University of Houston Department of Biology and Biochemistry

Table of Contents

A. Thesis or Dissertation Committee
B. Course Requirements
C. Graduate Student Rotations
D. First Year Evaluation
E. Committee Meetings
F. Ph.D. Qualifying Examination
G. Thesis and Dissertation Research
H. Special Considerations
I. College and University Requirements
J. Recommended Time Tables
K. Graduate Level Courses Offered

Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology

DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY

Degree Requirements for Masterís and Doctoral Degrees

DESCRIPTION OF THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN BIOCHEMICAL SCIENCES

MASTER OF SCIENCE PLAN I
MASTER OF SCIENCE PLAN II
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

A. Thesis or Dissertation Committee
1. Major Professor
	During the first year, each student is required to select, by mutual agreement, a major professor who, with the thesis (M.S.), or dissertation (Ph.D.) committee, will supervise the student's graduate studies and serve as chair of the student's thesis or dissertation committee. If a student wishes to work jointly with more than one professor, an understanding as to which is primarily responsible for supervision of the student's graduate studies should be reached. The major professor does not need to be a member of the Cellular and Molecular Biology (CM) Division.
2. Thesis or dissertation committee
	In consultation with the major professor the student shall select, by mutual agreement, faculty members to serve on the thesis or dissertation committee. The membership of this committee is subject to approval by the chairman of the department and dean of the college. The major functions of this committee are to guide and monitor the student's progress and to insure quality by administering the qualifying and final examinations. In the event that a member of the committee leaves the University or is not available for an examination or thesis/dissertation defense, the committee and student can recommend a suitable substitute. The appointment to committees of faculty members from other institutions is encouraged. The composition of the committees shall be as follows: A master's thesis committee shall consist of at least three members. These shall include the major professor, and one member who shall be from outside of the CM Division. At least half of the committee members must have their primary appointment in the CM Division. A doctoral dissertation committee shall consist of at least four members. These shall include the major professor and at least one member who shall be from outside of the CM Division At least half of the committee members must have their primary appointment in the CM Division.
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B. Course Requirements
1. M.S. Students.
	All M.S. students are required to successfully complete the following courses at the first opportunity, generally in the first semester for students entering in the fall and in the second semester for students entering in the spring. BIOL6371: Molecular Genetics BIOL6307: Advanced Cell Biology In addition all M.S. students are required to successfully complete at least one seminar course per year (either fall or spring semester). The departmental seminar (BIOL 6110) does not apply to this requirement. M.S. Plan I students must successfully complete at least one other graduate level course and Plan II students three other graduate level courses, to be decided in conjunction with the student's thesis committee. M.S. Plan I and Plan II students may petition the Division graduate committee (DGC) for modification of required courses, but a minimum of 8 and 14 hours of formal (letter-graded) graduate lecture courses are required for the M.S. Plan I and Plan II degrees, respectively. The minimum semester hour requirement for graduation is 30 and 36 hours for the M.S. Plan I and M.S. Plan II degrees, respectively.
2. Ph.D. Students
	All Ph.D. students are required to successfully complete the following courses at the first opportunity, generally in the first semester for students entering in the fall and in the second semester for students entering in the spring. BIOL6371: Molecular Genetics BIOL6307: Advanced Cell Biology In addition, all Ph.D. students are required to successfully complete at least one formal Seminar course per year (either fall or spring semester). The departmental seminar (BIOL 6110) does not apply to this requirement. Ph.D. students must successfully complete least three other formal graduate level lecture courses (2-3 credit hours each) to be decided in conjunction with the student's dissertation committee. Ph.D. students may petition the DGC for modification of required courses.
3. Scholastic Requirement
	Graduate students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in all course work to be considered in good standing. Students not in good standing cannot receive a graduate degree and can be declared ineligible for support as a Graduate Assistant (IA, TA or RA). Graduate students who receive grades of C+ or lower in 12 or more semester hours of course work attempted for graduate credit are ineligible for any advanced degree at this institution. Semester hours of "U" grades in S/U-graded courses apply toward the above 12 hour total.
4.Courses taken outside the Department
	1. Courses that do not promote the student’s academic development in Biology & Biochemistry, or do not contribute directly to the current research program of the student, will not be allowed 2. Students who wish to take courses outside the Department need the approval of their thesis or dissertation committee. 3. Students may not pursue another degree program concurrently with a M.S. or Ph.D. in Biology and Biochemistry 4. Students taking approved courses at other institutions need to notify the Graduate coordinator prior to the start of the semester in order for the appropriate paperwork to be processed in time by the Registrar’s office and the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.
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C. Graduate Student Rotations

