Category Archives: Biochemistry

Biochemistry department celebrates 50 years of interdisciplinary, scientific learning – The Wellesley News

February 6, 2017 student

The oldest interdepartmental program at Wellesley College, the biochemistry department (BIOC), celebrates its 50th anniversary this academic year. Founded during a time marked by dramatic discoveries in the life sciences, the department is today regarded as an interface between biology and chemistry. In light of its anniversary, the department has held two events thus far, including a kickoff event organized by Professor Don Elmore and the 4th Annual Biological Chemistry Research Retreat, which was incorporated into the celebrations.

The kickoff event, held on Dec. 13, 2016, featured panel discussions on the programs history with renowned Professors Mary Allen and Dot Widmayer, and Sonja Hicks, Professor Emerita. It also included talks by six recent alumnae: Shloka Ananthanarayanan 08, Eleanor Fleming 08, Kate Lipford 08, Natalya Maharaj 09, Tracy Wang 10 and Ruth Wangondu 07. The discussions covered various topics and perspectives related to revolutionizing research since the founding of the department at Wellesley.

To continue the celebration, the Research Retreat was held just before the beginning of the semester on Jan. 23, 2017. According to Professor T. Kaye Peterman, the director of the biochemistry department, the event was an opportunity for students to share their research with the community. It also featured a keynote address by renowned immunologist Sarah J. Schlesinger 81 on Dendritic Cells, HIV Vaccines and the Nobel Prize.

Peterman believes that BIOC is a deeply interdisciplinary field with emphasis especially on meaningful and independent undergraduate research. The discipline of biochemistry is a combination of both the physical and natural sciences. Wellesleys course offerings include classes on cellular physiology, a study of the activities that keep a cell alive, and biophysical chemistry, a study of the physical properties of biological macromolecules.

Peterman suggested that what sets this department apart from others is its ability to synthesize [the two subjects] into a unique exploration of biological structure and function at the macromolecular level. The department has explored new fields of study within biochemistry such as genomics, the study of genomes, and proteomics, the study of proteins. These disciplines continue to emerge and evolve with the help of independent research conducted by students and professors.

Like other science departments at Wellesley, the biochemistry curriculum emphasizes the need for future researchers to not only be familiar with laboratory work with complex instruments and computers, but also to have strong problem solving techniques, collaboration skills, awareness of ethical issues and the ability to think across disciplinary boundaries.

The department will continue the celebration this spring with several talks by prominent BIOC alumnae who have made impactful and lasting contributions to their fields. Details will be distributed when these events become finalized. In conjunction with the celebration of the departments 50th anniversary, students majoring in biochemistry have taken the opportunity to reflect on the discipline which they hope to concentrate in.

Hannah Jacobs 19, a sophomore considering the biochemistry major, says that she is interested in the major because it is both fascinating and challenging.

Its specialized, but it will give me a breadth of knowledge about biological systems, she said, in reference to the concentration. Jacobs advises that any students thinking of majoring in this area should plan ahead and take organic chemistry as soon as possible, as it will give [them] an idea whether the major is right for [them].

Catherine Xie 19, a sophomore double-majoring in biochemistry and French, stated that her inspiration to join this field came from her grandmother, Pan Huazhen, who was a biochemist in China. By attending summer research courses in high school and investigating subjects that interested her, she found her fascination for science.

Xie has also channeled her passion of science by being part of the organization BC2 which arranges both lectures and dessert series with professors and student research panels with current biochemistry majors. Although she wishes there were fewer requirements for the major and more flexibility in the types of courses, Xies favorite part of the department is hearing about all the amazing research that [the] faculty carries out on campus.

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Biochemistry department celebrates 50 years of interdisciplinary, scientific learning - The Wellesley News

Biochemistry

Notre Dame Researchers Study Potential Cause of Common Birth Defect – ND Newswire

February 6, 2017 medical

Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) proteins are small peptides that get added on to other proteins to regulate their activity. While SUMO has many regulatory roles in cells, it is especially important for controlling gene expression during early development. Just a few years ago this connection between SUMO and gene regulation was relatively unknown, but now, Notre Dame researchers are exploring how a disruption to the SUMO proteins ability to regulate embryo development may be linked to congenital heart defects.

Professor Paul Huber

Paul Huber, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, and Norman Dovichi, the Grace-Rupley Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, are working together to understand the role of all proteins in embryo development using Xenopus laevis or the African claw frog. This species is known for having a similar gene structure to that of the human genome, meaning that findings related to this species have the potential to provide a deep understanding about human diseases.

