Biochemistry Program

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Program Directors

Biochemistry Program

Graduate Student Coordinator: Melissa Torres
Biochemistry Faculty Director: Kathleen Hall
Biochemistry Program Guidelines
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Research in biochemistry utilizes the concepts and approaches of chemistry to understand the molecular basis of biological processes. Fundamental chemical principles and techniques are used to understand the stability and specificity of macromolecular interactions as well as their mechanisms of action in processes such as DNA replication, signal transduction and gene regulation. The complexity of the biology makes the application of chemical principles challenging for the biochemist.

The focus of much biochemical research is on the molecular description of biological processes. Receptor-ligand interactions, macromolecular stability and assembly, as well as the mechanisms of enzyme catalysis, are of particular interest, since these are central to the function and regulation of all biological systems. Studies of the kinetics, energetics and dynamics of these interactions and the structures of the macromolecules involved provide the main experimental avenues that often are combined with theoretical approaches to obtain a molecular description of important biological processes.

For information regarding career path and complete program guidelines, click here.

Program of Study

Biochemistry students enroll in four to six courses and participate in three laboratory rotations in the first year.

Course Requirements:
Protein Structure and Function (Bio 5325)
Biochemistry Student Seminar (Bio 5466)
Advanced elective (from approved listing)
Journal Clubs (3 credits)
Ethics and Research Science (Bio 5011)

2 courses from the following:
Organic Chemistry III (Chem 451)
Bioorganic Chemistry (Chem 453)
Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis (Bio 548)
Molecular Cell Biology (Bio 5068)
Immunology (Bio 5051)
Macromolecular Interactions (Bio 5312)
Cellular Neurobiology (Bio 5571)

Students participate in any of several journal clubs, such as:

Nucleic Acid-Protein Interactions Journal Club (Bio 5443)
Proteins Journal Club (Bio 5225)
Genetics Journal Club (Bio 5235)

Several seminars are presented by visiting scientists each week. Each of the departments, the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences and the graduate students organize seminar programs which feature invited faculty from other universities and research institutes. Advanced students regularly attend national and international scientific meetings.

Biochemistry Program Faculty


Samuel Achilefu, Ph.D. - Molecular optical and multimodal imaging and monitoring treatment response of diseases.
Carolyn J. Anderson, Ph.D. - Development of molecular targeted radiopharmaceuticals for cancer imaging and therapy.
Usha P. Andley, Ph.D. - Small heat shock protein functions in ocular systems and stress.
Jacques U. Baenziger, M.D., Ph.D. - Synthesis and function of unique carbohydrate structures as information-bearing macromolecules.
Wayne M. Barnes, Ph.D. - Improvements to DNA technology, applied to plant genetic engineering.
Roger N. Beachy, Ph.D. - Molecular and cellular basis of virus infection: Control via biotechnology.
Stephen M. Beverley, Ph.D. - Molecular genetics of protozoan parasite virulence.
Robert E. Blankenship, Ph.D. - Molecular mechanisms of energy storage in photosynthetic systems.
Kendall J. Blumer, Ph.D. - Signal transduction in the cardiovascular, nervous and visual systems.
Irving Boime, Ph.D. - Placental and pituitary hormone genes.
Thomas J. Brett, Ph.D. -
George J. Broze, Jr., M.D. - Regulation of coagulation.
Peter M.J. Burgers, Ph.D. - Molecular Biology of DNA replication and repair in yeast.
Emily Cheng, M.D., Ph.D. - Integration of apoptotic signaling cascades and the mitochondrion-sependent death program.
Peter T. Chivers, Ph.D. - Protein structure/function and genetics of trace metal regulation.
John A. Cooper, M.D., Ph.D. - Molecular mechanisms of cell motility and cytoskeleton assembly.
Douglas F. Covey, Ph.D. - Medicinal chemistry of steroids.
Peter A. Crawford, M.D., Ph.D. - Integrating systemic metabolism, including the host-microbial interface, into mammalian myocardial energetic homeostasis.
Erika C. Crouch, Ph.D., M.D. - Structure and function of surfactant protein D (SP-D).
Nicholas Oliver Davidson, M.D. - Mammalian gene expression: Regulation through mRNA editing and RNA stabilization.
Enrico Di Cera, M.D. - Structure and function of proteases; protein engineering; allosteric enzymes
Allan Doctor, M.D. - Mechanism by which erythrocytes exert hypoxia-responsive control of regional blood flow.
Tamara L. Doering, M.D., Ph.D. - Investigations of capsule synthesis in the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans.
Tom Ellenberger, D.V.M., Ph.D. - Structural biology and biochemistry of DNA repair, replication and recombination; chromosome maintenance.
Elliot L. Elson, Ph.D. - Mechanical properties of reconstituted tissues. Fluctuation spectroscopy of protein interactions.
William A. Frazier, Ph.D. - Thrombospondin-1/CD47 regulation of vascular system function.
Carl Frieden, Ph.D. -
Roberto Galletto, Ph.D. - Mechanistic studies of DNA motor proteins. Single Molecule Biochemistry.
N. Gautam, Ph.D. - Imaging signaling in living cells.
Gregory I. Goldberg, Ph.D. - Secreted metalloproteases in tissue remodeling.
Daniel E. Goldberg, M.D., Ph.D. - Biochemistry of malaria.
Gregory A. Grant, Ph.D. - Relationship of structure to function in allosteric control mechanisms.
Kathleen B. Hall, Ph.D. - We study the interactions between RNA and its binding proteins.
Xianlin Han, Ph.D. - Identification of biochemical mechanisms underlying altered lipid metabolism, trafficking, homeostasis in neurodegenerative diseases and diabetic cardiomyopathy.
Phyllis I. Hanson, M.D., Ph.D. - Protein-protein and protein-membrane interactions in neuronal membrane trafficking.
Keith A. Hruska, M.D. - Mechanisms and treatment of CKD and complications, renal osteodystrophy and vascular clacification.
Scott J. Hultgren, Ph.D. - Pilus and amyloid fiber formation in bacteria: Structure, function and role in diseases of the urinary tract.
Jan G. Jaworski, Ph.D. - Biosynthesis and metabolism of plant fatty acids and lipids
Joseph M. Jez, Ph.D. - Structural biology and biochemistry of plant natural product biosynthesis.
Evan D. Kharasch, M.D., Ph.D. - Research encompasses both laboratory investigations of drug metabolism using human tissues and enzymes, and clinical volunteer and patient studies to confirm laboratory findings.
Ellen Li, M.D., Ph.D. - Role of PPAR gamma in the GI tract.
Maurine E. Linder, Ph.D. - Protein lipidation in signal transduction and protein trafficking.
Timothy M. Lohman, Ph.D. - Mechanisms of DNA helicases and SSB proteins.
Robert H. Mach, Ph.D. -
John E. Majors, Ph.D. - Replication of (+) strand RNA viruses.
Liviu M. Mirica, Ph.D. - Development of specific inhibitors of histone demethylases; design of therapeutic and imaging chemical agents for Alzheimer�s disease.
Kevin D. Moeller, Ph.D. - Developing new methods for peptide mimetic and natural product synthesis.
Daniel S. Ory, M.D. - Study of regulation of cholesterol homeostasis, and role of cholesterol in atherosclerosis and neurodegeneration.
Himadri B. Pakrasi, Ph.D. - Systems Biology of photosynthetic organisms.
M. Alan Permutt, M.D. - Pancreatic islet cell genes and diabetes genetics research.
J. Mark Petrash, Ph.D. - Molecular mechanisms of vision diseases.
Craig S. Pikaard, Ph.D. - Epigenetic mechanisms controlling gene expression and gene silencing.
Linda J. Pike, Ph.D. - EGF receptor-mediated cell signaling and the control of cell growth
Helen M. Piwnica-Worms, Ph.D. - Cell cycle and checkpoint control.
Joseph L. Roti Roti, Ph.D. - Cell-cycle progression and response of the cells to ionizing radiation and heat shock.
Deborah C. Rubin, M.D. - Gut epithelial-mesenchymal interactions in ontogeny and in epithelial repair following disease-induced injury.
J. Evan Sadler, M.D., Ph.D. - Biochemistry and function of hemostatic proteases and von Willebrand factor.
Jean E. Schaffer, M.D. - Cellular responses to metabolic stress.
Paul Schlesinger, M.D., Ph.D. - Intracellular ion transport, chloride, protons, mitochondrial channels, phagosome, parasites.
Clay F. Semenkovich, M.D. - Molecular and cell biology of atherosclerosis and diabetes.
Thomas J. Smith, Ph.D. - Use of x-ray crystallography to study viruses, toxins and enzymes.
John-Stephen A. Taylor, Ph.D. - Structure-activity relationships in UV mutagenesis. Designing chemotherapeutic and imaging agents.
Robert E. Thach, Ph.D. - Ecology of vector-borne diseases.
Douglas M. Tollefsen, M.D., Ph.D. - Biochemistry and physiology of protease inhibitors that regulate blood coagulation.
David B. Wilson, M.D., Ph.D. - Role of transcription factors in differentiation and development.