Biochemistry
Biochemistry as a discipline serves a pivotal role in advancing research in the Life Sciences. Through a combination of coursework, seminars, and original research, you will complete a Graduate degree and acquire the skills needed to become an independent research scientist. Our major research training areas emphasize:
- Structural and Analytical Biochemistry
- Molecular and Systems Biology
- Metabolism and Disease
Degrees earned will be distributed as: "Master of Biochemistry", "Master of Science", and "Doctor of Philosophy" without focus area specifications.
Brief Overview of Programs聽
- The accelerated Bachelor鈥檚 / Master鈥檚 Degree (ABM) is a 5-year dual degree program intended for undergraduate majors who wish to continue beyond the BS degree and receive additional training at the graduate level. Interested students who meet the minimum 福利逼站 GPA requirement are typically accepted into the program at the end of their junior year of undergraduate study. The Master鈥檚 degree obtained after 5 years may be a Master鈥檚 of Biochemistry (non-thesis) or a Master鈥檚 of Science (thesis research) depending upon the selection made by the student.聽
- The Master鈥檚 of Biochemistry is a non-thesis alternative to the Master鈥檚 of Science degree in Biochemistry for students wishing to emphasize course work rather than thesis research. The Master鈥檚 of Biochemistry is a terminal graduate degree and is not appropriate for students intending to pursue a Ph.D. program.聽
- The Master鈥檚 of Science is a research degree that prepares students in Biochemistry for Ph.D. studies or provides training for technical employment.
- The objective of the Ph.D. program is to prepare students for careers as researchers primarily in academic, industrial, or government research environments.
More Information
Admission Requirements
Students entering the graduate program in biochemistry should have a bachelor's degree in biochemistry, chemistry or a related physical or biological science, including undergraduate courses in organic chemistry, calculus, physics and physical chemistry, as well as biochemistry/molecular biology.聽Applicants with a strong record of undergraduate research activity or with practical experience in a professional scientific setting are particularly encouraged to apply. 聽Reporting of GRE scores is strongly encouraged.
ABM Specific Admission Requirements
- A minimum of seventy-five credit hours in their undergraduate programs, including credits earned from advanced placement, but prior to the completion of their bachelor鈥檚.
- A minimum overall undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.500 at NC State at the time of admission into the ABM program.
- This GPA must be maintained throughout their undergraduate program to remain in the ABM program.
- Receive a grade of B or better in the double counted graduate-level courses (500 or 700 level) while maintaining a 3.50 GPA.
- Courses with a grade of B- or below cannot be double counted between the two degrees.
- Maintain a 3.50 or better Biochemistry Major GPA.
- Be positioned to complete the BS Biochemistry degree requirements by the end of their fourth year, and formally apply for admission to the Graduate School.
- One letter of recommendation from the proposed faculty mentor, indicating the qualifications of the student and willingness to serve as the Master鈥檚 advisor.
Applicant Information
- Delivery Method: On-Campus
- Entrance Exam:聽GRE (optional)
- Interview Required: Yes
Application Deadlines
- Fall: December 1
Faculty
- Joe Barycki
- Dennis Brown
- Colleen Jennifer Doherty
- Nathan M. Ennist
- Abdulkerim Eroglu
- Michael B. Goshe
- Raquel Hernandez
- Linda Kay Hanley-Bowdoin
- Arion Kennedy
- Xiaojing Liu
- Thomas Makris
- Flora Meilleur
- Eric S. Miller
- William Laubach Miller
- David G. Presutti
- Robert B. Rose
- Ruben Rellan Alvarez
- Ryan Charles Sartor
- Melanie Simpson
- Joshua J. Strable
- Jose Trinidad Ascencio-Ibanez
- Ning Sui
- Paul Douglas Swartz
- Peter Thompson
- Guozhou Xu
Adjunct Faculty
- Jason Locasale
- Michael Luther
- Michael Milburn
- James Otvos
Emeritus Faculty
- Cynthia L. Hemenway
- Horace R. Horton
- Joseph Stephan Kahn
- James Knopp
- James W. Moyer
- Ron Ross Sederoff
- Harold E. Swaisgood
- Elizabeth C. Theil
- Paul L. Wollenzien
Courses
An advanced laboratory to give students practical experiences in purification and quantitative characterization of enzymes and nucleic acids. Studies with carbohydrates and membrane lipids. Credit may be applied toward biotechnology minor.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Structure and function of nucleic acids and proteins. Synthesis of DNA, RNA, and proteins. Gene expression and Regulation. Methodologies of recombinant DNA research. Credit is not allowed for both 叠颁贬听453 and 叠颁贬听553.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Principles of protein structure and function, protein folding, enzymology, ligand binding, protein transport, and metabolic pathways.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Introduction to molecular biology for teachers. Emphasis will be on developing basic laboratory skills applicable to middle or high school biology classes. Teachers will develop their own labs during the last week of class. This is an intensive three-week class, five hours per day. Students should have at least one biotechnology course before enrolling in this course. Prior secondary school teaching experience preferred.