The CMB faculty requires that all graduate students enrolled in Ph.D. and M.S. Plan 1 degree programs complete at least two rotations in research labs during the first year, and prior to selection of the Major Professor. Laboratory rotations are an indispensable feature of a successful graduate education in biological research. Spending time in different research labs provides students with a first-hand exposure to new and diverse areas of scientific inquiry. Students are encouraged to take this opportunity to learn new experimental approaches and techniques. The ability to think broadly and approach a question from different directions is a defining characteristic of a successful modern biologist, and lab rotations help to develop this skill. In addition, lab rotations are opportunities for acquiring personal contacts, and learning about your prospective Major Professor and his/her laboratory.

As a graduate student, you will be part of a larger community of researchers within our Department. By developing contacts within this community you will identify faculty members who may serve on your graduate committee and meet other graduate students who can provide scientific insight and technical expertise.
Rotations also aid in the selection of the Major Professor, who will serve as mentor and principal research advisor; this choice is one of the most important career decisions for a professional scientist. In choosing a Major Professor, the student is selecting not only a most influential scientific personality, but also the general topic of research, the model organism of study, a specific battery of research techniques, a portfolio of professional contacts, and a cadre of co-workers with whom the student will spend many hundreds of hours over several years.

For these and other reasons, the faculty of CMB requires a minimum of two rotations for their graduate students. Rotation periods are flexible, but must last at least six weeks. At the end of each rotation, students will submit a short report to their rotation advisor, which will include the initial goals, the procedures used and techniques learned, and the results achieved. A written evaluation of each rotation will be completed by the rotation advisor and submitted to the DGC.
Rotation reports and evaluations must be submitted to the DGC before the next rotation can begin.

Any exceptions to the rotation policy must be approved by the DGC.
Exemption from a second rotation may be granted by petition to the Associate Chair for Graduate Affairs, and will require justification and approval by the student’s advisor. If a student has applied to our Graduate Program with the explicit goal of working with a specific advisor and does not wish to carry out a second rotation, he or she may request an exception, outlining the rationale for declining the second rotation. This request must be accompanied by a letter from the prospective Major Professor explaining why the decision not to participate in a second research rotation is in the best interest of the student. M.S. Plan II students are not required to complete rotations.

