Biochemistry Concentration
Director: Associate Professor David G. Alberg
The biochemistry program at Carleton rests on the close cooperation between the departments of Biology and Chemistry. Emerging as a recognized discipline early in the last century, biochemistry has grown into a vast subject that spans several established disciplines. It serves as the link between the fields of chemistry and biology, and even as it flourishes at the interface of these subjects, it holds a strong position within the two traditional disciplines. Fundamentally, biochemistry seeks to establish an understanding of biological phenomena at a molecular level.
Requirements for the Concentration:
The biochemistry concentration requirements reflect the fundamental importance of the intellectual tools and structures of biology and chemistry to the study of all issues in biochemistry, and we ask students to get a grounding in both disciplines. It is likely that many students enrolling in the concentration will major in either biology or chemistry. To encourage breadth within the concentration, no more than five six-credit courses from a student's own major may be counted toward the minimum requirements of the concentration.
Both the biology and chemistry departments maintain vigorous weekly seminar programs, regularly bringing to the college distinguished scientists, including many biochemists. Each concentrator should make it a priority to attend relevant seminars whenever possible. At the beginning of each term, concentrators will be notified of the pertinent biology and chemistry seminars held that term.
Finally, both the chemistry and biology departments regularly offer integrative exercise experiences in biochemistry as an option for their majors. Concentrators who are biology or chemistry majors have the option of furthering their pursuit of biochemistry through a biochemical topic as the basis for their senior integrative exercise.
Course Requirements:
BIOL 125 Genes, Evolution, and Development
BIOL 126 Energy Flow in Biological Systems
BIOL 380 Biochemistry
BIOL 381 Biochemistry Laboratory
CHEM 123 or 128 Principles of Chemistry or Principles of Environmental Chemistry, respectively
CHEM 230 Equilibrium and Analysis
CHEM 233 Organic Chemistry I
CHEM 234 Organic Chemistry II
CHEM 320 Biological Chemistry
Upper Level Course Electives (one course and one 2-credit laboratory are required):
BIOL 310 Immunology
BIOL 311 Immunology Laboratory
BIOL 382 Molecular Biology
BIOL 383 Molecular Biology Laboratory
BIOL 384 Oncogenes and the Molecular Biology of Cancer
CHEM 305 Advanced Laboratory II: Chemical Kinetics
CHEM 321 Biological Chemistry Laboratory
CHEM 343 Chemical Thermodynamics
CHEM 350 Chemical and Biosynthesis
Other relevant courses:
The college offers a number of related courses that would enhance the background of a biochemistry concentrator. The following courses are not part of the concentration, but do support the program. In particular, we strongly encourage interested students to enroll in BIOL 240, Genetics.
BIOL 234 Microbiology (not offered 2004-2005)
BIOL 240 Genetics
BIOL 280 Cell Biology
PSYC 318 Psychopharmacology