Curriculum
Courses
Cross-Listed Courses
Faculty

Biology

• L529 Bioinformatics in Molecular Biology and Genetics: Practical Applications (4 cr.)P: I501, I502, L519, or consent of instructor. Practical experience in a range of data analysis and software engineering methods applied to molecular biology data.

• L585 Molecular Genetics (3 cr.)P: L364 and C483 or equivalent. The molecular basis of genetic interactions, with emphasis on microbial systems. The course covers the molecular mecha­nisms of mutation, suppression, recombination, complementa­tion, etc., as well as mechanisms for gene transfer in bacteria and bacteriophage. The application of genetic analysis to a variety of molecular biological topics is emphasized.

• L586 Molecular Analysis of Cell Biology (3 cr.)Critical analysis of recent advances in our understanding of molecular organiza­tion of cellular structures and of their mode of function. The primary interest of this course concerns the eukaryotic cell.

• M525 Topics in Microbial Biochemistry and Physiology (3 cr.)P: Graduate standing and C483 or M350 or equivalent. The course will consider topics in physiology and biochemistry of eukaryotic and prokaryotic microorganisms. Subjects include membrane physiology and regulatory networks in metabolism and gene expression.

• L524 Research Ethics and Career Development (1.5 cr.)

• M541 Microbial Pathology and Virology (3 cr.)

Chemistry

• CHEM-C588 Fundamentals of Biochemical Catalysis (1.5 cr.) P: Undergraduate organic chemistry (equivalent to C342), undergraduate biochemistry (equivalent to C483 or C484), or consent of instructor. Theory and analysis of biochemical catalysis; enzyme kinetics and inhibition; intermediate detection; protein modification and bioorthogonal chemistry.  

• CHEM-C589 Enzyme Mechanisms (1.5 cr.) P: Undergraduate organic, chemistry (equivalent to C342), undergraduate biochemistry (equivalent to C483 or C484), B540 or consent of instructor. Theory and analysis of biochemical catalysis; post-translational modifying enzymes; redox cofactors; natural product biosynthesis; P450 mechanism; proteomics.  

• C605 Biological Regulation P: Undergraduate biochemistry (equivalent to C483 or C484), one semester of undergraduate organic chemistry (equivalent to C341), or consent of instructor. An informal lecture of the understanding of selected aspects of biochemical regulation, while reinforcing core concepts of biochemistry as discovery-based quantitative, molecular and chemical science.

• C632 Structure, Function, and Spectroscopy of Metal Ions in Biological Systems (3 cr.) Introduction to the field of bio­inorganic chemistry and spectroscopic methods for determin­ing structure/function relationship of metal ions in biology. Emphasis on oxygen carriers, metal ion transport and storage, as well as oxidoreductases involved in oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen metabolism. A discussion of electron transfer proteins, photosystems, and the role of metals in medicine will also be included.

Physics

• P575 Introduction to Biophysics (3 cr.) P: Two out of three from the following: (1) P221/P222 and P301 or equivalent, (2) C105/C106 or equivalent, and (3) L221 and L312 or equivalent; or consent of instructor. Physics P575 presents an introduction to Biophysics. Representative topics include: Order of magnitude analysis and scaling in biology; X-ray scattering and structure of biomolecules; properties of biomolecules and biomolecular complexes; Brownian motion; life at low Reynolds number and cellular motility; enzymatic reactions and biochemical networks; reaction-diffusion processes and pattern formation; sensory and motor systems; psychophysics and animal behavior; statistical inference.

Neural Sciences

• N612 Ion Channels and Receptors (3 cr.)P: Graduate status and consent of instructor. Molecular, biophysical, and bio­chemical analysis of the major molecules responsible for neural excitability and synaptic transmission: receptor-coupled ion channels, voltage-dependent ion channels, G-protein coupled receptors, transporters, signal transduction pathways, synaptic vesicle-associated proteins, cytoskeletal proteins, classical and novel neurotransmitters and modulators.