D. First Year Evaluation
	At the end of the second semester in residence (not counting summers) all students will undergo a first Year evaluation administered by the DGC. A positive evaluation must be received for the student to remain in good standing. The evaluation will consider the student's progress and take into account the following: Courses taken and grades. Seminar class performance. Attendance at departmental seminars. Reports from rotation advisors. Student's acceptance into a research lab. Other information as required by the DGC.
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E. Committee Meetings
	All students must form and meet with their thesis/dissertation committee no later than the third semester following admission (not counting summer sessions). For Ph. D. students, the first meeting will focus on the qualifying exam topic. For M.S. students, the first committee meeting will focus on their research plan. After passing their qualifying exam, Ph. D. students must meet with their committee during their fifth semester (not counting summer sessions) to discuss their research plan. In addition, all students must convene a meeting of their committee, at which a majority of the members are present, at least once per calendar year to discuss their progress until graduation.
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F. Ph.D. Qualifying Examination
The qualifying examination will be administered by the student's dissertation committee. The Ph.D. qualifying examination will consist of a written research proposal followed by an oral examination. For students entering in the fall semester, the examination will take place in the spring semester of the student’s second year (fourth semester not counting summer sessions). For students entering in the spring semester, the examination will take place in the spring semester following the student’s second year (fifth semester not counting summers). All proposals will be due to the student's dissertation committee on February 1, and oral examinations must be completed by April 1st. During the oral examinations, students will be asked to defend their proposal as well as demonstrate a broad-based understanding of their field. If a student does not pass the examination he or she may, at the discretion of the dissertation committee, be allowed to take the examination a second time. All second attempts must be completed by the end of the spring semester in order to avoid penalties (see below). Advancement to candidacy for a doctoral degree will not occur until a student has written a research proposal and successfully defended it before his/her dissertation committee. Details of the proposal format, expectations, and requirements are as follows.
1. Purpose of Research Proposal
	The proposed research should either 1) test a novel hypothesis (or series of related hypotheses) that is consistent with published data, or 2) constitute a novel experimental test of an existing hypothesis. The topic should be distinct from the student's dissertation research project and from research that is ongoing or has been proposed in UH laboratories. The research should be significant, but it needn't be revolutionary. It is preferable to identify and completely fill a small but significant gap in knowledge, rather than to propose a hypothesis that has no basis in current knowledge or is untestable. Studies that are purely descriptive in nature are not acceptable for this proposal. The proposed experiments should be feasible with existing technology and capable of being accomplished within a three year period.
2. Proposal Subject
	As appropriate to their research objectives and as required by University policy, students must attend and pass courses offered by Environmental Safety to assure familiarity with handling of radioactive materials and chemical disposal. Research involving human subjects must be submitted to and approved by the Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects. Likewise, use of animals and recombinant DNA must be approved by appropriate University of Houston committees.
3. Proposal Format
	The format of the proposal should be essentially that of an NIH fellowship proposal. The proposal may not exceed 10 single spaced pages, with a font no smaller than 10 pt and margins no smaller than 2 cm. The proposal should include the following sections: The Abstract (no more than 1/2 page) should briefly outline the hypothesis to be tested, the overall experimental strategy, and the significance of the proposed research. The Specific Aims (less than 1 page) section should state the hypothesis or hypotheses to be tested and briefly describe the experimental strategies to be used. The Background and Significance (1-3 pages) section should provide sufficient background that every member of the dissertation committee can understand the significance of the proposed research, but it should not include an exhaustive review of the literature. It should state concisely how the research contributes to understanding of the specific issues under investigation, and how this relates to larger issues in the field. If alternative approaches to the problem exist, the choice of approach should be justified. Describe how the proposed research improves upon previously published research. The Research Design and Methods (5-7 pages) section should describe the proposed experiments and how the results will be interpreted. The following issues (at least) should be addressed in this section: control experiments that exclude trivial explanations of the results; numbers of observations required and the statistical methods to be used; relevant characteristics of specialized methods and reagents; interpretations of the predicted outcomes; plausible alternative outcomes and their implications; potential technical difficulties and alternative strategies; other issues that may be relevant to specific projects. Minor experimental details (e.g., buffer concentrations) are not required. The Literature Cited (1-2 pages) section should include at least the name of the first author, title, book or journal, volume and page numbers, and year of publication of all literature cited in the proposal. The references should be organized alphabetically by author and/or by number. All publications listed should be cited in the text, either by author and year (Harvard style) or by number.
