1.3 Target audience
This resource is primarily aimed at novice students beginning their studies of biochemistry or molecular biology. However, given the fundamental importance of the threshold concepts covered to the mastery of the discipline and their inherently abstruse nature, this resource will be useful for reinforcement and remediation for students entering more advanced courses, where it will be assumed knowledge. This is particularly relevant for those students who failed to grasp these concepts early on or to help rebuild knowledge for those students who have misconceptions. Furthermore, it is worth noting that many science courses no longer require prerequisite knowledge in biology and this resource can help bridge the gap into tertiary study.
It will also be useful for students in other biological disciplines (e.g. genetics, microbiology or biomedical science) that are underpinned by basic biochemistry and molecular biology. In addition, it will make a useful primer for students engaged in other biological disciplines with a tangential biochemical/molecular focus (e.g. zoology or botany) where a basic literacy in the foundational knowledge of the threshold concepts of biochemistry or molecular biology is increasingly desired.
The open nature of this resource also allows it to be freely used by instructors in all of the disciplines above as directed reading or for the problems and case studies within, which can be selectively used to supplement other course materials.
We have included content that focuses on biochemistry and molecular biology through a prism of Australian and New Zealand research. The discipline in Australia and New Zealand is represented by outstanding Nobel laureates including Howard Florey (Australia), Maurice Wilkins (New Zealand), Peter Doherty (Australia) and Elizabeth Blackburn (Australia’s first female Nobel laureate). We hope that students feel inspired by this and also by current research. This e-book promotes the discipline from a uniquely local perspective and allows students to recognise opportunities for themselves and the importance of the field to society. However, if you are instructing students from outside Australia or New Zealand, feel free to substitute our local content with something more relevant for your students.
