecular events responsible for increased O2 affinity of Hb when one of its globin bind O2. Explain molecular basis of relationship between O2 and carbon monoxide in context of hemoglobin structure and function. What is carbon monoxide concentration in various environment
- Describe biochemical structure of bacterial cell wall and give overview of its synthesis. How does it differ in Gram positive and negative organisms. Describe biochemical mechanism of action of antibiotics affecting bacterial cell wall. Explain biochemical strategies used by bacteria to develop resistance to these antibiotics.
- Explain mechanism of autoimmune disease following bacterial infection and immune-mediated hypersensitivity to antibiotics
- Protein sequencing using Edman reaction
- Protein folding and its perturbation causing diseases
- Post-translational modifications in collagen
- Single molecule enzymology
- Molar absorptivity of NADH and calculation of enzyme factors
- Recombinant fusion proteins in affinity chromatography purification of proteins
- artifacts from RNA world
- Enzymes do not affect equilibrium of chemical reaction.
- Km and Vmax in competitive and noncompetitive enzyme inhibition
- Catalytic constant and catalytic efficiency
- Difference between feedback regulation and feedback inhibition
- Compare and contrast five Basic Local Alignment Search Tools (BLAST)
- Cytochrome P-450
- Cyanide poisoning – biochemical consequences and biochemical basis of its treatment
- States of respiratory control
- Uncouplers of respiratory chain
- Thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue
- Overview of carbohydrate metabolism
- Overview of fatty acid metabolism
- Overview of cholesterol metabolism
- Overview of amino acid metabolism
- Overview of transport of lipids in blood
- HDL/VLDL/LDL/Chylomicron
- Metabolic interrelationship among adipose tissue, liver and extrahepatic tissue
- Interconversion among glucose, TG and amino acids
- Reactions unique to gluconeogenesis
- Metabolism of propipnate
- Control of glycolysis and gluconeogenesis by Fructose 2-6 biphosphate
- Major Glucose transporters
- Screening and diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus
- Regulation of ketogenesis
- Biochemical events leading to of ketoacidosis in diabetes mellitus
- Regulation of acetyl Co-A carboxylase.
- Regulation of Carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 (CPT 1) by insulin
- Mechanism of action of aspirin as anti-platelet-aggregation agent.
- Mechanism of action of corticosteroid as anti-inflammatory agent
- Aspirin vs. corticosteroid as drugs acting on eicosanoid synthetic pathway
- Three groups of eicosanoids and their biosynthetic origin
- EPA and DHA – biochemical basis of their role in health
- HDL/VLDL/Chylomicron metabolism
- Triacylglycerol metabolism and its regulation in adipose tissue
- Perilipin and adipose tissue lipid droplets
- Hormones and adipose tissue
- Biochemical events in adipose tissue after a meal
- Biochemical events in adipose tissue in fasting
- Molecular basis for regulation of cholesterol biosynthesis in a cell
- Molecular basis for regulation of HMG Co-A reductase in a cell
- Functions of non-cholesterol product of cholesterol synthetic patway
- Factors affecting cholesterol balance at cellular level
- Transport of cholesterol among tissues in humans
- Structure, genetics and biomedical importance of Lp(a)
- Inherited disorders of plasma lipoproteins
- Biochemical basis of etiology, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of various hyperphenylalaninemia
- Non-protein nitrogen products of tyrosine and tryptophan and various drugs affecting their metabolism
- Maple syrup urine diseases
- Biosynthesis and metabolism of serotonin and metatonin
- Biochemical basis of etiology, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of various hyperhomocystinemia
- Biochemical basis of etiology, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of various disorders of lipid malabsorption
- Biochemical cause of major signs and symptoms of porphyrias
- Biochemical basis of etiology, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of unconjugated neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.
