Biochemistry Undergraduate Courses
200 Level | 300 Level | 500 Level | 600 Level
UW Timetable
Fall 2008 | Spring 2009
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289 HONORS INDEPENDENT STUDY
II, SS; 1-2 cr. Prerequisites: Enrolled in the CALS Honors Program and Sophomore or Junior standing, Inter-Ag. 288.
299 INDEPENDENT STUDY
I, II; 1-3 cr. per sem. Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior students who have the written consent of the instructor may carry Independent Study (299) for a maximum of 3 cr. per semester in Ag. and Life Sciences only. The student must arrange with the faculty member a study plan, the time and place of periodic meetings, the scope of the project and the number of credits to be earned. Independent Study credits may not ordinarily be used to satisfy basic course requirements but may be used to meet elective credits. No more than 6 credits of Independent Study may be counted toward credit for graduation. Prerequisites: Freshman, Sophomore or Junior standing and written consent of instructor. Faculty
375 SPECIAL TOPICS
I, 3 cr. Open to all students. The course goal is to discuss the theory of evolution and also to explore how the development and refinement of evolutionary theory is a model of how science works. This course will provide an opportunity for students to survey the data, to understand what evolutionary theory is (and what it is not), and to better understand the central role of evolution in producing the remarkable diversity of life on our planet. No prerequisites, satisfies L&S biological sciences breadth requirement. Amasino, Richard M.
399 COORDINATIVE INTERNSHIP
I, II, SS; 1-8 cr. per sem. The Coordinative Internship is to be an organized, sequential, primarily off-campus learning experience for students, which follows some instruction on campus. Consult the Associate Dean for Resident Instruction, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences for details. Prerequisites: Sophomore, Junior or Senior standing and consent of supervising instructor, adviser and internship program coordinator. Faculty
501 INTRODUCTION TO BIOCHEMISTRY
I, II; 3 cr. Chemistry, nutrition and metabolism of biological systems. Not accepted toward departmental major for M.S. or Ph.D. degrees. Prerequisites: Chemistry 341 or 343. Amasino,Richard M.; Butcher,Samuel E.; Ntambi,James Mukasa; Pike,J Wesley
507 GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY
I; 3-4 cr. Chemistry of biological materials, intermediary metabolism and protein structure. First semester of a year long first course in Biochemistry. The course is designed and recommended for undergraduate Biochemistry majors, but others are welcome. Prerequisite: Chemistry 345. Honors students register for 4 cr., all others register for 3 cr. Faculty
508 GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY
II; 3 cr. Biosynthesis of biological molecules, signal transduction mechanisms, chemistry and metabolism of nucleic acids, protein synthesis, and molecular and cellular biology. Prerequisite: A grade of BC or higher in Biochemistry 507, or consent of instructor. Honors students also register for 1 cr. of Biochem 289 with consent of instructor. Faculty
510 BIOCHEMICAL PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN AND ANIMAL NUTRITION (Also Nutritional Sciences 510)
I; 3 cr. Lectures. Nutrition for students with a substantial background in biochemistry. Emphasis on biochemical and physiological fundamentals of nutrition. Discussion of protein, fat, carbohydrate, energy, minerals and vitamins and their roles and interrelationships in nutrition and metabolism. Prerequisites: Biochemistry 501 or 602 or consent of instructor. Eide,David Jeffrey; Smith,Susan Marie
511 UNDERGRADUATE SEMINAR
I, II; 1 cr. Required of all senior undergraduate majors in biochemistry. Students prepare and orally present a seminar based on a scientific topic. The main goals of the class are for the students to enhance their critical thinking skills, to gain practical experience in the use of various resources to locate and extract information, and to practice the preparation and presentation of a scientific seminar. Through in-depth research of a specific topic, students will be exposed to both primary and secondary biochemical literature and will thus gain an appreciation for the breadth and depth of current research and the process of scientific investigation. Prerequisites: Biochemistry 501, or 507 and 508, or consent of instructor. Faculty
550 TOPICS IN MEDICAL BIOCHEMISTRY
II; 2 cr Lectures. Biochemical and molecular analysis of selected human diseases. Topics will include atherosclerosis and lipid metabolism, cancer and oncogenes, apoptosis and the cell cycle, human immunodeficiency virus replication and AIDS. Prerequisites: Biochemistry 501, 507 or consent of instructor. Hayes,Colleen E.
575 BIOLOGY OF VIRUSES
II; 2 cr. Lectures and discussions. Broad coverage of animal virology taught at molecular level. Topics include virus structure, viral replication/lifecycle, aspects of pathogenesis and prevention. Prerequisite: Biocore 301/302, or AP score of 4 or 5 and Zoology 151 or 152; or MM&I 301. Friesen,Paul Dean; Schultz,Stacey Lynne
601 PROTEIN AND ENZYME STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
I; 2 cr. Protein structure and function, enzyme kinetics and mechanisms. Prerequisites: Biochemistry 501 or equivalent, 1 semester of physical chemistry, 1 year of organic chemistry. Holden,Hazel M; Rayment,Ivan
612 PROKARYOTIC MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (Also Genetics 612, Bacteriology 612)
I; 3 cr. This course surveys topics in prokaryotic molecular biology including the mechanisms of transcription, translation, regulation of gene expression, replication, recombination, and transposition. Prerequisites: background in bacterial genetics or physiology (e.g. equivalent of Bact 370 and/or 526) and a course in basic biochemistry (e.g. equivalent of Biochem 501 or 507-508) or consent of instructor. Gourse, Richard L.
