Undergraduate Courses
CHGN 428
Introductory Biochemistry
The goals of this course are to improve the student’s ability to integrate fundamental biochemical principles at the molecular level into a more comprehensive understanding of cellular physiology, function, and disease. The ability of students to apply this chemical knowledge in the formulation and understanding of novel approaches used to solve important questions of biological interest, emphasis will be on human biochemical disease and medical biochemistry.
CHGN 462
Microbiology
This course covers the basic fundamentals of microbiology, such as microbial structures, function, metabolism, and diversity. The goal is to provide the student with the basics to allow clear understanding of microbiology occurring in any environment. This course has a high focus on biomedical aspects of microbiology including pathogenic bacteriology, parasitology, virology, immunology, etc.
CHGN 431
Biochemistry Laboratory
The link between the structure of a material and its properties is ubiquitous across all fields. Throughout the Biochemistry lab course, we will have the opportunity to explore both protein and nucleic acids through various techniques and analyses that probe the structure-property relationship of biomolecules and subsequently allows us to tap into molecular function.
CHGN 441
Chemistry and Biochemistry of Pharmaceuticals
This course offers opportunities to discuss pharmacologic aspects of many of the drug therapies familiar to everyone in today’s society. Focus of the course covers the mechanisms of action, sites of binding, structure-activity relationships, side effects, etc. Drug therapies that are discussed in this course include opioids, anti-cancer drugs, CNS drugs, infectious disease drugs, cardiovascular medications, performance-enhancing substances, cannabinoids, etc.
Graduate Courses
CHGN 584
Fundamentals of Heterogeneous Catalysis
This course presents the basic science of catalytic materials and their use in the areas of chemical production, petroleum refining, and emission control. Although surface chemistry is an important part of the course, students will be given sufficient chemical background to comprehend the catalytic concepts being taught. Graduate and undergraduate students from chemistry, chemical engineering, material science, physics and mechanical engineering have successfully completed the course.
BIOL 501
ADVANCED BIOCHEMISTRY
This course will provide you with deep biochemical insight. Topics will include gene expression and localization of proteins in eukaryotic cells, to the level of the protein, from molecular biology of the gene to characterization of post-translational modifications, and protein purification and biochemical and biophysical characterization of protein structure and dynamics. These fundamental properties will be linked to protein activity and function. Wherever appropriate, advanced concepts of protein chemistry and physics will be integrated with basic concepts.