- DNA packaging in metaphase chromosomes
- Possible roles of modified histones
- Major features of human mitochondrial DNA
- Viral integration and transposons in human genome
- Structure, function and inhibitors of DNA topoisomerases
- DNA damage – causes, types, repair pathways and repair fedality
- Double stranded break repair mechanisms
- Transcription cycle
- Transcription control regions for eukaryotic genes
- Post-trancriptional modification of primary transcript
- Mechanism of intron removal and alternative splicing
- Alternative promotor utilization
- Biogenesis and function of miRNA
- Degeneracy of genetic code, concept and mechanism of wobbling phenomenon
- Properties of genetic code
- Point mutations and frame shift mutations
- Circularization of mRNA during translation
- Role of methyl-GTP cap and poly-A tail in translation
- Antibiotics inhibiting protein synthesis
- cis and trans epigenetic signals
- Propagation of epigenetic signal after DNA replication
- Properties of enhancers
- DNA motifs
- Various ways of gene regulation
- Regulation of mRNA stability
- Restriction - Enzymes used in recombinant DNA research
- structure pf plasmid pBR322 and its use in recombinant DNA technology
- genomic and cDNA library
- DNA sequencing by Sanger's
- Transgenic animals and knockout animals
- Membrane asymmetry
- specialized plasma membranes
- Structure of K+ channel and selectivity
- Structure and function of clathrin coated vesicles
- Group 1 and group 2 hormones
- Biosynthesis, molecular mechanism and disorders of calcitriol.
- Iodide metabolism in thyroid follicles
- Regulation of gene expression by class 1 hormones
- G protein coupled receptors
- Phospholipase C mediated second messenger system
- Insulin signaling -
- Nuclear receptor superfamily
- Absorption of iron
- Biochemical functions of various types of vitamin A and provitamin A
- Vitamin K cycle and drugs acting on it
- Mechanism of methotrexate and 5-flurouracil
- Mechanism of carboxylation by biotin
- Sources of free radicals and tissue damages caused by them
- Antioxidents can be pro-oxidents
- Cotranslational targeting of secretory proteins to endoplasmic reticulum
- Peroxismal protein sorting and Zellweger syndrome
- Entry of protein from cytoplasm to nucleoplasm
- Entry of protein from cytoplasm to mitochondia
- Cotranslational insertion of membrane proteins
- Chaperones
- Ubiquitin mediated protein degradation
- COP 1, COP2 and clathrin coated vesicles
- Lectins
- Role of dolichol in synthesis of N-linked glycoprotein
- GPI anchored proteind
- Formation and consequences of advanced glycation endproducts
- Biochemical basis of difference in clinical presentation of seasonal flu and bird flu/swine flu
- Order and location of various post-translational processing of collagen
- Biochemical mechanism of bone resorption in ostoclast
- Molecular organization in cartilages
- Biochemical events occurring during skeletal muscle contraction
- Biochemical peculiarities and functions of sarcoplasmic reticulum
- Dystrophin and musle cytoskeleton
- Regulation of smooth muscle contraction
- Difference in biochemical mechanism between skeletal and smooth muscle contraction
- Metabolism and function of nitrogen oxide
- Biochemical difference between muscle fibers and fuel used by sprinter and marathon runner
- Non-heme transport of iron in enterocytes
- Transferrin cycle
- Regulation of synthesis of Ferritin and Transferrin-receptor
- Role of hepcidin in iron metabolism
- Changes in various laboratory tests in iron deficiency anemia
- alpha-1 antitrypsin function and deficiency
- genetics of ABO blood groups
- Metabolism of RBC
- Important reactions related to oxidative stress in various cells
- RBC cytoskeleton and hereditary spherocytosis
- Respiratory burst in neutrophils and related disorders
- Role of NADPH oxidase and myeloperoxidase in neutrophils
- Properties of cytochrome P450
- Various types of type-2 reactions in metabolism of xenobiotics
- Xenobiotic mediated cell inury
- Mitochondrial theory of aging
- Role of protein glycation in protein-protein crosslinking
- Metabolic theory of aging
- Telomere – structure, function and its replication
- Ames test for detection of carcinogens
- Oncogenes
- Biochemical basis of apoptosis
- Biochemical aspects of metastasis
- Mechanism of action of various anticancer drugs
- Hypoxia induced molecular events leading to altered gene expression
- Explain leuminescence, chemileuminescence, bioleuminesence, enhanced chemileuminesence, and electrochemileuminesence
- Dietary reference intake
- Shotgun sequencing
- Ethics in medical laboratory
- Principle of electrochemileuminesence
- Cost minimization, cost-benifit, cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analysis for laboratory tests
- Various types of blood collection tubes for serum separation
- Lactic acidosis – causes and biochemical basis of expected results of various laboratory examination