Typically offered in Summer only
This course is offered alternate even years
Study of hormonal, enzymatic and molecular-genetic regulation of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism; emphasis on mammalian species.
Typically offered in Fall only
This course is offered alternate odd years
The study of topics of special interest by small groups of students instructed by members of the faculty.
Prerequisite: 叠颁贬听451
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Introduction to the current understanding and methods used for the study of structures, thermodynamics and conformational dynamics of proteins, nucleic acids and membranes.
Typically offered in Fall only
The study of topics of special interest by small groups of students instructed by members of the faculty.
Prerequisite: 叠颁贬听451
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Critical study of special problems and selected topics of current interest in biochemistry and related fields.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in BCH
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Performance of highly directed research by biochemistry students in one or more laboratories of student's choice prior to beginning thesis research. Each laboratory experience lasts 5 weeks and given 1 hr. of credit. No more than 4 credits earned inBCH 692.
Prerequisite: 叠颁贬听451
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Teaching experience under the mentorship of faculty who assist the student in planning for the teaching assignment, observe and provide feedback to the student during the teaching assignment, and evaluate the student upon completion of the assignment.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
For students in non-thesis master's programs who have completed all other requirement of the degree except preparing for and taking the final master's exam.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Spring only
Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Thesis research
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Summer only
For students who have completed all credit hour requirements and full-time enrollment for the master's degree and are writing and defending their thesis.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Introduction to the current understanding and methods used for the study of structures, thermodynamics and conformational dynamics of proteins, nucleic acids and membranes.
Typically offered in Fall only
Biochemistry of DNA replication, transcription, RNA processing and translation. Development of key concepts, techniques and applications relating to mechanisms and regulation of these processes by analysis of primary literature.
Typically offered in Spring only
Regulation of cellular processes, membrane structure and function, signal transduction, protein trafficking/sorting, secretion, photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation.
Typically offered in Fall only
On demand. Theory and application of scanning electron microscopy, including specimen preparation, microscope alignment and operation, performance evaluation, interpretation of problems and darkroom technique. (Limited to 8 students with prior approval of instructor.)
Prerequisite: Graduate standing with some biological background
Typically offered in Spring only
Fundamental and practical aspects of biological macromolecular structure, thermodynamics, hydrodynamics, kinetics and spectroscopy with emphasis on mechanisms in functionally important structural transformations.
Prerequisite: 叠颁贬听451; one sem. of physical chemistry
Typically offered in Fall only
This course is offered alternate years
Basic principles and practice of protein crystallography and the application of molecular dynamics to evaluate structural models. The computer lab provides hands-on experience in structure determination, refinement, model building, and molecular dynamics using CHARMM.
Typically offered in Fall only
This course is offered alternate odd years
An advanced graduate class involving integrated approaches to complex biological questions at the molecular level, encompassing biochemistry, cell biology and molecular genetics. The course will focus on an important, current area of research in eukaryotic biology using the primary scientific literature, and will involve class discussions, oral presentations, and a written research proposal.
Typically offered in Spring only
This course is offered alternate years
Study of well-defined models of steroid and protein hormone action via lectures, assigned readings and discussions. Students add breadth to the course and depth to their own understanding by searching the literature and writing or lecturing about a particular hormone of their own choosing.
Typically offered in Spring only
This course is offered alternate years
An advanced treatment involving integrated approaches to biological problems at the molecular level, encompassing biochemistry, cell biology and molecular genetics. Broad, multidisciplinary approaches to solving research problems in biology and thecritical study of primary scientific literature, the development of a research proposal, oral presentations and class discussions.
Typically offered in Spring only
This course is offered alternate years
An advanced course in enzyme kinetics and mechanisms with particular emphasis on experimental design and interpretation. The first half of the course covers the derivation and application of single and multisubstrate kinetic equations, inhibition and pre-steady state kinetics. The second half of the course covers fundamental chemical and physical principles of enzyme catalysis and specificity.
Typically offered in Spring only
This course is offered alternate even years
Weekly seminars on topics of current interest given by resident faculty members, graduate students and visiting lecturers.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
The study of topics of special interest by small groups of students instructed by members of the faculty.
Prerequisite: 叠颁贬听451
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Critical study of special problems and selected topics of current interest in biochemistry and related fields.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing in BCH
Typically offered in Spring only
Performance of highly directed research by biochemistry students in one or more laboratories of student's choice prior to beginning thesis research. Each laboratory experience lasts 5 weeks and given 1 hr. of credit. No more than 4 credits earned inBCH 692.
Prerequisite: 叠颁贬听451
Typically offered in Fall only
Teaching experience under the mentorship of faculty who assist the student in planning for the teaching assignment, observe and provide feedback to the student during the teaching assignment, and evaluate the student upon completion of the assignment.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
For students who are preparing for and taking written and/or oral preliminary exams.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Spring only
Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Dissertation research
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Summer only
For students who have completed all credit hours, full-time enrollment, preliminary examination, and residency requirements for the doctoral degree, and are writing and defending their dissertations.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer