Subject abbreviation: BCH
Stephen R. Spindler, Ph.D., ChairDepartment Office, 1491 Boyce Hall
Graduate Program (909) 787-5093
Undergraduate Program (909) 787-4229
http://biochem.ucr.edu
Professors
Craig V. Byus, Ph.D. (Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences)
Achilles Dugaiczyk, Ph.D.
Michael F. Dunn, Ph.D.
Daniel R. Gallie, Ph.D.
Helen L. Henry, Ph.D.
Richard A. Luben, Ph.D. (Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences)
Anthony W. Norman, Ph.D. (Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences)
Justin K.M. Roberts, Ph.D.
Stephen R. Spindler, Ph.D.
Jolinda A. Traugh, Ph.D.
Professors Emeriti
Darold D. Holten, Ph.D.
Ning G. Pon, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Richard J. Debus, Ph.D.
Assistant Professors
Xuan Liu, M.D./Ph.D.
Stephan Wilkens, Ph.D.
**
Adjunct Professor
Ross Adey, M.D.
Affiliated Emeritus
Irving L. Eaks, Ph.D.
Cooperating Faculty
Michael E. Adams, Ph.D. (Entomology and Neuroscience)
Peter Atkinson, Ph.D. (Entomology)
Julia Bailey-Serres, Ph.D. (Botany and Plant Sciences)
Nancy E. Beckage, Ph.D. (Entomology and Neuroscience)
David F. Bocian, Ph.D. (Chemistry)
Elizabeth Bray, Ph.D. (Botany and Plant Sciences)
Wilfred Chen, Ph.D. (Chemical Engineering)
Timothy J. Close, Ph.D. (Botany and Plant Sciences)
Margarita C. Currás-Collazo, Ph.D. (Neuroscience)
David A. Eastmond, Ph.D. (Neuroscience)
Sarjeet S. Gill, Ph.D. (Neuroscience)
Andrew J. Grosovsky, Ph.D. (Neuroscience)
Anthony H.C. Huang, Ph.D. (Botany and Plant Sciences)
David A. Johnson, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences)
Noel T. Keen, Ph.D. (Plant Pathology)
Christian Y. Lytle, Ph.D. (Biomedical Sciences)
Manuela Martins-Green, Ph.D. (Neuroscience)
Rajesh K. Mehra, Ph.D. (Neuroscience)
Thomas H. Morton, Ph.D. (Chemistry)
Ashok Mulchandani, Ph.D. (Chemical Engineering)
Eugene A. Nothnagel, Ph.D. (Botany and Plant Sciences)
William H. Okamura, Ph.D. (Chemistry)
Frances M. Sladek, Ph.D. (Neuroscience)
Patricia S. Springer, Ph.D. (Botany and Plant Sciences)
Michael B. Stemerman, M.D. (Biomedical Sciences)
Christopher Y. Switzer, Ph.D. (Chemistry)
Linda L. Walling, Ph.D. (Botany and Plant Sciences)
Raphael Zidovetzki, Ph.D. (Neuroscience)
Biochemistry holds a central position in the life sciences. At the interface between Biology and Chemistry, it deals with the molecular structures and reactions essential to all life processes. A degree in Biochemistry prepares students for a broad range of career possibilities in research, industry, and the health professions. In the past decade, a third of our graduates have entered professional schools (medical, dental, optometry, pharmacy, osteopathy, and veterinary), a third have entered M.S. or Ph.D. graduate programs (in Biochemistry, Physiology, Public Health, Pathology, Molecular Biology, and Virology), and a third have gone to work (in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, clinical and research laboratories, and teaching).
The course work required for the Biochemistry degree is rigorous and comprehensive, and gives students a solid grounding on which to base their career goals. There are two emphasis areas within the Biochemistry major, Chemistry and Biology. The choice of emphasis depends on the career plans of the student, and determines from which course groupings upper-division electives are selected to complete the major requirements. The Biology emphasis is geared toward students interested in the health professions, while the Chemistry emphasis is generally chosen by students interested in pharmacy, forensics, or biophysical sciences. The program focuses on the development of laboratory and critical thinking skills, and hands-on laboratory experience. In addition, participation in an independent research project (BCH 197) or research tutorial (BCH 190), carried out under the supervision of a faculty member, is possible. Internships in industry (BCH 198-I) are also available, and often lead to valuable job experience and employment opportunities.