- Causes and biochemical basis of expected results of various laboratory examination in diabetic ketoacidosis
- Biochemical basis of expected results of Blood gas analysis in severe emphysema
- Biochemical basis of expected results of various laboratory examination in renal tubular acidosis
- Capillary blood sampling – methods and uses
- Types questions clinicians try to answer by requesting laboratory examinations
- Voltametry in clinical chemistry
- Types of bilirubin in plasma and its detection by various methods
- Limitations of use of SI units in clinical chemistry
- Blunt end recombination of DNA
- SARS CoV2 lifecycle
- Mechanism of action of Vaccines against COVID19
- Mechanism of action of Drugs against COVID19
- Role of Clinical Biochemistry in COVID19 pandemic
- Inflammatory Markers in COVID19 management
- Biochemical Differences between delta and omicron variants of SARSCoV2 ant its clinical significance
Laboratory Medicine
- ISO 15189-2012
- ISO 15189-2012 vs 2007
- NABL-112
- Process of NABL accreditation
- Explain any 10 special terms and definitions used in ISO 15189-2012
- Document control in NABL accredited clinical laboratory / requirements in ISO 15189-2012
- Identification, control, correction and prevention of nonconformity [in NABL accredited clinical laboratory / requirements in ISO 15189-2012
- Internal audit in NABL accredited clinical laboratory / requirements in ISO 15189-2012
- Risk management in NABL accredited clinical laboratory / requirements in ISO 15189-2012
- Quality indicators in NABL accredited clinical laboratory / requirements in ISO 15189-2012
- Personnel records in NABL accredited clinical laboratory / requirements in ISO 15189-2012
- Equipment records in NABL accredited clinical laboratory / requirements in ISO 15189-2012
- Reagents and consumables requirements in ISO 15189-2012 / management in NABL accredited clinical laboratory
- Requirements in ISO 15189-2012 about Information for patients and users
- Requirements in ISO 15189-2012 about Request form information
- Requirements in ISO 15189-2012 about verification and validation of examination procedure
- Explain measurement uncertainty and its requirements in ISO 15189-2012
- Requirements in ISO 15189-2012 about documentation of examination procedures
- Report content requirements in ISO 15189-2012
- Requirements in ISO 15189-2012 about release of reports
- Information system management requirements in ISO 15189-2012
- Describe detailed process map of blood sample centrifugation. Identify risks involved in the process and possible steps to mitigate them.
- nabl.pdf
Medical Education
- Microteaching
- OSPE and OSCE
- Teaching methods for large group
- Teaching methods for small group
- Problem based learning
- Teaching aids
- Characteristics of good poster presentation
- Characteristics of good slide presentation to 150 student class
- How to write good MCQ question paper
Pharmacology (Biochemical Mechanism of Action of Drugs) and Microbiology
- statin
- fibrate
- Niacin
- cholestyramin
- ezetimibe
- penicilline
- quinolone
- folate antagonists
- sulphonamide
- neuraminidase inhibitors
- protease inhibitors
- M protein inhibitor- amantidine
- Reverse trascriptase inhibitors
- integrase inhibitors
- anti cancer drugs mechanism
- H1N1
- HIV
Immunology
- Immunoglobulin
- Complement
- B cell Receptor
- T Cell receptors
- MHC
- Immune diversityAllelic exclusion, DNA rearrangement in B and T cell, Junctional diversity, Somatic hypermutation, Isotype switching
- Extracelluar and intracellular antigen presentation
- T Cell activation
- B Cell activation
- T cell and B cell effector functions
- ADA, Chronic granulomatous disease, Ataxia Telegactesia
- Autoimmunity
- Self tolerance
- Central
- Peripheral
- Loss of self tolerance
- structural molecular mimicry
- sequestration
- Neoantigen
- Epitope spreading
Clinical Chemistry
- Ethical issues in clinical chemistry
- Process of introducing new laboratory method in routine use
- Repeatability, reproducibility, intermediate precision and interlaboratory precision
- Measurement of within run precision using 20 sets of within-batch-duplicate measurement
- Precision profile of an examination at different analyte concentration
- Evaluation of the Linearity of Quantitative Measurement Procedures CLSI EP 06-A
- LoB,LoD,LoQ and LoL
- Procedures for setting analytical goals for clinical chemistry examinations
- Bland Altman plot for comparison between two methods
- Absolute and relative Bland Altman plot for comparison between two methods
- Regression analysis
- Concept of significant digits in clinical chemistry
- Traceability and measurement uncertainty
- Sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic test and ROC curve
- Types of clinical questions addressed in laboratory medicine with examples
- Hierarchy of evidences for decision making about appropriateness of a laboratory examination