4.Committee Approval of the Proposal Topic
	The topic of the research proposal must be approved by the student’s dissertation committee. It is recommended that the title and preliminary abstract or outline should be submitted to the members of the committee in advance of the first meeting. The student will formally meet with their committee to discuss the proposal topic no later than No-vember 1 of the semester before the proposal is to be de-fended. The proposal topic must be approved by the com-mittee no later than December 1 of the semester before the proposal is to be defended. The specific content of the proposal should be discussed with faculty only during this meeting and during the defense. After approval of the topic, faculty guidance will be limited to advice on the structure and style of research proposals in general, without specific comments on the contents of the student’s proposal.
5.Submission and Defense of the Proposal
	The written proposal, in final format, will be submitted to all members of the dissertation committee no later than February 1st of the semester the proposal is to be defended. The committee will be polled by the committee chairman within two weeks to determine whether the written proposal has sufficient merit to warrant a defense. If the committee agrees, a defense will be scheduled. If more than one member of the committee decides that the written proposal is not sufficient for the defense, the student will be advised of the reasons why the proposal was rejected, and will be given one opportunity to revise and resubmit the proposal. The revised proposal must be submitted by March 1st, and this proposal will be defended.
6. Proposal Defense and Oral Examination
	The research proposal will be defended at a meeting of all dissertation committee members, normally no later than April 1st. The student will give a short (20-30 minutes) oral presentation of the proposal. The committee will examine the student by oral questioning. The examination will cover specifics of the proposal, information in the student's general area of study, general knowledge of molecular and cellular biology, problem-solving abilities, and other areas as determined by the dissertation committee.
7. Penalties for late qualifying examination
	A student who fails to complete the written and oral parts of the qualifying exam within the Spring of the 2nd year will receive a grade of “U” (unsatisfactory) in 2 credit hours of research. Any further delay will result in additional “U” grades” in: 6 research credit hours if the requirement is not completed by the end of the summer of the 2nd year, and 4 additional credit hours if the requirement is not completed by the end of the fall of the 3rd year. By that time, a student who has not yet taken his/her qualifier exam will have accumulated 12 hours of unsatisfactory grades, and will be automatically dismissed from the University. Students who did not pass the qualifying exam in the Spring of the 2nd year and were given the recommendation to retake the exam but were unable to re-schedule within the Spring semester will receive a grade of “I” (incomplete) for 2 credit hours of research in the Spring. The grade will be changed to an “S” or “U” depending on whether the student re-takes or does not re-take the exam in the following Summer. Every effort should be made for the student to retake the exam within the Spring semester. Note that the “S” or “U” grades reflect only whether the student has taken or not the exam in the given semester. Failure to pass the qualifying exam will not result in an “F” in these research hours.
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G. Thesis or Dissertation Research
1. General considerations.
	Each student whose objective is the M.S. Plan I or Ph.D. degree is expected to commence graduate research as soon as possible. It should be recognized that research is an integral component of the degree requirements and that failure to maintain an adequate program of research consti-tutes unsatisfactory progress toward a degree.
2. Safety.
	Each student must read a book on laboratory safety (copies are available in the department office) and state in the program of studies that this has been done. As appropriate to their research objectives, students must attend and pass courses offered by the University's Environmental and Physical Safety Department to assure familiarity with handling of radioactive materials and disposal of chemicals. Research involving human subjects must be submitted to and approved by the Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects. Likewise, use of animals and recombinant DNA must be approved by appropriate University of Houston committees.
3. Nature of Thesis or Dissertation.
	The doctoral dissertation must provide clear documentation that the candidate possesses the ability to systematically plan and carry out research on a significant research problem which constitutes an original contribution to the field of Cellular and Molecular Biology. Satisfactory completion of the dissertation shall include a demonstration that the candidate is able to organize data and express research findings in writing in an acceptable manner. It is an expectation that the data gathered for a doctoral dissertation will result in at least one publication in a refereed journal or other refereed medium of publication with the candidate as senior author. The laboratory research thesis submitted by an M.S. Plan I candidate must give evidence of the ability to conduct an independent and original investigation on a defined research problem. The non-laboratory thesis submitted by the M.S. Plan II candidate must provide evidence of the ability to research and critically evaluate a problem of interest to the cellular and molecular biology community. All students will be expected to be knowledgeable of contemporary methods and concepts in cellular and molecular biology.