The department offers both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. The major and emphasis requirements are the same for both, and most students choose the B.S. degree. The B.A. degree requires 12 additional units of Humanities and Social Sciences courses, and 16 units or a course 4 equivalency level of a foreign language (see College Breadth Requirements).
Transfer students majoring in Biochemistry need to complete at least three of the following full-year sequences, which must include first-year calculus and general chemistry:
Students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.70 in transferable college courses.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
UNIVERSITY REQUIREMENTS
General University requirements are Universitywide requirements
which all undergraduates must satisfy. See the Undergraduate Studies section for a complete listing.
COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS
Students must fulfill all breadth requirements of the
College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. See Degree Requirements under College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences in the Undergraduate Studies section of this catalog.
Some of the following requirements for the major may also fulfill some of the College's breadth requirements. Consult with a department advisor for course planning.
MAJOR REQUIREMENTS
The major requirements and the emphasis requirements are the same for the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry. Choose one emphasis.
1. Lower-division requirements (51 units)
2. Upper-division requirements (50-51 units)
3. Statistics (2 or 5 units): One course from STAT 020, STAT 100A, or STAT 105
4. Emphasis Requirements
Chemistry Emphasis
a) Lower-division requirements (5 units)
b) Upper-division requirements (8 units)
(1) Two courses from CHEM 110B, CHEM 113, CHEM 125, CHEM 150A-CHEM 150B, CHEM 166 (BCH 241/CHEM 241 and other graduate courses may be substituted by students with a GPA of 3.00 or better with permission of the instructor and the faculty advisor.)
Biology Emphasis
a) Upper-division requirements (9-15 units). Choose three biological science courses from the following:
Graduate and upper-division courses can be substituted with permission of the instructor and the faculty advisor.
Students should be aware that CHEM 005 is often a requirement for admission to professional schools.
Sample Programs
Two of the many possible course programs are shown below; the outlined program is applicable for both the B.A. and B.S. degree programs. ENGL 001A-ENGL 001B-ENGL 001C should be completed as early as possible in the student's career. BCH 190 (Special Studies) or BCH 197 (Research for Undergraduate Students) is completed during the junior or senior year and may be arranged through the Undergraduate Student Advisor.
Bachelor of Science
Chemistry Emphasis
| Freshman Year | Fall | Winter | Spring | ||||||||
| CHEM 001A-CHEM 001B-CHEM 001C | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| BIOL 005A, BIOL 005B, BIOL 005C | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| MATH 009A-MATH 009B-MATH 009C | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| ENGL 001A-ENGL 001B-ENGL 001C | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| Total Units | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Sophomore Year | Fall | Winter | Spring | ||||||||
CHEM 112A-CHEM 112B-CHEM 112C |
4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
PHYS 002A, PHYS 002B, PHYS 002C |
4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
PHYS 02LA-PHYS 02LB-PHYS 02LC |
1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
Hum./Soc., CHEM 005, General Electives |
8 | 5 | 7 | ||||||||
Total Units |
17 | 14 | 16 |
| Junior Year | Fall | Winter | Spring | ||||||||
BCH 110A-BCH 110B-BCH 110C |
4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
CHEM 109 or CHEM 110A, BCH 102 |
4 | 4 | |||||||||
General Electives, Chemistry Electives |
3 | 8 | |||||||||
BIOL 102, Hum/Soc. |
4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
STAT 020, STAT 100A, or STAT 105 |
2 | 4 | 5 | ||||||||
Total Units |
14 | 19 | 21 |
| Senior Year | Fall | Winter | Spring | ||||||||
BCH 184, elective |
4 | 4 | |||||||||
Chemistry Elective |
4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
BCH 190 or BCH 197, Hum./Soc. |
4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
BCH 120/BMSC 120, BCH 153/BIOL 153/BPSC 153, BCH 162, BCH 183, BCH 185/BPSC 185, BCH 210, BCH 211, BCH 212, or BCH 241/CHEM 241 |
4 | 4 | 5 | ||||||||
Total Units |
16 | 16 | 13 |
Biology Emphasis
| Freshman Year | Fall | Winter | Spring | ||||||||
CHEM 001A-CHEM 001B-CHEM 001C |
4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
BIOL 005A, BIOL 005B, BIOL 005C |
4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
MATH 009A-MATH 009B-MATH 009C |
4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
ENGL 001A-ENGL 001B-ENGL 001C |
