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. Work in the course culminates in a significant summative presentation.

Topic for 2023/24a: Drugs and Druggables. This course focuses on drugs and their actions within the human body as well as in communities. Beginning with pharmacologic principles, we examine the cellular and molecular functions of common therapeutics used by Americans (such as caffeine, nicotine, Tylenol, etc), predict adverse drug effects, and consider how drug action may differ among different populations. Through primary scientific literature, we then explore the processes of drug discovery and design. After building this foundational understanding, we address the cacophony of myths and misinformation that surrounds drugs, nutrients, and/or supplements with the goal of distilling complex scientific information into a compelling argument accessible to the general public. Throughout the semester, you develop your ability to engage with scientific literature and communicate advanced scientific topics through both written work and oral presentations. Alaina Richard.

Topic for 2023/24b: Molecules & Medicine. The WHO List of Essential Medicines, updated every two years since 1977, lists up to 580 chemical compounds which are deemed necessary to “satisfy the priority health care needs of a population”. But what are they, where do they come from, and how do they work? This seminar takes a multidisciplinary approach to studying the process of drug discovery and development. Several important (and some controversial) drugs are studied in detail beginning at the molecular level, from their syntheses, to in vitro evaluation, to large-scale human trials. Emphasis is placed on analysis of peer-reviewed scientific literature to understand syntheses of medicinally relevant natural products and non-natural medicinal agents as well as mechanisms of action. Additional topics may include antibiotic-resistant superbugs and how we might deal with them, structure-activity relationships, and computer-aided drug design. Case studies of medicines like Thalidomide, Azidothymidine, and Remdesivir are an integral part of the seminar. Throughout the semester we develop your ability to interpret, analyze, and communicate advanced topics in medicinal chemistry in both verbal and written form. Evan Howard.

Topic for 2023/24b: 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.

Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor.

Two 75-minute periods.

Course Format: CLS