The Biochemistry/Medicinal Chemistry Track offers students a solid preparation for work in biotechnology or pharmaceutical fields. The track also provides a good foundation for those interested in professional fields such as medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, or veterinary science. Students who are thinking of pursuing advanced work in medicinal chemistry will benefit from this track as well.
Course Requirements
In addition to the Undergraduate Common Core in Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics, students must take
The General Biology sequence (BIO 191/BIO 192/BIO 193) may be of interest to students in this track. The sequence is not required but is recommended if time permits.
Open Electives
Open elective credit also is required to meet the minimum graduation requirement of 192 hours.
CHE 234
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY III
Third in a sequence of courses designed to investigate what organic chemistry is and how it works, by emphasizing the relationship between structure and function of organic molecules. Specific topics investigated include the reactivity and synthesis of carbonyl compounds; amines; and bio-molecules. Formerly CHE 175LEC. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE235.
Prerequisites:
CHE 232 and CHE 233 are a prerequisite and CHE 235 is a corequisite for this class.CHE 235
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY III
Laboratory to be taken in conjunction with CHE234. Formerly CHE 175LAB. CO-REQUISITE(S):CHE 234.
Prerequisites:
CHE 232 and CHE 233 are a prerequisite and CHE 234 is a corequisite for this class.CHE 342
BIOCHEMISTRY II
Second in a three-course sequence, directed at those who wish an in- depth exploration of modern biochemistry. This course covers energy metabolism and biosynthetic pathways, with emphasis on their coordinated regulation. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE343.
Prerequisites:
CHE 340 and CHE 341are a prerequisite for this class.CHE 343
EXPERIMENTAL BIOCHEMISTRY II
Laboratory to be taken in conjunction with CHE 342. Applications of basic techniques from CHE 341: DNA cloning and transformation; protein expression, purification, and characterization; and advanced biophysical methods. Formerly CHE 343LAB. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE342.
Prerequisites:
CHE 340 and CHE 341are a prerequisite for this class.CHE 344
BIOCHEMISTRY III
Third in a three-course sequence, directed at those who wish an in- depth exploration of modern biochemistry. This course covers metabolism, nucleic acid structure and replication, transcription and translation. Also included are methods of biotechnology and an introduction to reading the primary literature. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE345.
Prerequisites:
CHE 342 is a prerequisite for this class.CHE 345
EXPERIMENTAL BIOCHEMISTRY III
Laboratory to be taken in conjunction with CHE 344. This course will introduce students to bioinformatics methods including protein function prediction and structure analysis, DNA/protein sequence analysis and alignment, and special topics laboratory techniques. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE344
CHE 306
KINETICS AND MOLECULAR DYNAMICS
Kinetics and molecular dynamics. Formerly CHE 211LEC. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE307.
Prerequisites:
CHE 302 and CHE 303 are a prerequisite and CHE 307 is a corequisite for this class.CHE 307
EXPERIMENTAL PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY III
Laboratory to be taken in conjunction with CHE306. The goal of this laboratory course is to teach students essential skills and techniques of physical chemistry. Experimental work will focus on thermodynamics at the outset and then kinetics for the final two experiments of the quarter. Formerly CHE 211LAB. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE306.
Prerequisites:
CHE 302 and CHE 303 are a prerequisite and CHE 306 is a corequisite for this class.CHE 318
BIOPHYSICAL CHEMSTRY
This course is designed for advanced undergraduate students with an interest in the interdisciplinary field of biophysics. The course will focus on several subfields of biophysical chemistry, including: fluorescence as a tool in biophysics; protein folding; biophysical applications of single molecule fluorescence, atomic force microscopy, X-ray crystallography, mass spectrometry, and NMR spectroscopy. Additional topics will be selected by students from a list of possible choices.
CHE 360
MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
This course emphasizes organic chemical principles and reactions vital to drug design and drug action in the human body. Medicinal chemists design molecules that alter phenomena operating at the overlap of chemistry, biochemistry, cell biology, and pharmacology. This course introduces the conceptual frameworks and methods employed in drug development using case histories and mechanisms of clinically important drugs as illustrative examples.