4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| Total Units | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Sophomore Year | Fall | Winter | Spring | ||||||||
CHEM 112A-CHEM 112B-CHEM 112C |
4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
PHYS 002A, PHYS 002B, PHYS 002C |
4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
PHYS 02LA-PHYS 02LB-PHYS 02LC |
1 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
Hum./Soc./General Electives |
8 | 5 | 7 | ||||||||
Total Units |
17 | 14 | 16 |
| Junior Year | Fall | Winter | Spring | ||||||||
BCH 110A-BCH 110B-BCH 110C |
4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
CHEM 109 or CHEM 110A, BCH 102 |
4 | 4 | |||||||||
General Electives, Biological Science Elective |
4 | 4 | |||||||||
BIOL 102, Hum./Soc. |
4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
STAT 020, STAT 100A, or STAT 105 |
2 | 2 | 5 | ||||||||
Total Units |
14 | 18 | 17 |
| Senior Year | Fall | Winter | Spring | ||||||||
BCH 184, Hum./Soc. |
4 | 4 | |||||||||
BCH 190 or BCH 197 |
4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
General Elective, BiologicalSciences Elective |
4 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
BCH 120/BMSC 120, BCH 153/BIOL 153/BPSC 153, BCH 162, BCH 183, BCH 185/BPSC 185, BCH 210, BCH 211, BCH 212, or BCH 241/CHEM 241 |
4 | 4 | 5 | ||||||||
Total Units |
16 | 16 | 13 |
The Department of Biochemistry offers a graduate program leading to the master's or Ph.D. degree in biochemistry. This program emphasizes basic biochemistry with research specialization in the areas of molecular biology, physical biochemistry, molecular endocrinology, plant biochemistry and molecular biology, signal transduction, and biomedical research. It is designed for students who are planning a career of research and teaching in biochemistry at colleges and universities or who wish to engage in biochemical investigations of fundamental or applied nature in private, governmental or commercial laboratories.
Students who have completed a bachelor's degree in physical, biological, chemical, or agricultural sciences are invited to apply to the program. Regardless of the area of their major for the baccalaureate degree, students should have taken the following courses prior to beginning graduate study in biochemistry or should plan to make up deficiencies soon after entering graduate school: one year of calculus, one year of general physics, one year of organic chemistry, an introductory course in physical chemistry and at least two courses in biology at the upper-division level, including genetics.
Students applying to the graduate program in biochemistry should arrange to take the Graduate Record Examination General Test in time for their scores to be submitted with their application.
DOCTORAL DEGREE
Students' course requirements are determined in consultation with a three member advisory committee appointed for them upon their arrival. Based on their interests and previous training, individual course programs are suggested for students involving courses in biochemistry and courses in a subsidiary field of study. The subsidiary field may be chosen from any of the physical, biological, or agricultural sciences. Although an adequate course preparation is a requisite part of the training program, the department encourages early involvement of the students in research directed toward their dissertations.
Students who are candidates for the Ph.D. degree normally enter the graduate program in the fall quarter at the beginning of a new academic year and begin their training according to the plan suggested by their individual advisory committees. At the end of the first quarter, the students select their major professors and are ready to initiate a research project. At the end of the first year, the students submit a written report describing their research efforts and relating them to current biochemical work in related areas. After the second year, students take a comprehensive written qualifying examination, then submit and orally defend a research report in which they describe the research they have performed thus far and develop a plan for their complete dissertation research project. This fulfills the Graduate Division's requirement for an oral qualifying examination; students completing these requirements are advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. Following completion of their research, a written dissertation is submitted, and they conclude their studies with an oral defense of the dissertation. As part of the program, each student is required to serve at least two quarters as a teaching assistant.
The normative time to the Ph.D. degree is 15 quarters.
MASTER'S DEGREE
In addition to the Ph.D. program, the department offers two plans for the master's degree (Plan I--Thesis; Plan II--Comprehensive Examination). Both plans require completion of at least 36 course units; for Plan I, a maximum of 12 units may be for thesis research.
