Overview

The only biochemistry laboratory course in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is CHEM-216. It is not intended for Chemistry and Biochemistry majors. Consequently, undergraduates wishing to learn biochemical techniques and needing research experience for careers in biochemical science should take CHEM-468, Undergraduate Research. An undergraduate working in my laboratory (Section 44) can expect to use a variety of standard biochemical techniques while exploring a well-defined but unanswered question. The following are some of the techniques used routinely in my laboratory: centrifugation, electrophoresis, enzyme assays, spectrometric and fluorometric analyses, radioisotopic assays, and column chromatography.

Most of the research in my laboratory deals with vitamins and vitamin-binding proteins in some way. Recent undergraduate projects include: purification of biotin-binding protein from chicken egg yolk, determination of the molecular weight of riboflavin-binding protein, development of a new radiometric assay for riboflavin, analysis of the amount of biotin-binding protein and riboflavin-binding protein in alligator eggs, synthesis of cholesterol in riboflavin-deficient chicken embryos, and analysis of genes for comma-freeness. In addition to continuing these projects, there are a variety of other projects available, including ones with nutritional, physiological, ecological, or evolutionary aspects.

It is preferred, although not essential, that students who register for research in my laboratory will have taken CHEM-342, Introduction to Biochemistry. All students are expected to attend and participate in weekly research meetings and to spend and average of 10 hours per week on their project for 3 credits. At the end of the semester, the research results are submitted in the form of a short manuscript. Those students whose work is published in scientific journals will be included as coauthors. Approximately 1/4 of the undergraduate students who have worked in this laboratory have had their work published.

Guidelines, and Expectations

• The maximum number of credits permitted per semester is three. Six credits of CHEM-468 may be taken in Winter Session or Summer Session for a full-time research commitment. Registration requires prior approval. Preference will be given to students who have had CHEM 342, Introduction to Biochemistry, who have a GPA of 2.8 or better, and who plan post-graduate work.
• The topic for investigation will be determined after a discussion of the possibilities existing during the particular term. The topic will be an unanswered question on some aspect of the current research program.
• The investigation will be conducted with close supervision so as to acquaint the student with procedures, difficulties, and excitement associated with the gathering of new and reliable data.
• Students are expected to attend and participate in weekly research meetings.
• Each student will write a research report that will include an introduction, materials and methods, results, and discussion. The introduction to this research report should include a discussion of the problem and citations to at least 10 relevant articles which have been read in conjunction with the research. It is anticipated that the new data will be publishable as a paper or part of a more extensive paper. Students will be include as co authors on published work when their data are used in a publication.
• Notebooks containing the original data are the property of the laboratory and will be turned in along with reports at the end of the term.
• Reports are due by 5 PM on the last day of classes.
• Laboratory space must be cleaned up, solutions thrown out or well-labeled for storage, and keys returned before a grade can be given.