A Closer Look at
The Biochemistry Major
Offered by: Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Arts and Sciences, and MedicineOverview
Biochemistry is the science that unifies chemistry and biology to provide a fundamental understanding of the chemical and physical processes occurring in all living organisms. It also serves as a foundation for many other disciplines, including microbiology, cell biology, genetics, and pharmacology. Owing to the DNA sequencing of the human genome and other exciting developments, the opportunities in biotechnology available to students today rival those associated with the semiconductor revolution in the latter part of the last century. Students pursuing the biochemistry major are well positioned to pursue graduate medical or veterinary school upon graduation. Alternatively, students with a biochemistry degree are competitive as technologists in industry or academia.
What Will I Study?
Students enrolled in the cross-college Biochemistry program received the B.S. degree, and take a core set of basic courses in chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics in their first two years. During that time, they also fulfill college distribution requirements in the humanities, fine arts, communication , and information technology. Advanced courses in biochemistry, chemistry, and molecular biology occupy the last two years of the major, along with a wide variety of electives from biological science departments across the campus. Biochemistry is a "hands on" discipline, so students are strongly encouraged to participate in undergraduate research during their last two years.
Exciting Research Opportunities
The program strongly encourages and facilitates undergraduate research in the NIH- and NSF-sponsored projects that make up the research programs of program faculty. These span a diverse array of scientific questions and focus areas, including the molecular basis of plant development, the structure and function of enzymes that interact with DNA and RNA, and the biochemical basis of human diseases such as cancer, cystic fibrosis, autoimmunity disorders, and cardiovascular disease. Student engaged in undergraduate research work at the bench right next to graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting scholars. They attend seminars and colloquia to hear prominent visiting speakers, and have the opportunity to see their work published in scholarly journals. receive additional training that would position them for a career in business management, patent law, or bioinformatics.
Looking to the Future
Our graduating biochemistry majors will be ideally situated to pursue a broad range of scientific careers as researchers, professors, physicians, and dentists. For students whose career interests do not include graduate work to the Ph.D or professional school, the biochemistry degree is also outstanding training for careers in the rapidly growing biotechnology industry. With a biochemistry degree as foundation, a student could receive additional training that would position them for a career in business management, patent law, or bioinformatics.
Core Requirements
- Calculus
- General Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Physics
- Genetics
- General Biochemistry
- Physical Chemistry
Advanced Electives
- Plant Biochemistry
- Endocrinology
- Advanced Genetics Lab
- Developmental Biology
- Genetics of the Cell Cycle
- Developmental Molecular Genetics
- Molecular Endocrinology
- Molecular Cloning
- Immunology
- Virology
- Bioinoformatics
- Macromolecular Structure of Proteins and Nucleic Acids
- Nutritional Biochemistry
- Toxicology
Faculty and Area of Expertise
Co-Directors| Christopher Francklyn, Ph.D. | Biochemistry |
| Christopher Landry, Ph.D. | Chemistry |
Program Faculty
| Erik Bateman, Ph.D. | READING UNIVERSITY Microbiology and Molecular Genetics |
| Christopher Berger, Ph.D. | UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Molecular Biophysics |
| Jeffry Bond, Ph.D. | UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER Microbiology and Molecular Genetics |
| John Burke, Ph.D. | MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Microbiology and Molecular Genetics |
| William Currier, Ph.D. | PURDUE UNIVERSITY Botany |
| Margaret Daugherty , Ph.D. | WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY Biochemistry |
| Sylvie Doublié, Ph.D. | UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL Microbiology and Molecular Genetics |
| Stephen Everse, Ph.D. | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-SAN DIEGO Biochemistry |
| Greg Gilmartin, Ph.D. | UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Microbiology and Molecular Genetics |
| Joel Goldberg, Ph.D. | UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Chemistry |
| Scott Gordon, Ph.D. | CARNEGIE MELLON Chemistry |
| Jean Harris, Ph.D. | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Botany |
| Nicholas Heintz, Ph.D. | UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT Pathology |
| Douglas Johnson, Ph.D. | PURDUE UNIVERSITY Microbiology and Molecular Genetics |
| Joanne Knapp, Ph.D. | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-DAVIS Animal Sciences |
| Willem Leenstra, Ph.D. | UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON Chemistry |
| George Long, Ph.D. | BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY Biochemistry |
| Barbara Lyons, Ph.D. | CORNELL UNIVERSITY Biochemistry |
| Jose Madalengoitia, Ph.D. | UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA Biochemistry |
| Dwight Mathews, Ph.D. | INDIANA UNIVERSITY Chemistry |
| Scott Morrical, Ph.D. | UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON Biochemistry |
| Kentaro Muakami, Ph.D. | HOKKAIDO UNIVERSITY, JAPAN Biology |
| David Pederson, Ph.D. | UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER Microbiology and Molecular Genetics |
| Karen Plaut, Ph.D. | CORNELL UNIVERSITY Animal Sciences |
| Mary Tierney, Ph.D. | MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Botany |
| Paula Tracy, Ph.D. | SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY Biochemistry |
| Susan Wallace, Ph.D. | CORNELL UNIVERSITY Microbiology and Molecular Genetics |
| Gary Ward, Ph.D. | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-SAN DIEGO Microbiology and Molecular Genetics |
| Judith Van Houten, Ph.D. | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Biology |
| Jim Vigoreaux, Ph.D. | OKLAHOMA UNIVERSITY Biology |
Last modified September 10 2007 04:11 PM