DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY

Building D, Room 240, Medical Sciences I; (949) 824-6051
Wen-Hwa Lee, Department Chair

Faculty

Bogi Andersen: Transcriptional regulation in Epithelial tissues

Pierre Baldi: Computation biology, bioinformatics, probabilistic modeling, machine learning

Rainer K. Brachmann: Cancer genetics, chromatin and transcriptional regulation, tumor suppressor gene p53

Phang-Lang Chen: Signal transduction in response to DNA damage and tumor genesis

Xing Dai: Signaling and transcriptional control in skin epithelia

Peter Donovan: The mechanisms by which pluripotent stem cells are formed in the embryo and the uses of such stem cells for transplantation therapy of human disease

John P. Fruehauf: Regulatory elements in cancer-related angiogenesis: prognosis and therapeutic targeting

Peter Kaiser: Cell cycle regulation by ubiquitin

Eva Y.-H. P. Lee: Breast cancer etiology and DNA damage checkpoint control

Wen-Hwa Lee: Molecular cancer genetics, mainly the mechanism of tumor suppressor gene functions, cancer progression and novel therapy

Ellis R. Levin: The plasma membrane estrogen receptor (ER) and its effects on the biology of estrogen action

Steven Lipkin: Cancer genetics and genomics

Haoping Liu: Signal transduction, cell cycle regulation, hypha development in yeast

Leslie Lock: Mammalian embryonic stem cells in studies of development and human disease

Frank Meyskens: Carcinogenesis and molecular biology of melanoma and chemoprevention of human cancer

Robert K. Moyzis: Human genomics and complex neurogenetic disorders

Masayasu Nomura: RNA polymerase I nucleolus and ribosome synthesis in yeast

Daniele Piomelli: Biochemistry and pharmacology of the endogenous cannabinoids and other lipid signaling systems

Suzanne B. Sandmeyer: Retrovirus-like elements in yeast

Robert E. Steele: Evolution of multicellular animals and their genomes

Leslie M. Thompson: Molecular/biochemical analysis of skeletal dysplasias and Huntington's disease

Paul Vrana: Genetics, control and evolution of genomic imprinting, growth control and placental development

Douglas C. Wallace: Molecular and mitochondrial medicine and genetics

Kyoko Yokomori: Chromosome structure organization and its role in genome function and stability

Faculty research interests in the Department of Biological Chemistry are in the structure and function of chromosomes, signal transduction and its role in cell growth and differentiation control, regulation of gene expression (transcription, protein synthesis, and protein localization), and the molecular basis of development. Genome sequencing projects are making it possible for faculty to exploit information learned about gene function in model organisms for understanding human disease processes. Students are exposed to technical expertise in all facets of current research in molecular biochemistry from protein chemistry to genetic engineering and gene mapping. A newly established atomic force microscopy facility is available for structure research. Researchers in the Department are also using old DNA array technology and bioinformatics to understand global changes in gene expression in response to the environment.

The Department offers graduate study under the auspices of the School of Biological Sciences and in conjunction with the program in Molecular Biology, Genetics, and Biochemistry (MBGB), which is described in a previous section. Students admitted into the combined program who select a research advisor in the Department begin thesis research in the second year. Students are required to attend and participate in the departmental research seminars. In addition, students are required to complete three advanced-level graduate courses subsequent to entering the Department's Ph.D. concentration. In the third year, students take the advancement-to-candidacy examination for the Ph.D. degree by presenting and defending a proposal for specific dissertation research. The normative time for completion of the Ph.D. is five years, and the maximum time permitted is seven years.

Courses in Biological Chemistry

200A, B, C Research in Biological Chemistry (2 to 12) F, W, S. Individual research under the supervision of a professor. May be repeated for credit.

202A, B, C Laboratory Seminar Series (1, 1, 1) F, W, S. Study within a laboratory group including research and journal presentations. Satisfactory/ Unsatisfactory only. May be repeated for credit as topics vary.

207 Advanced Molecular Genetics (4) S. Lecture, three hours. Introduction to genetic analysis using model organisms such as yeast. Topics include basic concepts and techniques of genetic analysis, prions, signaling, cell differentiation, cell cycle, ubiquitin/proteasome pathway, genomics, and using yeast as a toolbox. Prerequisite: Molecular Biology and Biochemistry 203. May be taken for credit two times.

210A Medical Biochemistry (4 to 12) F. Lecture, four hours. Biological chemistry for first-year medical and graduate students. Presents the metabolism and molecular biology relevant to human health and disease that form the foundation of medical science for the next century. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

211A Molecular Cell Biology (4 to 12) F. The molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for cell division. Emphasizes DNA, RNA, protein biosynthesis, and the future of molecular medicine including recombinant DNA technology. Fundamental principles of molecular and cell biology. Application of morphological and molecular relationships to problems of the human body. Weekly clinical correlate and seminar groups with student presentations.

212 Signal Transduction and Growth Control (4) S. Lecture, one and a half hours; discussion, one and a half hours. Covers various eukaryotic signaling pathways (tyrosine kinase, ras-raf-MAPK, TGF-ß, wnt, JAK-STAT, and FAS) with an emphasis on the experimental underpinnings. The material is covered in lectures and discussions of pertinent papers. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. Offered every other year.

215 Mouse Developmental Genetics (4) S. Lecture, three hours. Introduction to the use of the mouse in contemporary biomedical research. The biology and development of the laboratory mouse, methods for manipulation of the mouse genome and embryos, and examples of application of these methods to understanding mammalian development and homeostasis. Prerequisite: graduate standing, advanced undergraduate standing, or consent of instructor. Same as Developmental and Cell Biology 207.

217 Human Evolution and Behavior (4) S. Lecture, three hours. Covers theories and empirical research concerning the evolutionary origins of human behaviors and their variations. An interdisciplinary course emphasizing both evolutionary psychology (e.g., mating strategies, kinship, and parenting) and molecular evolution (i.e., evolution of genes for various behaviors). Same as Psychology and Social Behavior P271. Offered every other year.

225 Chromatin Structure and Function (4) W. Lecture, three hours. Focuses on the role of chromatin/nuclear structure organization in eukaryotic genome regulation. The effects of histone and DNA modification, chromatin remodeling, higher order chromatin structure and nuclear organization on gene regulation, and DNA replication and repair are discussed. Prerequisites: graduate standing and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry 203 and 204, or consent of instructor. Offered every other year.

285 Redox Transcriptional Factors in Health and Disease (2) S. Transcription factors such as NFKB and AP families are in part controlled by cellular redox status. Such signals affect viral, inflammatory, immunological, and malignant responses. Consists of a few background lectures followed by student presentations. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

291 Research Seminar (2) F, W, S. Student research-based colloquium covering current topics in gene organization and expression, cell cycle and differentiation, DNA repair, checkpoint control, and the physical, chemical, and biological properties of macromolecules. Students are encouraged to read critically and analyze recent literature. Prerequisite: graduate standing, advanced undergraduate standing, or consent of instructor. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. May be repeated for credit.

292A-B-C Scientific Communication (2-2-2) F, W, S. Seminar, two hours. Small group meetings for graduate students to practice scientific writing, debate, and presentation skills. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. May be repeated for credit.

293A, B, C Cancer Biology Journal Club (1, 1, 1) F, W, S. Focuses on molecular mechanisms that underlie the development and progression of cancers. Covers a variety of cancer-related research areas, such as cell cycle control, apoptosis, DNA repair, metastasis, angiogenesis, and others. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.