- Standards for reporting diagnostic accuracy (STARD) used for evaluating evidence published for accuracy of laboratory test
- Critical appraisal and systemic review of diagnostic tests
- Economic evaluation of diagnostic tests
- Different meanings of “Normal Value” and difference from “Reference value” and “Clinical decision limits”
- Conditions to compare patient results with reference values
- Strategies for selecting reference individuals for determining reference values of a diagnostic test
- Parametric and nonparametric methods for determining reference values
- Univariate, multiple univariate and multivariate reference values
- Subject based reference values
- Circadian rhythm as preanalytical variable
- Diet and alcohol as preanalytical variable
- Noncontrollable preanalytical variable
- Biological variability of clinical chemistry examinations
- Recommended order of draw, stopper color, content and inversions
- Types of vacuum tubes for collection of blood for serum
- Newer advances in vacuum tubes technology for patient and phlebotomist safety
- Skin puncture for sample collection
- Arterial puncture for sample collection
- Various anticoagulents and preservatives in blood
- Collection of urine specimen
- Cost of Quality with reference to clinical laboratory
- Concept of six sigma and measurement of sigma in a clinical chemistry laboratory
- Calibrator traceability
- LJ Chart for quality control
- Westgard rules for interpretation of QC results
- Control of quality using patient data from single and multiple patients
- Desirable characteristics of EQA program for clinical chemistry
- Explain Trueness, accuracy and precision with examples
- Explain repeatability and reproducibility with examples
- mole, molarity, molality and normality
- Concentration quantities and units in clinical biochemistry
- SI units in clinical biochemistry
- Standardized reporting of test results
- Reagent grade water – CLSI specifications and preparation/instrumentation
- Reference materials, Reference methods and Reference laboratories
- Measurement of volume in clinical chemistry
- Micropipette/Pipette/ Volumetric flask calibration
- Types, operating principles, calibration, care and maintenance of centrifuges
- Buffers in clinical chemistry reagents – principles, preparation and uses
- Ethical issues in clinical chemistry
- Hazards in clinical laboratory
- Classification of fires and fire extinguisher requirements
- Color coding, order of draw, mixing recommendations of vacuum tubes for sample collection
- Causes and prevention of error and hazards in sample collection
- Beer's law, relationship between Transmittance and Absorbance and its application in clinical chemistry.
- Explain concept and application of Molar Absorptivity giving suitable examples.
- Draw diagram of a spectrophotometer. How double-beam-in-time spectrophotometer differ from double-beam-in-space spectrophotometer
- Light sources in analytical equipments
- Spectral isolation in optical analytical equipments
- Wavelengh accuracy, spectral band width, stray light and photometric accuracy of optical analytical equipments
- Principle, instrumentation and use of atomic absorption spectrometry in clinical chemistry
- Zeeman correction in atomic absorption spectrometry
- Principle of flurometry and fluroscence polarization
- Components of flurometric equipment
- Principles of Luminecence, bioluminecence, chemiluminecence, enhanced chemileuminecence and electrochemileuminicence
- Principle and instrumentation of nephelometry and turbidimetry
- Potentiometry using Ion selective electrodes for H+, Na+, K+ and Cl-
- Potentiometry electrodes for pCO2
- Amperometric electrode for pO2
- Amperometric O2 based and H2O2 based glucose electrodes
- Potentiometric enzyme electrode for blood urea
- Biosensors – enzyme based and affinity based
- Affinity sensors for specific protein and DNA detection
- Electrophoresis support media
- Isoelectric focusing
- Principle of SDS PAGE
- Troubleshooting SDS PAGE
- Principle, instrumentation and uses of capillary electrophoresis
- Microchip electrophoresis
- Separation mechanisms used in chromatography
- Size exclusion chromatography
- Affinity chromatography
- Explain chromatographic resolution and efficiency
- Instrumentation of HPLC
- HPLC sample injector
- HPLC columns
- HPLC detectors
- Instrumentation of Gas Chromatography
- GC detectors
- Principle of electron and chemical ionization in mass spectrometer
- Electrospray Ionization for mass spectrometry
- MALDI mass spectrometry
- Principles of various mass analysers for mass spectrometry
- Quadruple mass analysers
- Magnetic sector mass analysers
- TOF mass analysers
- Quadrupole and linear ion trap mass analysers
- Tandom mass spectrometry
- Clinical applications of mass spectrometer
- Define isoenzymes. Explain genetic origin of isoenzymes. Enlist non-genetic modifications of enzymes resulting in isoforms.
