Course Description
CMB 705 Molecular Structure and Cellular Function (4 credit hours) is a fundamental study in biochemistry that covers the chemistry, biosynthesis, and utilization of amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids. Other basic biochemical topics will be protein structure, membrane structure and function, cell organization and function, and cellular tissue structure and function. Students will also develop problem-solving and analytical skills that are more generally applicable to the life sciences.
Course Information
Learning Outcomes
- Draw biochemical structures including amino acids, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids.
- Describe the synthesis of proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates.
- Describe the regulation of proteins and nucleic acids at the epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-translational levels.
- Compare and contrast the structure of cell components and their function.
- Describe the organization and function of cellular tissues.
- State the focus of work for biochemists.
- Read and critically evaluate the scientific literature.
- Interpret and communicate experimental data.
- Develop logical steps in a series of experiments.
- Explain the relevance and significance of results in selected scientific literature.
- Communicate research results effectively through written and oral presentations during the course.
- State an ethical issue in the biomedical/molecular life sciences and create a solution for the issue.
Course Topics
| Topic |
Dates* |
Instructor |
| Topic 1.0. Introduction to Canvas |
Dates Week 1 |
Instructor Hennington |
| Topic 1.1. Chemical Bonding and Binding |
Dates Week 1 |
Instructor Hennington |
| Topic 1.2. Proteins – Amino Acids Problem Set I |
Dates Week 2 |
Instructor Hennington |
| Topic 1.3. Proteins – Structure and Folding |
Dates Week 3 |
Instructor Hennington |
| Topic 1.4. Enzymes |
Dates Week 4 |
Instructor Hennington |
| Topic 1.5. Protein Function – Hemoglobin and Myoglobin |
Dates Week 5 |
Instructor Hennington |
| Topic 1.6. Lipids and Membranes Problem Set II |
Dates Week 6 |
Instructor Hennington |
| Topic 1.7. Carbohydrates – Structure |
Dates Week 7 |
Instructor Hennington |
| Topic 1.8. Carbohydrates – Dysfunction Problem Set III |
Dates Week 8 |
Instructor Hennington |
| Topic 1.9. Nucleic Acid – Structure, Transcription, Translation |
Dates Week 9 |
Instructor Hennington |
| Topic 1.10. Nucleic Acid – Function/Dysfunction Project I |
Dates Week 10 |
Instructor Hennington |
| Topic 1.11. Cellular Tissues – Structure and Function |
Dates Week 11 |
Instructor Hennington |
| Topic 1.12. Cellular Organization Problem Set IV |
Dates Week 12 |
Instructor Hennington |
| Topic 1.13. Cellular Growth and Differentiation |
Dates Week 13 |
Instructor Hennington |
| Topic 1.14. Cellular Dysfunction Project II |
Dates Week 14 |
Instructor Hennington |
*Note: The Course Topics listed above are for a regular fall or spring semester. The summer semester will be shortened to 10 weeks and several topics will be combined.
Grading
Quizzes: 10%
Problem Sets (4): 35% (Rubrics will be used to grade each problem set)
Projects (2): 30% (Rubrics will be used to grade each project)
Exams (2): 20%
Attendance: 5%
Students must maintain a 3.0/4.0 average in the Certificate Program.