4. Preparation of Thesis or Dissertation
	a. Format: Guidelines regarding style, number of copies, binding, etc. are available from the College of Natural Science and Mathematics office. These standards shall serve as those of the Department. b. Submission: The student is responsible for ensuring that each member of the committee has an opportu-nity to examine the thesis or dissertation, after ap-proval for distribution by the major professor. The de-fense will generally not be held any sooner than two weeks after the distribution of a thesis or dissertation to committee members. c. Costs: The student is responsible for the fees and cost of preparing the thesis or dissertation.
5.Submission and Defense of the Proposal
	Each student must submit and defend the thesis/ disser-tation when it is in final form. Part of the defense will include the presentation of a seminar open to the public. Following this seminar, a formal defense/examination will take place, which is open to any faculty member of the University com-munity. Despite the open nature of the defense, the thesis or dissertation committee has sole responsibility in deciding whether or not the examination is passed. In order for a student to pass the examination, an affirmative vote one negative vote by other committee members must be recorded.
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H. Special Considerations
1. Change in Degree Plan
	A student who wishes to change from a M.S. plan I to a Ph.D. degree objective before the completion of the M.S. degree shall submit a formal petition to the DGC. If approved, the DGC will specify parameters of the approval and the petitioner will be subject to all the requirements relevant to the Ph.D. degree plan. A student who wishes to change from Ph.D. to a M.S. plan I or II degree objective must submit a formal petition to the DGC. In some cases, this petition may originate from the student's dissertation committee. After consultation with all parties involved, the DGC will approve or deny the petition. A student who wishes to change from an M.S. plan II to a Ph.D. degree must reapply to the graduate program.
2. Off Site Research
	A student employed full-time in a research capacity in the immediate Houston area can petition the DGC that their graduate research be carried out jointly under the supervision of the candidate's employer (or immediate supervisor) and a member of the faculty of the Division. The employer or supervisor is expected to have an academic or professional standing equivalent to a faculty position. The petition requires approval of the employer, the Division and the College. The intent of a thesis or dissertation is not changed—the need to demonstrate an ability to carry out individual research still exists. This may require a modification of the student's responsibilities to his/her employer, and professional ethics dictate that the student and the student's committee make certain that the employer understands and accepts this adjustment before petitioning.
3. Reinstatement of a student in Good Standing
	A former student who has left the graduate program in good standing, prior to the completion of all degree requirements may resume studies with approval of the DGC, the Department, and the College (see paragraph I below).
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I. College and University Requirements
	All students in the Division of Cellular and Molecular Biology must abide by any additional regulations and requirements set forth by the College of Natural Science and Mathematics and the University of Houston. There are, for example, limitations on the number of years that a student may be supported as a Graduate Assistant. There are also time limitations regarding the Graduate Assistant Tuition Fellowship. Students should check the Graduate and Professional Studies catalog for these regulations.
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J. Recommended Time Tables
Listed below are recommended timetables for the comple-tion of a Ph.D. degree depending upon the semester enter-ing the program. M.S. Plan I students should follow these timetables for the first two semesters, and form a thesis committee no later than their third semester (not counting summers).
1. Ph.D. students entering in the Fall
	First Semester (Fall) Courses: BIOL6371: Molecular Genetics BIOL6307: Advanced Cell Biology Begin Rotations	Second Semester (Spring) Courses: Graduate electives Cell Biology Seminar Continue rotations Choose research lab/advisor First year evaluations
	Third Semester (Fall) Courses: Graduate electives Seminar course elective Meeting with dissertation committee about qualifying exam proposal by November 15. Approval of qualifying examp proposal by December 15. Laboratory research	Fourth Semester (Spring) Courses: Electives/seminars Qualifying examination February 15: Proposal due to committee March: Oral Examination Laboratory research
	Fifth Semester and Beyond Courses: Electives/seminars Laboratory research Annual meeting with committee
2. Ph. D. students entering in the Spring
	First Semester (Spring) Courses: Graduate electives Cell Biology Seminar Course Begin rotations	Second Semester (Fall) Courses: BIOL6371 Molecular Genetics BIOL6307 Advanced Cell Biology Continue Rotations Choose research lab/advisor First year evaluations
	Third Semester (Spring) Courses: Graduate electives Seminar course elective Meeting with Dissertation committee Laboratory research	Fourth Semester (Fall) Courses: Electives/seminars Meeting with dissertation committee about qualifying exam proposal by November 15 Laboratory research
	Fifth Semester (Spring) Courses: Electives/seminars Qualifying examination: February 15: Proposal due to committee March: Oral Examination Laboratory research	Sixth Semester and Beyond Courses: Electives/seminars Laboratory research Annual meeting with committee
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Graduate Level Courses Offered
BIOL 6110: Biology Seminar. Current research topics in modern biology presented by top scientists from around the state and country.