- Measurement of enzymes by reaction rates
- Strategy for detection of above-linearity range ALT in automated chemistry analysers
- Traceability of enzyme measurement
- Enzymes as analytical reagents
- Monoclonal antibody productions
- Labeled immunochemical assays
- Competitive vs. noncompetitive immunoassay
- Labels used for nonisotopic immunoassay and their detection limits
- Heterogenous vs. homogenous immunoassay
- CEDIA and EMIT
- Homogenous polarization fluroimmunoassay
- Principle of PCR
- PCR optimization and primer design
- PCR contamination control
- Hot start PCR
- Asymmetric PCR
- Allele specific PCR
- Single molecule PCR
- Isothermic PCR amplification based on transcription
- PCR application detection techniques
- PCR amplicon discrimination techniques
- PCR-RFLP
- Single stranded conformation polymorphism for discrimination of PCR products
- Denaturing gradient and temperature gradient electrophoresis for discrimination of PCR products
- Dideoxy terminal sequencing of DNA principle and automated sequencing
- Emulsion PCR
- Bridge amplification
- Absorbance melting curve of double helical nucleic acid
- Dot-blot hybridization assay
- Two color DNA microarray
- DNA copy number variation assay
- Single copy visualization assay
- real time PCR with dsDNA binding dyes
- Real time monitoring of PCR and melting analysis
- Detection, quantification and identification of amplicon in real time PCR
- Common probes and dyes for realtime PCR
- Microchip electrophoresis device
- Automation in sample identification and data collection
- Automation in sample transporters
- Describe components of a automated discrete analyser.
- Use of barcoding in clinical laboratory
- Components of Integrated automation system in clinical laboratory
- Advantages and disadvantages of POCT
- Ideal requirements of POCT
- Classification of POCT devices
- Principle of electrochemical glucose strip used in glucometers
- Principle of lateral flow immunoassay
- Principles of HbA1C POCT instruments
- Assessing need for POCT service
- Principles, advantages,disadvantages, clinical interpretation of various methods for measurement of ALT, AST, Amylase, LDH, CKMB, Psudocholinesterase, ALP, Lipase, total protein, albumin, creatinine, urea, uric acid, Glucose,Cholesterol, TG, HDL, LDL, iron, TIBC HbA1C, Bilirubin, TSH, T4, Free T4, Other hormones and tumor markers]]
- Describe genetics, clinical significance,methods for determinations, reference intervals for serum alkaline phosphatase
- Current applications of tumor markers and their limitations
- Current recommendations on use of tumor markers
- Enzymes as tumor markers
- Screening for urine microalbuminuria in diabetes mellitus
- Describe formation of creatinine in body Describe salient features of chemical and enzymatic methods for serum creatinine measurement. Give account of quality issues in creatinine measurement. List advantages and disadvantages of markers of GFR. Explain use of IDMS traceable MDRD equation for estimating GFR from serum creatinine.
- DM diagnostic guideline
- ATP IV Hypercholesterolemia diagnostic guidline
- Cholesterol reference material, method and laboratories
- beta thalassemia – genetics, pathogenesis, diagnosis
- Explain different types of isoenzymes and isoforms of Creatine Kinase in humans. Describe principle of measurement of CK-MB by catalytic method and mass method. Why the catalytic method generally contain N-acetyl cysteine, AMP and diadenosine-pentaphosphate