Graduate Faculty
Special Program Requirements
Master of Science Degree
Doctor of Philosophy Degree
Courses
BLOOMINGTON PROGRAM
(DEPARTMENTS OF BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY)
College of Arts and Sciences
Director
Professor John Richardson
Departmental e-mail:
chemgrad@indiana.edu
Departmental URL:
http://www.chem.indiana.edu/biochemistry
Graduate Faculty
Earl Blough Professor
George Christou (Chemistry)
Lilly Chemistry Alumni Chair
Milos Novotny (Chemistry)
Clyde Culbertson Professor of Biology
Carl Bauer
Distinguished Professors
Howard Gest (Emeritus, Biology), Frank Gurd (Emeritus, Chemistry), Milos Novotny (Chemistry), Jeffrey Palmer (Biology), Frank Putnam (Emeritus, Biology), Anthony San Pietro (Emeritus, Biology)
Professors
Peter Cherbas (Biology), Harry Day (Emeritus, Chemistry), Thomas Donahue (Biology), Ruth Gurd (Emerita, Medical Sciences), George Hegeman (Biology), W. Terry Jenkins (Emeritus, Chemistry), John Richardson (Chemistry), Milton Taylor (Biology), Robert Togasaki (Emeritus, Biology)
Associate Professors
Alan D. Bender (Biology), Jose Bonner (Biology), Yves Brun* (Biology), David Daleke (Medical Sciences), Cheng Kao (Biology), Joseph Near (Pharmacology), Stefan Surzycki (Biology), Theodore Widlanski (Chemistry)
Assistant Professors
Donald Burke* (Chemistry), Andrew Feig* (Chemistry), Evelyn Jabri* (Chemistry), Martha Oakley* (Chemistry), Alexander V. Skurat* (Medicine), Martin Stone* (Chemistry), Claire E. Walczak* (Medicine)
Graduate Advisor
Professor Jack Crandall, Chemistry Building C121, (812) 855-2069
Degrees Offered
Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy
Return to Top
Special Program Requirements
(See also general University Graduate School requirements.)
Admission Requirements
Undergraduate course work must include two semesters of organic chemistry, at least one semester of physical chemistry, at least one semester of biochemistry, and 8 credit hours of biology. Deficiencies must be removed during the first year of graduate study.
Return to Top
Master of Science Degree
Course Requirements
A minimum of 30 credit hours, of which 20 credit hours must be in course work other than research, including 12 credit hours in biochemistry and 6 credit hours in basic, graduate-level chemistry and biology courses.
Thesis
Required.
Final Examination
Oral, covering thesis and major.
Return to Top
Doctor of Philosophy Degree
Course Requirements
A total of 90 credit hours, of which a minimum of 12 credit hours must be in biochemistry courses at the C580 or C680 level (usually C581, C582, C584, and C585). C500 also required, to be taken during first year of study.
Minor
A doctoral student in biochemistry may minor either in a field of chemistry or in some other department. In the latter case, the requirements are specified by the minor department. Students electing to minor within the department must complete a minimum of 6 credit hours in one specific area of chemistry other than the major area. The sequence of courses comprising the minor must be approved by the student’s advisory committee.
Qualifying Examinations
To remain in good standing, a student must pass monthly cumulative examinations at the prescribed rate: one by the end of the second semester, three by the end of the third, five by the end of the fourth. At least four examinations must be in biochemistry (biological chemistry). The other may be in some other area of chemistry. In the fifth semester, students meet with their advisory committee to review past performance and to evaluate plans for completing the Ph.D.
Final Examination
Oral, covering dissertation, major, and minor.
Ph.D. Minor in Biochemistry
Students from other departments who wish to minor in biochemistry must complete at least 6 credit hours of graduate course work in biochemistry with an average of B (3.0) or above.
Return to Top
Courses
Biology
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.
L587 Biochemical Analysis of Growth and Development (3 cr.) P: consent of instructor, and C483. Emphasis on the ontogeny of specific tissues and organs, such as cartilage formation and pancreas differentiation, including structural changes, regulation of nucleic acid and protein synthesis, and the isolation and characterization of specific macromolecules. Content varies from year to year.
Chemistry
C483 Biological Chemistry (3 cr.)
C484 Biomolecules and Catabolism (3 cr.)
C485 Biosynthesis and Physiology (3 cr.)
C500 Introduction to Research (2-6 cr.; 6 cr. max.) Objectives and techniques of chemical research. Assignment of research problem to be completed during two semesters.
C580 Medical Biochemistry (3 cr.) Biochemistry for medical students, emphasizing structure-function relationships of cellular components and biosynthesis and degradation of simple and complex cell constituents as well as regulation of metabolic pathways. Includes biochemical basis for genetic continuity and expression of hereditary characteristics.
C581 Function and Structure of Macromolecules (3 cr.) P: C483 or C484 or equivalent. Structure and conformation of proteins and nucleic acids; thermodynamics and kinetics of biochemical reactions.
C582 Enzymology and Intermediary Metabolism (3 cr.) P: C581 or consent of instructor. Chemistry of enzymatic reactions; coenzymes; cell structure; metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and amino acids; biological oxidation; metabolic regulation.
C583 Physiological Biochemistry (3 cr.) P: C483. To develop a sound and rigorous biochemical background for students in medicine and allied health sciences; biochemistry of physiological and pathological processes; role of heredity and environmental factors; effect on macromolecules, macromolecular aggregates, and cells.
C584 Biosynthesis of Macromolecules (3 cr.) P: C581 or L502. Biosynthesis of complex polysaccharides, nucleic acids, and proteins; their specification, regulation, and control.
C585 Structure and Function of Biological Membranes (3 cr.) P: C581 or consent of instructor. Chemistry and biology of lipids and membrane proteins.
C615 Bioanalytical Chemistry (1.5-3 cr.) P: C511, C512. Survey of modern analytical techniques, including spectrochemical, electrochemical, and separation methods used in biochemical analysis and their applications. (May be given in alternate years.)
C681 Structure and Reactivity of Proteins (3 cr.) P: C581. Supplements and extends C581; emphasis on chemical synthesis and modification; stability and thermodynamics; complex proteins such as lipoproteins, metalloproteins, and glycoproteins.
C682 Advanced Enzymology (3 cr.) P: C581, C582, or consent of instructor. This course supplements the basic enzymology offered in C582. The course emphasizes the kinetics of enzymatic reactions, mechanisms of organic catalysis, and current research methods in enzymology. There will be two lectures and one student presentation each week.
C684 Metabolism of Complex Molecules (2-3 cr.) P: C581, C582. An advanced course dealing with the metabolism and regulation of complex biological structures and events, among them lipids and lipoproteins; polysaccharides; contraction, motion and division; electron transport and energy transduction, and the regulation of highly integrated cellular functions.
C687 Seminar: Advanced Topics in Biochemistry (1-3 cr.) P: consent of instructor. Topics vary yearly and include the following: physico-chemical techniques in the study of macromolecules; experimental methods in enzymology; organic chemistry of enzymatic reactions and enzyme models; conformational properties and macromolecules.
C688 Seminar: Biological Chemistry (1-3 cr.) P: consent of instructor. Recent advances in such areas as biological oxidations, energetics and equilibria, hormones, and nutrition. May be repeated for credit.
C880 Research: Biological Chemistry (cr. arr.)*
Return to Top