Lecture, one hour; discussion, one hour; laboratory, two 4.5-hour laboratories. Prerequisite(s): BCH 102, BCH 110A-BCH 110B-BCH 110C all with grades of "C+" or better (BCH 110C may be taken concurrently); consent of instructor. Purification, quantitation, and analysis of DNA, RNA, protein, and lipid. Molecular techniques include DNA cloning, in situ hybridization, restriction mapping, PCR, and DNA sequencing. Biochemical techniques include in vitro transcription and translation, immunochemistry, phase extraction, affinity chromatography, and gel shift assays.
BCH 183. Plant Biochemistry. (3)
Lecture, three hours. Prerequisite(s): BCH 110A-BCH 110B or BCH 100. The course is designed for the student interested in plant biochemistry who wishes to become informed about biochemical structures, systems and metabolic pathways which are unique to plants; for example, photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation, cell walls, and seed development and germination. BCH 184. Topics in Physical Biochemistry. (4) Lecture, three hours; discussion,one hour. Prerequisite(s): BCH 100 with a grade of "C-" or better or BCH 110A with a grade of "C-" or better, and CHEM 112A-CHEM 112B-CHEM 112C, and CHEM 109 or CHEM 110A; or consent of instructor. Lectures on the application of spectroscopy, imaging, and other physical methods in biochemistry including study of macromolecular structure, nucleic acid-protein interactions, subcellular structures, bioenergetics, mechanisms of enzymatic catalysis, enzyme kinetics, and metabolism. Dunn, Roberts. BCH 185. Molecular Evolution. (4) Lecture, two hours; discussion, two hours. Prerequisite(s): BCH 110C or BIOL 107A; BIOL 108 recommended. Explores the evolution of genes, proteins, and genomes at the molecular level. The focus is on the processes that drive molecular evolutionary change. Attention is also given to the analysis of molecular data within the framework of evolutionary theory. Cross-listed with BPSC 185. Clegg, Dugaiczyk. BCH 190. Special Studies. (2-4) Individual study, six to sixteen hours. Prerequisite(s): upper-division standing and consent of instructor. Literature review and tutorial in select modern biochemical topics. Course is repeatable to a maximum of 9 units. BCH 197. Research for Undergraduate Students. (1-4) Prerequisite(s): junior status and consent of the instructor. Directed research and preparation of written report. Course is repeatable to a maximum of 9 units. BCH 198-I. Internship in Biochemistry. (1-12) Internship, three to thirty-six hours. Prerequisite(s): BCH 102, consent of instructor, upper-division standing. An internship to provide students with on-the-job biochemical experience in government, industrial or clinical laboratories. Each individual project must be approved by the Biochemistry Department and the laboratory director where the internship is to be carried out. A written report is required. Graded Satisfactory (S) or No Credit (NC). May be repeated for a total of 12 units. Only 9 units total of courses numbered 190 through 198 may be counted toward the 180 unit graduation requirement. Henry.Biochemical Pharmacology. Byus.
Plant Stress Genomics. Close.
Protein Expression and Plasticity of Brain Glutamate Receptors. Currás-Collazo.
Photosynthesis: Electron Transfer and O2 Evolution. Debus.
Genome Evolution. Dugaiczyk.
Transient-State Studies of Enzymatic and Nonenzymatic Reactions. Dunn.
Plant Gene Expression. Gallie.
Mutagenesis, Recombination, and Genomic Instability. Grosovsky.
Steroid and Cyclic Nucleotide Metabolism. Henry.
Tumor Suppressor and Cell Cycle Regulation. Liu.
Research Topics in Endocrinology. Luben.
Chemokines in Healing and Disease. Martins-Green.
Biosensors. Mulchandani.
Mechanisms of Steroid Hormones. Norman.
Chemical and Structural Biology of Steroids. Okamura.
Regulation of Primary Metabolism. Roberts.
Regulation of Tissue-Specific Gene Expression. Sladek.
Regulation of Gene Expression. Spindler.
Endothelial Cell Perturbation. Stemerman.
Signal Transduction. Traugh.
Plant Defense Mechanisms. Walling.
Structure and Function of Transport ATPase. Wilkens.