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University Bulletin: Undergraduate Programs 2003-2004 The George Washington University  

 
    
 
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BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

 

A.L. Goldstein (Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology), V.W. Hu (Director of the Ph.D. program in biochemistry and molecular genetics), M. Allard, M. Badamchian, P.E. Berg, B. Bouscarel, K. Brown, A. Chiaramello, A.M. Colberg-Poley, R. Donaldson, S.W. Fu, D. Goldman, E.P. Hoffman, D. Johnson, F. Kashanchi, A. Komarov, J.H. Kramer, A. Kumar, S. Ladisch, P.S. Latham, T. McCaffrey, I.T. Mak, C. Merrill, S.A. Moody, T. Moody, W.C. Nierman, F.P. Noonan, S.J. O’Brien, R.K. Packer, S.R. Patierno, M. Rojkind, M.C. Rose, C. Smith, Y. Su, J. Vanderhoek, G. Walker, W. Weglicki, J. Weiss

Master of Science in the field of biochemistry—Prerequisite: a bachelor’s degree. The undergraduate program must have included the following courses, or equivalent: BiSc 13, 14; Chem 22, 151—52, 153—54; Phys 11, 12.

Required: the general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, including Bioc 221—22, 224, 234, 254, and the Comprehensive Examination. Students may choose a 30-credit thesis option or a 36-credit nonthesis option.

Master of Science in the field of genomics and bioinformatics—This degree program is offered by Columbian College of Arts and Sciences in cooperation with the School of Medicine and Health Sciences and the School of Engineering and Applied Science. Required: the general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, including the genomics and bioinformatics core of Bioc 221—22, 234, 235, 236, 237, 254, and CSci 144. A biological track requires 32 or 35 credits, depending upon whether the student chooses a thesis or nonthesis option; a computer science track requires 38 credits for both thesis and nonthesis options. Computer science course requirements vary according to the track chosen, and electives are chosen from lists of designated courses.

Doctor of Philosophy in the field of biochemistry and molecular genetics—Required: the general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, including the biomedical sciences core curriculum, Bioc 225, 227, 236, 237, and the General Examination.

Research fields: endocrinology—thymosins, signaling pathways, eicosanoids; viral gene regulation; antiviral chemotherapy; immunology—immunochemistry, viral gene transactivation; lipids and membranes—essential fatty acids, membrane biochemistry, complex lipids, cholesterol; carcinogenesis, apoptosis; molecular biology of cancer—breast cancer, leukemia, homeobox genes; genomics and proteomics—vascular biology, gene array technology, atherosclerosis, HIV-1 and other human retroviruses, autism spectrum disorders.
221—22 General Biochemistry (4—4) Berg and Staff
  A comprehensive course in general biochemistry for graduate students in biomedical sciences and undergraduate students in biology and chemistry. Prerequisite: Chem 152, 154. (Academic year)
224 Biochemical Techniques Laboratory (3) Vanderhoek
  Common laboratory techniques used in life science laboratories to separate and characterize macromolecules, including chromatography, gel electrophoresis, immunoassays, spectroscopy, and centrifugation. Corequisite: Bioc 221. Laboratory fee. (Fall)
225 Metabolism (4) Staff
  Metabolic pathways and integration of metabolic processes. Limited to Ph.D. students in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences.
227 Biochemistry Seminar (1) Hu and Staff
  Current literature in biochemistry. Limited to graduate students in the department. May be repeated for credit. (Fall and spring)
234 Structure and Function of Proteins and Enzymes (3) Hu and Staff
  Structure—function relationships of proteins, enzyme kinetics, regulation and reaction mechanisms, and other special topics. Prerequisite: Bioc 221. (Spring)
235 Seminar in Genomics, Proteomics, and Bioinformatics (1) Kashanchi and Staff
236 Fundamentals of Genomics (2 or 3) McCaffrey and Staff
  Viral, bacterial, yeast, and mammalian genomics and proteomics. Genomic theories, methods, and data analysis including bioinformatics and database mining. Same as Micr 236. Prerequisite or corequisite: Bioc 221—22 or BmSc 210, 211.
237 Fundamentals of Proteomics (2 or 3) Kashanchi and Staff
  Proteomic methods, including two-dimensional gels, image analysis, and protein identification. Same as Micr 237. Prerequisite: Bioc 236/Micr 236.
238 Experimental Genomics Lab (2) Fu, Kashanchi, McCaffrey
  Research applications of knowledge in genomics and proteomics. Prerequisite: Bioc 236. Laboratory fee.
239 Applied Bioinformatics (2) Su and Staff
  A broad overview of methods and applications of bioinformatics in the life sciences. Prerequisite: Bioc 221—22 or BmSc 210, 211.
250 Molecular Biology (3) Kumar and Staff
  Content includes the organization and replication of genetic material, transcriptional and translational machinery, regulation of eukaryotic gene expression, and other special topics. Prerequisite: Bioc 201 or 221—22. (Fall)
254 Fundamentals of Molecular Biology (3) Berg and Staff
  An intermediate-level molecular biology survey course. Prerequisite: Bioc 221 or BmSc 211.
256 Molecular Genetics of Inherited Diseases (2) Hoffman and Staff
  Biochemical aspects of genetics and contributions of molecular biology to understanding of human mutations and hereditary diseases. Prerequisite: degree candidacy or permission of program director. (Spring)
260 Biotechnology of Lipids and Membranes (2) Vanderhoek
  Basic techniques in the biotechnology of lipids and membranes. Prerequisite: Bioc 221. (Spring, even years)
281 Topics (1 or 2) Goldstein and Staff
  Directed readings in biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics. May be repeated for credit. Enrollment limited to graduate students in the department.
295 Research (arr.) Staff
  Participation in a project under investigation in the department or one in a related field suggested by the student and approved by the staff. Content differs each time course is offered; may be repeated for credit. Laboratory fee. (Fall and spring)
298 Advanced Reading (1 to 6) Staff
  Limited to master’s degree candidates. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 6 hours.
299—300 Thesis Research (3—3) Staff
398 Advanced Reading and Research (arr.) Staff
  Limited to students preparing for the Doctor of Philosophy general examination. May be repeated for credit.
399 Dissertation Research (arr.) Staff
  Limited to Doctor of Philosophy candidates. May be repeated for credit.
 

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© 2009 University Bulletin
The George Washington University All rights reserved.

Information in this bulletin is generally accurate as of fall 2008. The University reserves the right to change courses, programs, fees, and the academic calendar, or to make other changes deemed necessary or desirable, giving advance notice of change when possible.