620 EUKARYOTIC MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (Also Pharmacology 620)
II; 2 cr. This course focuses on the basic molecular mechanisms that regulate DNA, RNA, and protein metabolism in eukaryotic organisms. The course is intended for adv undergrads and first yr grad students with a firm knowledge of basic biochemistry. Prereqs: Biochem 508 or equiv. Wassarman, Ansari,Aseem Z; Wassarman,David A.
621 PLANT BIOCHEMISTRY (Also Botany 621) (Offered odd numbered years)
I; 3 cr. Lectures. Biochemistry of photosynthesis, respiration, and other metabolic and biosynthetic processes in plants. Prerequisites: Biochemistry 501 or 602 or consent of instructor. Bednarek,Sebastian York; Sharkey,Thomas D.
624 MECHANISMS OF ENZYME ACTION
I; 2 cr. Lectures. The relation of structure and kinetics to mechanisms of enzymatic catalysis; studies of specific enzymes and enzyme systems. Prereqs: Biochem 501, or 507 and 508, or 601; Chem 561 or 565; or cons instr. Faculty
625 COENZYMES AND COFACTORS IN ENZYMOLOGY
II, 2 cr. Course will emphasize the importance of coenzyme and cofactors of enzymes in biochemistry. All aspects of the biochemistry of enzymes will be covered, including their biosynthesis as far as is known, the biochemical reactions they catalyze, their chemical and spectroscopic properties, and the mechanisms by which they facilitate biochemical reactions. Prerequisites: Chemistry 343 and 344 or equivalent, Biochemistry 501 or equivalent, Chemistry 561 or 565 or equivalent (may be taken concurrently). Fox,Brian G.; Reed,George H.
630 CELLULAR SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION MECHANISMS (Also Pharmacology 630, Zoology 630)
I; 3 cr. Provides a comprehensive introduction for advanced undergraduates and graduate students to the essential elements of cellular transduction mechanisms that allow signaling from the cell surface to the nucleus. Emphasis is on receptors, second messengers, protein kinase cascades, and the regulation of gene transcription. Prerequisites: Introductory Biochemistry (Biochemistry 501, or 507 and 508) and Cell Biology (Biocore 303 or Zoology 570 or Pathology 750) or consent of instructor. Ruoho, Bresnick, Anderson, Miyamoto, Keely, Faculty
636 MACROMOLECULAR CRYSTALLOGRAPHY AND DYNAMICS
II, 2 cr. Provide knowledge of techniques used to obtain detailed structural and dynamic information about biological macromolecules and survey results. Techniques include x-ray diffraction, electron microscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. Designed for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students in the biological sciences. Prerequisites: Concurrent or prior biochemistry; calculus, and freshman physics or equivalent. Phillips Jr.,George N.
651 BIOCHEMICAL METHODS
I, II; 2 cr. Lab. Introduction to modern biochemical laboratory techniques. For advanced undergraduates (biochemistry and other majors) and graduate students not majoring in biochemistry. Prerequisites: Chemistry 221 and Biochemistry 501 or equivalent. Fox, Brian G.; Weibel,Douglas B.
660 BIOCHEMICAL TECHNIQUES
I, 1-3 cr. Survey of modern biochemical techniques. Prerequisites: 2 Semesters organic chemistry, physical chemistry, Biochemistry 601 or concurrent registration and consent of instructor. Wickens, Marvin P.
665 BIOPHYSICAL CHEMISTRY (Also Chemistry 665)
I, II; 4 cr. Biochem 665, taught together with the advanced (honors) undergrad course Chem 565, develops the principles of solution thermodynamics and chemical kinetics, and applies this quantitative framework to discuss experimental data and analysis of the thermodynamics (driving forces, coupled conformational changes etc.) and mechanisms of biochemical processes involving proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids in solution. Applications include protein folding, nucleic acid helix formation, micelle formation; ligand binding, cooperative binding and other assembly processes; effects of water, salts, other solutes, temperature and pressure on biochemical processes; protein-nucleic acid interactions and enzyme catalysis. Weekly problem sets develop these applications. Typical enrollment (fall semester) is 20-25 grad students and 75-85 undergrads; 665 students are expected to have some previous background in physical chemistry as well as the 565 prerequisites. Cavagnero,Silvia; Ellis,Jamie Paule
681/682 SENIOR HONORS THESIS - For Honors Biochemistry Majors only
Yr; 3 cr. per sem. Prerequisites: Senior standing and consent of instructor. Faculty
691/692 SENIOR THESIS
Yr; 2 cr. per sem. Prerequisites: Senior standing and consent of instructor. Faculty
699 SPECIAL PROBLEMS
Yr; 1-4 cr. Prerequisites: Senior standing and consent of instructor. Faculty