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Biochemistry

Biochemistry is the study of the basic chemical processes that occur in all living systems. It is one of the most active sciences, and it provides a foundation for other biosciences.

Biochemists generally work in laboratories and/or classrooms. Those with a bachelor's degree are often employed as research assistants in industry, government, education, and health service, or in secondary school teaching, for which licensure is required.

Biochemists with advanced degrees--usually a doctorate--pursue teaching, research, and/or administrative careers in universities, medical schools, hospitals, private research agencies, government laboratories, biotechnology companies, and in food, drug, cosmetics, chemical, petroleum, and allied industries.

The Department of Biochemistry offers degree programs for undergraduates and for graduate students and administers the academic curriculum at both levels. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences grants undergraduate degrees in biochemistry and oversees undergraduate academic policy relating to the student record. The Graduate College grants graduate degrees in biochemistry.

Undergraduate Programs

The Department of Biochemistry offers a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts in biochemistry.

Students choose advanced science electives to supplement biochemical studies or to satisfy requirements of a double major or a minor in another discipline. In order to count science electives numbered below 100 toward a degree in biochemistry, students must have their advisor's approval.

Transfer credit for biochemistry courses requires the approval of an undergraduate advisor in biochemistry.

Students, especially those in the B.A. program, may include courses from other disciplines, such as business, pre-law, psychology, or journalism. This prepares them for one of the many vocations on which biochemistry has an impact.

Bachelor of Science

The Bachelor of Science in biochemistry requires a total of 120 s.h., including 73 s.h. of work for the major. The program prepares students to work in positions that require a mastery of general biochemistry. It is also excellent preparation for graduate study in biochemistry and related sciences or for study toward a professional degree in the health sciences.

The B.S. major in biochemistry requires the following course work. Biochemistry students also must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program.

All of these:

One of these sequences:

Two of these:

One of these:

Students may register for 099:155 Research, Independent Study only if they have earned an average grade of B or higher in 099:120 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, 099:130 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, and 099:140 Experimental Biochemistry and a grade of B-minus or higher in each 099:120 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, 099:130 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, and 099:140 Experimental Biochemistry; or have consent of advisor and instructor. Students may register for 099:115 Undergraduate Independent Study any time.

Students are encouraged to begin research by taking 099:115 Undergraduate Independent Study (may be taken for a total of 6 s.h.). There are no prerequisites. Students may arrange independently to take this course, or they may request assistance from an undergraduate advisor.

Bachelor of Arts

The Bachelor of Arts in biochemistry requires a total of 120 s.h., including 58 s.h. of work for the major. The B.A. major requires the following course work. Biochemistry students also must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program.

All of these:

One of these sequences:

One of these:

In addition, B.A. students intending to go on to advanced degrees in the biological or health sciences are advised to include 4 s.h. or more of 099:115 Undergraduate Independent Study or 099:155 Research, Independent Study (senior research) in their programs.

B.A. or B.S. with Teacher Licensure

Biochemistry majors, especially those in the B.A. program, may qualify for teacher licensure by taking additional courses in teacher education. Consult the College of Education for details.

Four-Year Graduation Plan

The following checkpoints list the minimum requirements students must complete by certain semesters in order to stay on the University's Four-Year Graduation Plan. (Courses in the major are those required to complete the major; they may be offered by departments other than the major department.)

Bachelor of Science

Before the third semester begins: 004:011 Principles of Chemistry I and 004:012 Principles of Chemistry II, 22M:025 Calculus I, 099:001 Orientation and Introduction to the Field of Biochemistry, and at least one-quarter of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the fifth semester begins: the courses listed above, plus 002:010 Principles of Biology I and 002:011 Principles of Biology II; 004:121 Organic Chemistry I, 004:122 Organic Chemistry II, and 004:141 Organic Chemistry Laboratory; 22M:026 Calculus II; and at least one-half of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the seventh semester begins: the courses listed above, plus 029:081 Introductory Physics I and 029:082 Introductory Physics II, 099:120 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, 099:130 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, and 099:140 Experimental Biochemistry, two science electives, and at least three-quarters of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the eighth semester begins: the courses listed above, plus 004:131 Physical Chemistry I or 004:132 Physical Chemistry II or 099:241 Biophysical Chemistry I or 099:242 Biophysical Chemistry II, a science elective, and at least 3 s.h. of 099:155 Research, Independent Study

During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining course work in the major, all remaining General Education courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate

Bachelor of Arts

Before the third semester begins: 004:011 Principles of Chemistry I and 004:012 Principles of Chemistry II; math through 22M:026 Calculus II or above; 099:001 Orientation and Introduction to the Field of Biochemistry; and at least one-quarter of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the fifth semester begins: the courses listed above, plus 002:010 Principles of Biology I and 002:011 Principles of Biology II, 004:121 Organic Chemistry I and 004:122 Organic Chemistry II, and at least one-half of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the seventh semester begins: the courses listed above, plus 029:011 College Physics I and 029:012 College Physics II, 099:120 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, 099:130 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, and 099:140 Experimental Biochemistry, two science electives, and at least three-quarters of the semester hours required for graduation

Before the eighth semester begins: the courses listed above, plus 004:131 Physical Chemistry I or  004:132 Physical Chemistry II or 099:241 Biophysical Chemistry I or 099:242 Biophysical Chemistry II, and a science elective

During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining course work in the major, all remaining General Education courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate

Honors

Qualified students may earn an honors degree in biochemistry. They must be members of the University of Iowa Honors Program, which requires students to maintain a cumulative University of Iowa g.p.a. of at least 3.33 (contact the University of Iowa Honors Program for more information). Honors students in biochemistry must complete 099:155 Research, Independent Study. They must present their research results in a report written in the form of a journal article and in an oral report presented at a special open departmental seminar.