CHE 362
DRUGS AND TOXICOLOGY
This course covers the chemical and biological analysis of the metabolism and distribution of drugs, toxins and chemicals in animals and humans, and the mechanism by which they cause therapeutic and toxic responses. Metabolism and toxicity as a basis for drug development, metabolic polymorphisms and biomarkers of exposure are also covered.
CHE 364
NUTRITION
This is a one-quarter course focused on the advanced chemical aspects of human nutrition. The topics include the nutritive and toxic content of foods and health effects, a review of basic metabolic processes, nutrient transport and storage systems, cell signaling and regulation, and hormonal regulation and fuel utilization.
Prerequisites:
CHE 234 or CHE 238 is a prerequisite for this class.CHE 442
ADVANCED BIOCHEMISTRY I
In-depth exploration of the structure/function relationship of biomolecules, especially proteins. Offered: Autumn of even-numbered years.
CHE 444
ADVANCED BIOCHEMISTRY II
Discussion and seminars in selected areas. Offered: Winter of odd-numbered years.
Prerequisites:
CHE 344 is a prerequisite for this class.CHE 476
COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY
This course is designed to provide an accessible and practical introduction to computational chemistry. The course provides an overview of different methods commonly used in the field ranging from classical to quantum mechanical ab initio and density functional methods. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE477.
CHE 477
COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY
Laboratory to be taken in conjunction with CHE476. The laboratory experiments students will perform will reinforce material presented in lecture and allow students to explore lecture topics in more detail. The writing of laboratory reports will also offer students the opportunity to develop their scientific writing skills. CO-REQUISITE(S): CHE476.
BIO 191
GENERAL BIOLOGY I FOR SCIENCE MAJORS
Focuses on the unity of life: its biochemical and cellular makeup and functions, the acquisition and utilization of energy, and the storage and utilization of genetic information. Lecture-laboratory. Lab fee. Formerly BIO 101. CO-REQUISITE(S): Recommended: CHE 130 and CHE 131.
Prerequisites:
MAT 130 is a prerequisite for this class.BIO 192
GENERAL BIOLOGY II FOR SCIENCE MAJORS
Introduction to evolution, ecology, organismal development and diversity. Lecture-laboratory. Lab fee. Formerly BIO 102.
Prerequisites:
MAT 130 and BIO 191 are a prerequisite for this class.BIO 193
GENERAL BIOLOGY III FOR SCIENCE MAJORS
Deals primarily with diversity and development within the plant and animal kingdoms including basic principles of physiology. Lecture-laboratory. Lab fee. Formerly BIO 103.
Prerequisites:
MAT 130 and BIO 192 are a prerequisite for this class.CHE 348
CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
This course introduces students to a new discipline spanning the fields of chemistry and biology in which chemical techniques and tools, often compounds produced through synthetic chemistry are used to study and manipulate biological systems in an effort to unravel biological problems and systems. The course will take a case study approach. Techniques encountered in the case study will be studied in depth. Primary literature will be used extensively in the in depth case study.
Prerequisites:
CHE 344 is a prerequisite for this course.CHE 480
SPECIAL TOPICS IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
This course may be any topic related to chemical analysis, such as mass spectroscopy, electrochemical analysis, principles of chromatography, polymer properties, coatings, sampling methods, design of experiments, etc. This course may be repeated if the topics are different..
Prerequisites:
CHE 204 is a prerequisite for this class.CHE 482
SPECIAL TOPICS IN BIOCHEMISTRY
This course may cover any topic related to biochemistry or medicinal chemistry. This course may be repeated if the topics are different.
CHE 484
SPECIAL TOPICS IN INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
This course may cover any topic related to inorganic chemistry. This course may be repeated if the topics are different.
CHE 486
SPECIAL TOPICS IN ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
This course may cover any topic related to organic chemistry. This course may be repeated if the topics are different.
CHE 488
SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
This course covers specific topics in the area of physical chemistry. Examples of topics include single molecule techniques, molecular electronic spectroscopy, interaction of electromagnetic radiation with particulate matter, and hydrogen bonding. This course may be repeated if the topics are different.