BCHS 6201: Methods in Molecular Biology. Current methods and techniques in molecular biology. Bacterial host strains, expression systems, mutagenesis, DNA library construction and screening, DNA mapping and sequencing and polymerase chain reaction methods.

BCHS 6203: Enzyme Mechanisms. Principles and methods for the evaluation of enzyme reaction mechanisms, emphasizing established and newly developed biochemical, biophysical and molecular biological approaches.

BCHS 6204: Elements of Protein Structure. Taxonomy of protein structure with illustration of the common families of protein structure as well as simple protein structural motifs. Examples taken from the crystallographic and NMR literature.

BIOL 6204: Evolution. Advanced topics in the study of Evolution. Course content ranges from Molecular and Developmental aspects to population and ecological aspects.

BCHS 6205: Cell Signaling. Biochemistry of cellular responses to environmental signals at the molecular level.

BCHS 6206: Molecular Modeling of Biological Macromolecules. Advanced computer-based molecular modeling methods, with emphasis on their practical aspects and limitations. Individual research projects using UNIX-based Silicon Graphics computers.

BCHS 6208: Biochemistry of Organelles. Organization of mitochondrial and chloroplast membranes. Biochemical and biophysical aspects of electron transfer in photosynthetic organelles. Molecular organization of genes and proteins involved in biochemical energy transduction.

BCHS 6209: Protein Biosynthesis. Aspects of protein synthesis including ribosome structure , ribosomal RNA structure and function, translation inhibitors, identification of tRNAs, and involvement of tRNA in coding/decoding.

BCHS 6210: Mobile DNA and Genome Fluidity. Mechanisms of transposition and recombination by DNA elements.

BIOL 6211: Human Genetics. Analysis of the molecular basis of human genetic disease, and strategies for the ethical, social and medical treatment of genetic defects.

BIOL 6213: Biological Clocks.. Molecular, cellular, and physiological aspects of biological timing mechanisms.

BIOL 6216: Biological Membranes. Structure, metabolism, and biochemical interactions of membrane components. Molecular mechanisms of membrane phenomena.

BCHS 6217: Molecular Mechanisms of Infectious Disease. Molecular and cellular aspects of host-pathogen interactions and immune response; structure and function of virulence factors. Principles of antibiotic and vaccine design.

BCHS 6218: Molecular Mechanisms of Host-Pathogen Interactions. Molecular basis of interactions between microbial pathogens and the host immune system. Pathogen molecular mimicry, host response modulation, and design and construction of vaccines. Contemporary approaches for experimental investigation of host-pathogen interactions.

BIOL 6297:6397: Selected Topics in Biology. Topics vary, may be taken for a maximum of six semester hours.

BIOL 6307: Advanced Cell Biology. Topics and techniques in cell biology with emphasis on vesicular transport, cell motility, and other cellular processes.

BIOL 6371: Molecular Genetics. The molecular biology and genetics of bacteriophages, prokaryotes, and eukaryotes.

BIOL 6424: Techniques of Animal Experimentation in Health and Disease. Ethics and techniques in the use of the common laboratory species in teaching and research.

BIOL 7124: Cell Biology Seminar. Presentations from the literature and discussion of current topics in cell biology. May be repeated for credit.

BIOL 7323: Microbiology Seminar. Discussion and literature review of contemporary topics in cell biology. May be repeated for a maximum of nine semester hours.

BIOL 7341: Genetics Seminar. Discussion and literature review of contemporary topics in genetics. May be repeated for credit.

BIOL 7374: Seminar in Developmental Biology. Discussion and literature review of contemporary topics in Developmental biology. May be repeated for credit.

BIOL 6199, 6299, 6399, 7399, 7699: Master’s Thesis.

BIOL 8198, 8298, 8398, 8498, 8598: Doctoral Research.

BIOL 8199, 8299, 8399, 8699, 8999: Doctoral Dissertation.

Senior-Level (Undergraduate) Courses Offered

BCHS 4302: Physical Biochemistry I. Theoretical aspects and applications of physics and physical chemistry for the study of biological macromolecules. Equilibrium and Non-equilibrium methods.

BCHS 4303: Physical Biochemistry II. Theoretical aspects and applications of physics and physical chemistry. Non-equilibrium and spectroscopic methods.

BCHS 4306: Nucleic Acids. Structure, metabolism, and functions of nucleotides and nucleic acids.

BCHS 4307: Proteins. Structure and function of proteins.

BCHS 4312: Molecular Modelling of Biological Macromolecules. Computer-based molecular modeling methods, with emphasis on their practical aspects and limitations. Individual research projects using UNIX-based Silicon Graphics computers.

BCHS 4314: Biochemistry of Lipids and Carbohydrates. Structure, metabolism, and function of carbohydrates, glycoconjugates and simple and complex lipids.

BIOL 4315: Neuroscience. Molecular, cellular, and behavioral principles of nervous system function, including aspects of development, learning and memory, and evolution.

BIOL 4320: Molecular Biology. Molecular processes involved in biological systems and methods for their study, including recombinant DNA techniques and other modern research applications.

BIOL 4323: Immunology. Structural and functional aspects of