Chair: Ta Yuan Chang
Professors C. K. Barlowe (Biochemistry), C. E. Brinckerhoff (Medicine and Biochemistry), T. Y. Chang (Biochemistry), C. N. Cole (Biochemistry and Genetics), D. A. Compton (Biochemistry), J. C. Dunlap (Genetics and Biochemistry), L. P. Henderson (Physiology and Biochemistry), G. E. Lienhard (Biochemistry), J. J. Loros (Biochemistry and Genetics), R. A. Maue (Physiology and Biochemistry), N. A. Speck (Biochemistry), B. L. Trumpower (Biochemistry), W. T. Wickner (Biochemistry), L. A. Witters (Medicine and Biochemistry); Professor Emeritus O. A. Scornik; Associate Professors B. A. Arrick (Medicine), C. Brenner (Genetics and Biochemistry), D. R. Madden (Biochemistry), L. C. Myers (Biochemistry), S. Supattapone (Biochemistry and Medicine); Associate Professor Emeritus W. J. Culp; Assistant Professors A. C. Anderson (Chemistry), H. N. Higgs (Biochemistry), F. J. Kull (Chemistry).
Undergraduate students interested in a major program involving biochemistry should refer to the major in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology offered by the Department of Biological Sciences and to the major in Biophysical Chemistry offered by the Department of Chemistry.
The Ph.D. in Biochemistry is administered by the Biochemistry Department of Dartmouth Medical School. The courses listed below are primarily designed for graduate students. The student should decide, in consultation with his/her committee and course instructors, whether his/her background is appropriate for the content of the course.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DOCTOR’S DEGREE (PH.D.)
To qualify for award of the Ph.D. degree, a student must fulfill the following requirements:
1. Satisfactory completion of an intensive three-term course in general biochemistry, a one-term teaching assignment, and a three-term course in laboratory biochemistry. The last will consist of three small research projects, conducted in rotation with different faculty members for periods of about three months each.
2. Satisfactory completion of three other graduate-level courses in biochemistry or related disciplines.
3. Attendance at the weekly seminar series of the Program.
4. Participation in a journal club during fall, winter and spring terms every year and in the weekly Research in Progress series
5. Satisfactory completion of an oral qualifying examination.
6. Satisfactory completion of a significant research project and preparation of a thesis describing this research.
7. Successful defense of the thesis in an oral examination and presentation of the work in a lecture.
For further information, see the Graduate Study Bulletin.
101. Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology I (Identical to Biology 101, Genetics 101, and Microbiology and Immunology 101)
05F, 06F: 9L
The first term of a year-long graduate-level course in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology. Topics include structure, function, and biosynthesis of proteins, nucleic acids and lipids; enzyme kinetics and enzyme mechanisms; gene regulation, transcription and translation; recombinant DNA technology; nuclear trafficking, the secretory pathway, and endocytosis. Note that this course begins earlier than the first official day of classes as noted in the Dartmouth academic calendar and that students outside of the MCB program should contact the Biochemistry Department for the date of the first lecture.
Not open to undergraduate students. Three lectures per week. Loros and associates.
102. Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology II (Identical to Biology 102, Genetics 102, and Microbiology and Immunology 102)
06W, 07W: 9L
The second term of a year-long graduate-level course in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology. A continuation of Biochemistry 101. Topics include introductory immunology, microbial pathogenesis, principles of genetics; model organisms, genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics.
Prerequisite: Biochemistry 101 or permission of the instructor. Not open to undergraduate students. Three lectures per week. Wade, Cole, and associates.
103. Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology III (Identical to Biology 103, Genetics 103, and Microbiology and Immunology 103)
06S, 07S: 9L
The final term of a year-long graduate-level course in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology. A continuation of Biochemistry 101 and 102. Topics include cell signaling; neurobiology; metabolism; cytoskeleton, cell shape and movement; mitosis and meiosis, regulation of cell growth and division; oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes; proteosomes and protein turnover; apoptosis.
Prerequisites: Biochemistry 101 and 102 or permission of the instructor. Not open to undergraduate students. Three lectures per week. Compton and associates.
110. Biochemical and Genetic Basis of Medicine (DMS1)
05F, 06F: 8
Cellular and molecular biology: Proteins, DNA and recombinant DNA, gene expression, translation, membranes and the cell cycle. 65 hours of lecture and discussion largely coincident with fall term, but note that this course begins in early September.
Prerequisite: Permission of course director. Compton.
112. Metabolism (DMS1)
06W, 07W: 8
Intermediary metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, and nucleotides. Regulatory mechanisms. Bioenergetics. Nutritional biochemistry, energy and nitrogen balance, exercise. Biochemical functions of the major mammalian tissues: digestive system, liver, red cells, muscle, adipocytes. 65 hours of lecture and discussion largely coincident with winter term.
Prerequisite: Permission of course director. Barlowe and associates.
114. Protein Targeting and Organelle Biogenesis (Identical to Biology 114)
07S: ArrangeOffered in alternate years
A lecture and discussion course based on current research literature in the field of protein targeting and biogenesis and assembly of cell organelles. Topics will be introduced by a short lecture, which will be followed by discussion of current research papers from the field. Study guides, consisting of questions relating to the reading, will be used to focus discussion of research papers.
