BIOC 356 - Biochemistry Senior Seminar

Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)

An intensive study of selected topics at the molecular, subcellular, and cellular level. Specific topics will vary. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking and research with course material being drawn from the recent biochemical literature.

Topic for 2022/23a: Carbohydrates and Glycobiology: Beginning from the basic biochemistry of carbohydrates, the field of glycobiology has grown into an important segment of molecular biology with applications in many areas of basic research, medicine, and biotechnology. This course follows the trajectory of this field, beginning with simple sugars and carbohydrate chemistry and then exploring the structure-function relationships of complex glycoproteins, glycolipids, and glycan-modified RNA. As we use the primary scientific literature to understand the newest discoveries and experimental approaches in the field, we also discuss the societal implications of this work especially in relation to drug development and clean energy production. Throughout the semester you develop your ability to engage with scientific literature and communicate advanced scientific topics through both written work and oral presentations. Rebecca Pollet.

Topic for 2022/23b: Modern molecular biology and the RNA world: This course covers the central pathways of molecular biology, with an emphasis on the storage and expression of genetic information and how our understanding of these mechanisms has evolved from the birth of molecular biology as a discipline to the modern day. In particular, we explore how the role of RNA has grown from that of simple information vessel to the central and multivalent molecule it is known as today. We also cover the explosion of experimental approaches—including, but not limited to, high-resolution structural methods, single-molecule techniques, super-resolution microscopy, and next-generation sequencing technologies—that have enabled the expansive growth of this field. Throughout the semester, we focus on developing your ability to approach, interpret, criticize, and communicate advanced scientific topics, in both spoken and written forms. Colin Echeverria Aitken.

Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.

Two 75-minute periods.

Course Format: CLS