Courses Offered
101. Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology I
07F, 08F: 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.
103. Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology III
08S, 09S: 9L
The final term of a year-long graduate-level course in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology. A continuation of Biochemistry 101 and Genetics 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 Genetics 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)
07F, 08F: 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. Speck and associates.
112. Metabolism (DMS1)
08W, 09W: 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)
Not offered in the period from 07F through 09S
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)
08S 09S: Arrange
Each year Biochemistry 118 will focus on a different topic in genetics. Emphasis on reading and analyzing material from the primary literature.
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. The staff.
132. Inorganic Biochemistry (Identical to Chemistry 92/132)
08S: Arrange Offered 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)
09S: Arrange Offered as requested in alternate years.
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 departmental colloquia and one or more other 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.
259-263. 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 259, Actin Cytoskeleton
Biochemistry 260, Structural Biology
Biochemistry 261, Cancer Biology (W and 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 departmental colloquia and one or more other 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.