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. Barlowe and associates.
118. Advanced Topics in Genetics and Molecular Genetics (Identical to Genetics 118)
06S: Arrange
Strategies and mechanisms of regulation of gene expression in prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems. Emphasis on reading and analyzing material from the primary literature.
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
132. Inorganic Biochemistry (Identical to Chemistry 132)
06S: ArrangeOffered in alternate years
The role of metal ions in biological systems. Topics include metal ion transport, storage and interaction with proteins and nucleic acids, metalloproteins involved in oxygen transport and electron transfer, metalloenzymes involved in activation of oxygen and other substrates, and medicinal, toxicity and carcinogenicity aspects of metals, as well as inorganic model chemistry of bioinorganic systems. Several physical methods, including advanced spectroscopic techniques (EXAFS, Raman, ENDOR, NMR), are introduced and their application to current research on the above topics is considered.
Prerequisite: Biology 77 and Chemistry 64, or permission of the instructor. Wilcox.
150. Neurosciences I: Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience (Identical to Physiology 150)
Offered as requested.
This course is designed for students with a solid fundamental background in Neuroscience. Students should have completed Medical Neuroscience or the equivalent as a prerequisite. Students without this background who wish to take this course may do so with permission of the instructor. Lectures will cover both classical papers relevant to cellular and molecular neuroscience as well as recent studies that highlight controversial and important findings in this field. Students will be required to read and critique original research papers. Discussion of these papers is an integral part of this course. Physiology graduate students registering for advanced elective credit should register for Physiology 118.
169. Supervised Teaching in Biochemistry
All terms: Arrange
This course is required to be taken at least once by all Biochemistry graduate students, based on the assertion that an essential element of graduate education is the experience gained in teaching other students. Such teaching experience is of particular relevance to students interested in academic careers. Students will conduct laboratory or discussion sessions in undergraduate courses under the supervision of the course faculty. The faculty and student teaching assistant work very closely to develop laboratory and discussion assignments. In some cases, the students are encouraged to present lectures for which they receive detailed feedback on their teaching style. In all cases students will receive instruction on effective teaching techniques through weekly preparation sessions. Topics for discussion include how to teach the material, how to run a discussion, how to evaluate student responses, and grading. Performance will be monitored throughout the term and appropriate evaluation, coupled with detailed suggestions for improvement, will be provided. This course is not open to undergraduates. The staff.
197. Graduate Research in Biochemistry A
All terms: Arrange
An original individual experimental or theoretical investigation beyond the undergraduate level in biochemistry. This course is open only to graduate students, prior to passing their qualifying exam; it may be elected for credit more than once. This course carries one course credit and should be elected by students conducting research and also electing two or more other graduate or undergraduate courses. Chang and the staff of the Program.
198. Graduate Research in Biochemistry B
All terms: Arrange
An original individual experimental or theoretical investigation beyond the undergraduate level in biochemistry. This course is open only to graduate students, prior to passing their qualifying exam; it may be elected for credit more than once. This course carries two course credits and should be elected by students electing only departmental colloquia in addition to research. Chang and the staff of the Program.
199. Graduate Research in Biochemistry C
All terms: Arrange
An original individual experimental or theoretical investigation beyond the undergraduate level in biochemistry. This course is open only to graduate students, prior to passing their qualifying exam; it may be elected for credit more than once. This course carries three course credits and should be elected by students conducting research exclusively in any one term. Chang and the staff of the Program.
260-263. Graduate Research Colloquium in Biochemistry
F, W, S: Arrange
This course is required of all students during each term of residence, except summer. An essential element of scientific training is in the critical analysis and communication of experimental research in an oral format. Evaluation will be based on quality of the work described, quality of critical analysis, and on presentation style, including effective use of audio-visual materials. Although minor variations in format exist among these two series, normally these series meet weekly and all students will be required to participate in at least one Journal Club presentation each term that describes work from the current literature and one Research in Progress presentation each academic year that describes their own research. This course is not open to undergraduates. The staff.
Biochemistry 260, Structural Biology
Biochemistry 261, Cancer Biology (W&S only)
Biochemistry 262, Medical Sciences (W&S only)
Biochemistry 263, Cell Biology
297. Graduate Research in Biochemistry A
All terms: Arrange
An original individual experimental or theoretical investigation beyond the undergraduate level in biochemistry. This course is open only to graduate students, subsequent to passing their qualifying exam; it may be elected for credit more than once. This course carries one course credit and should be elected by students conducting research and also electing two or more other graduate or undergraduate courses. Chang and the staff of the Program.
298. Graduate Research in Biochemistry B
All terms: Arrange
An original individual experimental or theoretical investigation beyond the undergraduate level in biochemistry. This course is open only to graduate students, subsequent to passing their qualifying exam; it may be elected for credit more than once. This course carries two course credits and should be elected by students electing only departmental colloquia in addition to research. Chang and the staff of the Program.
299. Graduate Research in Biochemistry C
All terms: Arrange
An original individual experimental or theoretical investigation beyond the undergraduate level in biochemistry. This course is open only to graduate students, subsequent to passing their qualifying exam; it may be elected for credit more than once. This course carries three course credits and should be elected by students conducting research exclusively in any one term. Chang and the staff of the Program.