Dr. Mary Plishker 200 Lee Drain Building ext. This course will count as advanced hours in Chemistry for either the major or the minor. The second semester CHM 339 course is offered in the spring semester of odd-numbered years.
Biochemistry is the study of the molecules and chemical reactions of life.
Physical laws which apply to natural processes also apply to living organisms. Looking at life's processes on the molecular level, one finds that the basic principles of biochemistry are common to all living organisms. The major areas we will cover in this course will involve the molecular structure of proteins and how function is related to structure, catalytic molecules and their controls, and the transfer of genetic information. Understanding the complex yet efficient biological molecules and processes that involve them is the basis for treatment of diseases. Current topics such as DNA fingerprinting, the Human Genome Project, genetically modified crops, etc., will also be discussed.