When discussing their research, Dovichi said, In 2014, Huber and I completed a study using Xenopus laevis embryos to understand how more than 4,000 proteins fluctuate during the different stages of development. We found that certain proteins spike or lower during specific stages. For example, a number of proteins that are used during the creation of cardiovascular tissue rose during stage 13, when organs develop.

Professor Norman Dovichi

In these early experiments, Huber found that when SUMO activity was repressed, many of the embryos had two predominate phenotypes, one of which was heart defects. Then, new studiesbegan linking mutations in SUMO protein to heart failure as well as congenital heart defects. This is when the Notre Dame researchers began to develop the next steps for their research.

At the time, there was not a lot of information about the role of the SUMO protein, but our theory was that it was critical for proper development of the heart, said Huber. To study the proteins specific impact, we inhibited SUMO activity in the developing cardiovascular tissue. This will allow us to compare the proteome or all of the proteins that are expressed by a cell of the defective hearts with their normal counterparts.

To support the research, Olivia Cox, a Notre Dame graduate student, collaborated with Daniel Weeks, professor of biochemistry and pediatrics at the University of Iowa, and identified three predominate heart defects in the SUMO-deficient hearts: septal defects commonly thought of as holes in the heart abnormal turning of the outflow tract, and noncompaction cardiomyopathy.

The goal of this research is to use the proteome comparisons to specifically identify which proteins are responsible for congenital heart defects. Additionally, Huber, affiliated with the Harper Cancer Research Institute (HCRI) and the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, and Dovichi, affiliated with Advanced Diagnostics and Therapeutics as well as the HCRI, plan to continue exploring the SUMO proteins significance in other areas of embryo development. This research could help explain why other development defects arise, and eventually lead to a solution for increasing SUMO protein expression when a mutation occurs.

Congenital heart defects impact more than 35,000 newborns in the United States each year and is the most common type of birth defect. To learn more about congenital heart defects, please visit https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/chd.

Contact:

Brandi Klingerman / Research Communications Specialist

Notre Dame Research / University of Notre Dame

bklinger@nd.edu / 574.631.8183

research.nd.edu / @UNDResearch

About Notre Dame Research:

The University of Notre Dame is a private research and teaching university inspired by its Catholic mission. Located in South Bend, Indiana, its researchers are advancing human understanding through research, scholarship, education, and creative endeavor in order to be a repository for knowledge and a powerful means for doing good in the world. For more information, please see research.nd.edu or @UNDResearch.

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Notre Dame Researchers Study Potential Cause of Common Birth Defect - ND Newswire

Biochemistry

Biochemistry Department: Graduate Program

January 25, 2017 student

The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, which confers both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees, prepares graduate students for a career in science by expanding knowledge of biochemistry and molecular biology, and by developing the student's abilities in critical thought and creativity. The academic program emphasizes an in-depth study of the field with considerable flexibility to individually tailor course selection with regard to academic interests and area of specialization in the student's field of research.

A diversity of research programs is available for students. Areas of research specialization include molecular biology, physical biochemistry, molecular endocrinology, plant biochemistry and molecular biology, signal transduction, and biomedical research. Each program bestows a strong preparation for an academic research and teaching career, or a biochemical research career at both the pure and applied levels in private, governmental or industrial laboratories.

Students who have earned a bachelor's degree in physical, chemical, biological, or agricultural sciences at an accredited college or university are eligible to apply.

Students should prepare with the following courses prior to beginning graduate study in biochemistry:

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Biochemistry Department: Graduate Program

Biochemistry

Biochemistry – Macalester College

January 11, 2017 student

Biochemistry at Macalester

Students in the Biochemistry Program at Macalester receive a broad-based and robust grounding in the molecular structures and chemical reactions of biology.

Biochemistry students work alongside faculty with expertise spanning biology and chemistry, using state-of-the art equipment.

After graduation, biochemistry students have gone on to graduate study, medical school, and a variety of positions in industry.

Poster sessions bring together student and faculty researchers from various disciplines.

