Faculty of Arts & Science
Biochemistry

Dr. Kathryn Preuss - 2012 Alumna of the Year

See the Department news page for more details.

6th Annual Chinook Symposium for Chemistry & Biochemistry

See the Department news page for more details.

What is Biochemistry?

Biochemistry is the study of all living systems at the molecular level. It looks at the chemical and physical basis of life and how these microcosms interact with
their environments.

It is a demanding field that combines expertise in Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics. Versatility and intense curiosity are the hallmarks of successful Biochemists, as they draw on knowledge from a variety of fields to investigate the molecules that facilitate life.

From the structure, function and dynamics of molecular machines, to the complex regulation of metabolic pathways and biological processes, Biochemists study the extraordinary molecules that are produced and utilized by living systems. As a consequence, many of the most spectacular advances in the sciences are often driven by discoveries in Biochemistry.

The Biochemistry program will help you develop a strong background in the basic sciences and extensive laboratory skills, while emphasizing the chemical and physical basis of life. As a Biochemistry student, you will gain hands-on experience with the latest tools and technology used in Chemistry, Physics and Biological Sciences, such as molecular biology, protein crystallography and advanced biophysics. You will also develop skills in molecular techniques like DNA sequencing, gene cloning and enzymology.

Additionally, you will have access to state-of-the-art science and research facilities. These facilities support the research interests of our award-winning Faculty - your instructors - as they investigate diverse areas such as cancer research, toxicology, crystallography, bioinformatics and molecular modelling, as well as applied research in medicine, disease research and food development.

Program Planning Session for Chem & Bchm majors

Registration for Summer and Fall 2012 will be starting March 20, 2012. To help Chem & Bchm majors make informed choices about what classes to take, the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry is having an information session,

”How to make the most out of your Program”.

Faculty members will go over the Program Planning Guides (PPG), identifying which courses must be taken in sequence and what courses are more flexible. This will help you to avoid delays due to lacking pre-requisites, so you can complete your degree in four years.

Individual program planning advice will be available for students after the presentation, so bring your completed PPG, tentative timetable for Fall 2012 and they can point out potential scheduling problems.

Faculty members will explain different opportunities to gain lab and research experience while you are a student and careers where you can use your degree.

March 13, 2012
4:30pm
B660

Chemistry & Biochemistry 4000 Courses

These are tentative course outlines and are subject to change.

Advanced Chemistry or Biochemistry courses can be taken more than once provided the content, as identified by the title, is different in any two offerings. Chemistry or Biochemistry 4000 courses are usually offered each semester and offerings will normally not be repeated within a two-year cycle (e.g. Practical Spectroscopy and Advanced Molecular Modeling were offered in Spring 2008 and will not be offered again until at least 2010).

Click on the text for a PDF of the course outline or contact the professor for more information about the course. Some courses are scheduled to be taught in the next calendar year. This is indicated by the semester and year in brackets after the professor's name.

Spring 2013

Biochemistry 4000 - Drs. Kothe and Wieden (Spring 2013)
Chemistry 4000 - Dr. Hazendonk (Spring 2013)
Chemistry 4000 - Dr. Przybylski (Spring 2013)
Chemistry 4000 - Dr. Wetmore (Spring 2013)

Fall 2012 classes

Contemporary Methods in Biochemistry - Drs. Kothe and Wieden (Fall 2012)
Medicinal Chemistry - Dr. Susan Lait (Fall 2012)

Spring 2012 classes

Biochemistry of Food Flavour Formation - Dr. Roman Przybylski (Spring 2012)
Chemical Applications of Group Theory – Dr. Michael Gerken (Spring 2012)
Crystallography - Dr. René Boeré (Spring 2012)
Molecular Modeling – Dr. Stacey Wetmore (Spring 2012)

BIOCHEMISTRY
Biochemistry of Antibiotic Activity
Contemporary Methods in Biochemistry - Drs. Kothe, Mosimann, Wieden
Enzyme Structure and Mechanism – Dr. Ute Kothe
Nanomachines in Biochemistry - Dr. Ute Kothe
RNA Biochemistry Structural Biology and Bioinformatics

CHEMISTRY
Advanced Computational Chemistry – Dr. Stacey Wetmore
Advanced Contemporary Chemistry - Dr. Peter Dibble
Advanced Kinetics and Reaction Dynamics – Dr. Marc Roussel
Advanced Organic Chemistry – Dr. Peter Dibble
Biochemistry and Chemistry of Food Flavor Formation - Dr. R. Przybylski (Spring 2013)
Chemical Applications of Group Theory – Dr. Michael Gerken
Crystallography - Dr. René Boeré
Fluorine Chemistry - Dr. Michael Gerken
Industrial Food Chemistry - Dr. Roman Przybylski
Introduction to Molecular Modeling – Dr. Stacey Wetmore
Lanthanide and Actinide Chemistry – Dr. Paul Hayes
Modeling Biochemical Reaction Networks - Dr. Marc Roussel
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy – Dr. Paul Hazendonk
Principles of Electrochemistry and EPR Spectroscopy - Dr. René Boeré
Organometallic Chemistry – Dr. Paul Hayes
Statistical Mechanics – Dr. Marc Roussel