BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
University Professor F. Murad
R. Kumar (Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology), V.W. Hu (Director of the Ph.D. program in biochemistry and molecular genetics), P.E. Berg, M. Blackman, K. Brown, A. Chiaramello, J. Chmielinska, A.M. Colberg-Poley, G. Dimri, R. Donaldson, M. Elliott, D. Goldman, A.L. Goldstein, E.P. Hoffman, D. Johnson, J.-H. Kim, A. Komarov, J.H. Kramer, A. Kumar, S. Ladisch, R. Lakshman, P.S. Latham, D.-Q. Li, I.T. Mak, C. Merrill, S.A. Moody, T. Moody, S. Nair, W.C. Nierman, R.K. Packer, S.R. Patierno, M. Rojkind, M.C. Rose, M.C. Sharma, C. Smith, J. Vanderhoek (Director of master's program), G. Walker, W. Weglicki, J. Weiss, M.-Y. Wu, R.C. Wu, W. Zhu
Master of Science in the field of molecular biochemistry and bioinformatics-Prerequisite: a bachelor's degree. The undergraduate program must have included the following courses, or equivalent: BiSc 1111, 1112; Chem 2122, 2151-52, 2153-54; Phys 1011, 1012.
Required: the general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, including Bioc 6221-22, 6224, 6234, 6252, 6254, 6260. Elective courses are chosen from a biochemistry or a bioinformatics track. Students may choose a 30-credit thesis option or a 36-credit nonthesis option.
Doctor of Philosophy in the field of biochemistry and molecular genetics-Required: the general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, including the biomedical sciences core curriculum, Bioc 8225, 8231, 6236, 6237, and the General Examination.
Research fields: growth factor and nuclear receptors; chromatin/coregulator biology; transcription controls; endocrinology-thymosins, signaling pathways; viral gene regulation; antiviral chemotherapy; viral gene transactivation; lipids and membranes; carcinogenesis; apoptosis; molecular biology of cancer, homeobox genes; vascular biology, atherosclerosis; autism spectrum disorders.
| 6221-22 |
General Biochemistry (4-4) |
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A comprehensive course in general biochemistry for graduate students in biomedical sciences. Prerequisite: Chem 2152, 2154. |
| 6224 |
Protein Techniques Laboratory (3) |
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Common laboratory techniques used in life science laboratories to separate and characterize proteins, including chromatography, gel electrophoresis, immunoassays, spectroscopy, and centrifugation. Corequisite: Bioc 6221. Laboratory fee. |
| 6227 |
Biochemistry Seminar (1) |
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Current literature in biochemistry. Limited to graduate students in the department. May be repeated for credit. |
| 6234 |
Biochemical and Bioinformatic Approaches to Protein Structure and Function (3) |
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Molecular biological, biophysical, chemical, and bioinformatic approaches to understanding protein structure and function. Protein folding, interactions, and ligand binding. |
| 6235 |
Seminar in Genomics, Proteomics, and Bioinformatics (1) |
| 6236 |
Fundamentals of Genomics (2) |
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The structure and function of genes and genomes. Genomic theories, methods, and data analysis including bioinformatics and database mining. Prerequisite or corequisite: Bioc 6221-22 or BmSc 8210. |
| 6237 |
Fundamentals of Proteomics (2) |
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Experimental proteomics, protein/proteome analysis, bioinformatics of proteomics, systems biology and structural genomics. Prerequisite: Bioc/Micr 6236. |
| 6238 |
Experimental Genomics Lab (2) |
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Research applications of knowledge in genomics and proteomics. Prerequisite: Bioc 6236. Laboratory fee. |
| 6239 |
Applied Bioinformatics (2) |
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A broad overview of methods and applications of bioinformatics in the life sciences. Prerequisite: Bioc 6221-22 or BmSc 8210. |
| 6250 |
Molecular Biology (3) |
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Content includes the organization and replication of genetic material, transcriptional and translational machinery, regulation of eukaryotic gene expression, and other special topics. Prerequisite: Bioc 6221-22. (Fall) |
| 6252 |
Current Laboratory Methods in Molecular Biology (3) |
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Corequisite: Bioc 6221. Laboratory fee. |
| 6254 |
Fundamentals of Molecular Biology (3) |
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An intermediate-level molecular biology survey course. Prerequisite: Bioc 6221 or BmSc 8210. |
| 6260 |
Analytic Methods for Lipids and Carbohydrates (2) |
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Basic techniques in the biotechnology of lipids and carbohydrates. Prerequisite: Bioc 6221. |
| 6281 |
Topics (1 or 2) |
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Directed readings in biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics. May be repeated for credit. Enrollment limited to graduate students in the department. |
| 6295 |
Research (arr.) |
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Participation in a project under investigation in the department or one in a related field suggested by the student and approved by the staff. Content differs each time course is offered; may be repeated for credit. Laboratory fee. |
| 6298 |
Advanced Reading (1 to 6) |
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Limited to master's degree candidates. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 6 hours. |
| 6998-99 |
Thesis Research (3-3) |
| 8225 |
Metabolism (4) |
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Metabolic pathways and integration of metabolic processes. Limited to Ph.D. students in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences. |
| 8232 |
Molecular and Cellular Signaling (3) |
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Molecular mechanisms involved in cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions and the alterations occurring during carcinogenesis. Prerequisite: BmSc 8210, 8212. |
| 8998 |
Advanced Reading and Research (arr.) |
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Limited to students preparing for the Doctor of Philosophy general examination. May be repeated for credit. |
| 8999 |
Dissertation Research (arr.) |
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Limited to Doctor of Philosophy candidates. May be repeated for credit. |
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