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Biochemistry - Macalester College

Biochemistry

Peer Reviewed Biochemistry Journals | Impact Factors Rankings

January 11, 2017 student

Biochemistry emphasis on the study of chemical processes occurring in the living organisms. It is the branch of science that helps to explore the various chemical processes occurring within and related to the living matter and studies these mechanisms by using chemical knowledge and techniques to understand and solve biological problems. Biochemistry deals with the structures, functions and interactions of biological macromolecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates and lipids, which provide the structure of cells and perform many of the functions associated with life.

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Peer Reviewed Biochemistry Journals | Impact Factors Rankings

Biochemistry

Home | UIC Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics

January 11, 2017 student

Welcome

The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics is one of five Basic Science Departments in the College of Medicine at UIC.

"During the last several decades there have been a series of dramatic advances in the way basic biomedical research is carried out. We are now able to produce large quantities of single proteins and determine their structures at atomic resolution, we can mutate these proteins and modify their properties... [ READ MORE + ]

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Home | UIC Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics

Biochemistry

UIC Department of Chemistry

January 11, 2017 medical

Founded in 1964, the Department of Chemistry of the University of Illinois at Chicago is an internationally recognized center of excellence both in research and teaching. Currently, 24 tenure-track faculty members, four clinical faculty, and half a dozen lecturers teach, supervise, and mentor several hundred undergraduate chemistry and biochemistry students and over one hundred graduate students. The goal of both our undergraduate and graduate programs is to provide students with the highest level of professional instruction in the study and practice of chemistry. Our faculty is committed to offering a welcoming learning and research environment and providing an intellectually challenging experience in chemistry.

Our department offers undergraduate Bachelor of Science Degrees in Chemistry, Biochemistry, and the Teaching of Chemistry, as well as a Bachelor of Arts option in Chemistry. All of the BS degrees are certified by the American Chemical Society. One of the strengths of our undergraduate program is the wide range of research opportunities that we offer our students.

Our highly active graduate program, which is one of the largest in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, encompasses a broad range of research areas, including the traditional sub-disciplines (Analytical, Bio, Inorganic, Organic and Physical Chemistry) as well as several new interdisciplinary areas, including chemical biology, nanotechnology and neurochemistry. We encourage applications from both the United States and abroad for our MS and PhD programs.

Chicago is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city and an exciting place to live and study, renowned for its architecture and many cultural and artistic resources. The neighborhood surrounding the University is one of the fastest growing in Chicago and offers easy access to the lakefront, museums, theaters and restaurants for which Chicago is famous. If you are in the Chicago area, please dont hesitate to contact us, and we will arrange for a site visit.

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UIC Department of Chemistry

Biochemistry

Biochemistry 2017 | Dubai | UAE | Worldwide Events | Asia …

January 11, 2017 student

Session/Tracks

Conferences Series LLCinvites all the participants from all over the world to attend the 2ndInternational Conference onBiochemistry during September 28-29, 2017 at Dubai, UAE which includes prompt keynote presentations, Oral talks, Poster presentations and Exhibitions.

Biochemistryis a multidisciplinary field with research interests covering all aspects of modern molecular and cellular biochemistry. Biochemistry is often considered as a tool to investigate and to studymolecular biology. It deals with the structure, function and interactions amongst biological macromolecules.

The theme of the conference "Exploring the facets of Biochemistry", will focus on the study of the molecular mechanisms by which genetic information present on DNA is able to result in the processes of life.Biochemistryhas its applications in various fields. The findings of biochemistry are applied primarily in medicine, nutrition, and agriculture. In medicine, biochemists investigate the cause and cure for the disease.In nutrition, it leads to maintain health and effects of deficiency of nutrients. In agriculture, biochemists investigate soil and fertilizers, and try to discover ways to improve crop cultivation, storage and pest control.

For more conferences kindly go throughconference seriesweb page.

Track 1:Clinical Biochemistry

The fieldClinical biochemistryis the study of biochemical mechanisms in the body in relation to disease condition, through the testing of body fluids such as urine or blood or saliva. Many diseases tend to show significant changes in their chemical composition of body fluids like the increased levels ofblood enzymesdue to their release from heart muscles soon after a heart attack or also elevated blood sugar levels indiabetes mellitusthat occurs due to less or nil of insulin. Biochemical tests are aimed to detect these modifications either qualitatively or quantitatively in comparison to results from nutritious people. Clinical biochemistry uses a wide range of analytical techniques with its applications mostly inclinical chemistry, molecular biology, therapeutic drug monitoring, toxicology,laboratory immunology& medicine used for diagnosis, prognosis, therapy and management of disease.