Graduate Program

The Department of Biochemistry offers a Master of Science and a Doctor of Philosophy in biochemistry. Students admitted to the graduate program usually pursue the Ph.D. Qualified students may pursue a combined program leading to the M.D./Ph.D. (Medical Scientist Training Program).

Master of Science

The Master of Science in biochemistry requires a minimum of 30 s.h. of graduate credit, thesis research, and a thesis. See "Doctor of Philosophy" for information about the graduate curriculum.

Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy in biochemistry requires a minimum of 72 s.h. of graduate credit. The focus of the graduate program is on the individual student. Students choose from three curricula to satisfy requirements for the degree: standard, biophysical emphasis, or molecular emphasis.

In the first year, students engage in formal course work and tutorial laboratory experiences that serve as the basis for selecting a topic for thesis research. They spend half of their time in courses and the other half working in four different faculty laboratories (099:261 Research Techniques), where they learn in the context of ongoing research.

All biochemistry graduate students take the following courses.

Standard curriculum students also take the following.

Biophysical emphasis students also take the following.

Molecular emphasis students also take the following.

Once students are promoted to the second year of study, they choose research laboratories for Ph.D. thesis research and begin their thesis projects. They take courses that supplement their interests and preparation, including the following.

Research Biochemistry (099:292) and elective science courses numbered 100 or above in other departments satisfy the remaining course requirements.

Students take the comprehensive examination before the end of June in their second year, after which they are admitted formally to degree candidacy and begin to concentrate on thesis research. The program culminates in successful defense of completed thesis work before an examining committee.

In addition to meeting these requirements and those of the Graduate College, students are expected, as part of their training, to assist in teaching biochemistry for two semesters.

Throughout the program, students are associated with faculty-directed research groups. They receive close personal attention from the biochemistry faculty members who serve as research advisors.

Admission

The graduate program in biochemistry is flexible enough to accommodate students with bachelor's degrees in any of the biological, biochemical, or physical sciences. Appropriate preparation includes one-year, college-level courses in organic and physical chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics through calculus. Students are expected to have had one or more introductory courses in biochemistry.

Applicants must have an undergraduate g.p.a. of at least 3.00 and must submit acceptable verbal, quantitative, and analytical scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test. Applicants are encouraged to submit their scores on the GRE Subject Test in Chemistry; Biology; or Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology.

Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College or the Graduate College section of the Catalog.

Financial Support

Students admitted to the Ph.D. program in biochemistry routinely receive a stipend and tuition support.

Research

The department's current research interests include protein structure and function, protein folding, DNA bending, complex carbohydrate structure and function, chromatin, regulation of gene expression, mechanisms of transcription and replication, enzyme reaction mechanisms, intracellular signaling, differentiation, and membrane determinants of cell shape and motility. Visit the Department of Biochemistry web site for details.

Facilities

The Department of Biochemistry is located on the University of Iowa health sciences campus, where it has administrative, research, and teaching facilities in the Bowen Science Building. Departmental research groups also are located in the adjacent Medical Education and Research Facility, the Eckstein Medical Research Building, and in other research facilities.

The University of Iowa maintains a number of central research support facilities and equipment that promote campuswide interactions between research groups. These include the facilities for electron and confocal microscopy, fermentation, image analysis, high field NMR, high resolution mass spectrometry, and academic computing (through Information Technology Services). Carver College of Medicine research facilities are available to biochemistry researchers for nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, flow cytometry, DNA synthesis, tissue culture hybridoma, gene transfer, X-ray crystallography analysis, and transgenic and gene targeting.

Individual faculty research laboratories are well-equipped for modern research, and there are many common-use laboratories, including instrument rooms, a reading room, cold rooms, tissue culture areas, preparation rooms, and a stockroom. Research is supported by office staff, stockroom supervisors, and a purchasing agent.

Together, the department and the central support facilities provide virtually all of the equipment required for modern biochemical research. Examples of such equipment include analytical and preparative ultracentrifuges; fluorescence, optical rotatory dispersion, high-field NMR, and rapid kinetic instruments; tissue culture rooms, gas chromatographs, preparative high performance liquid chromatographs, liquid scintillation counters, electrophoresis equipment, instrumentation for protein X-ray crystallography and microcalorimetry, automated DNA sequencers, and facilities for microarray analysis.

The department maintains a reading room stocked with primary books and journals used by biochemists. The Hardin Library for the Health Sciences is a large, complete library located on the health sciences campus. Excellent resources also are provided by branches of the University of Iowa Libraries and by computer access to bibliographic retrieval services.