Biochemistry

Curriculum 

The University of Mount Union’s biochemistry major is structured to fill the growing need of understanding the molecular basis of life processes in our society. Specifically tailored to application in the life sciences, you will explore chemical substances, processes, and reactions that occur in living organisms. You will learn in-depth about the concepts of inorganic, analytical, organic, and physical chemistry. Diving deeper, you will be exposed to advanced biochemistry, including metabolism, nutrition, pharmacology, gene expression and biotechnology. Coupling these course paths with hands-on learning opportunities help to better prepare biochemistry major students toward future careers or study.

Experiential Learning 

What can you do with a biochemistry major? At the University of Mount Union there are numerous options and opportunities for biochemistry majors to get involved and experience hands-on-learning in and out of the classroom.

Students who choose to major in biochemistry at Mount Union have ample opportunities to get “real-world” experience outside of the classroom. By getting involved in extracurricular opportunities and student organizations, you can strengthen your skills and knowledge in biochemistry, which is critical to career success.

LABORATORY EXPERIENCE  

Beginning in the first year and continuing throughout their four years, students gain valuable laboratory experience in wet chemical analysis, characterization of the properties of various molecules, instrumentation, synthesis of molecules and development of techniques and skills. Students are exposed to increasingly demanding techniques as they progress through the curriculum and are exposed to correspondingly more sophisticated instrumentation. Much of the instruction is carried out in a discovery-based format in which students are asked to practice a technique, improve a skill and then apply that to an unknown system.

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS 

• American Chemical Society is a student-led organization on Mount Union's campus
• Alembroic Society is a chemistry society at Mount Union 
  
  

HANDS-ON RESEARCH 

In the past few years, students majoring in chemistry and biochemistry have conducted research with faculty members in the following areas:

• Development of synthetic schemes to produce chemical compounds which mimic enzymes
• Study of diet and exercise as it relates to oxidative stress and Alzheimer’s disease
• Synthesis of novel inorganic compounds related to the scorpionate ligand family
• Computational studies of high-energy compounds
• Green chemistry synthetic schemes for the development of carbon-carbon bond formation reactions
• Development of sampling and analytical methods for the detection of pharmaceuticals in treated municipal waste water
• Laser spectroscopic detection of radical intermediate compounds present in photochemical smog and acid rain
• Investigation of the effectiveness of videos in classroom instruction
• Investigation of the usefulness of online homework for classroom instruction
  
  

INTERNSHIPS

Internships provide you the chance to go into the workforce and gain hands-on experience, which is critical to finding a job after graduation. Internships provide a significant learning experience outside the traditional academic environment and it can be tailored to align with your career goals. Mount Union biochemistry major students have had challenging internships with the following companies.

• State of Ohio Crime Lab
• Firestone
• Sherwin-Williams

Careers 

If you are intrigued by the composition of living things and fascinated by the analysis of chemical combinations and reactions involved in life processes including metabolism, reporduction and growth, then a career in biochemistry may be an excellent match for you curiosities. 

What can you do with a biochemistry major? The possibilities are numerous. Careers in biochemistry are on the rise. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of biological scientists is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations, and opportunities in the field of biochemistry specifically are projected to grow by 37 percent over the course of the next decade. The Human Genome Project has provided momentum toward understanding the molecular basis of life processes, further fueling growth in the field. 

Our major in biochemistry is structured to fill this growing need in our society. Specifically tailored to application in the life sciences, it will allow you to explore chemical substances, processes and reactions that occur in living organisms, preparing you for exceptional career opportunities. 

Facilities and Equipment 

Mount Union's Department of Chemistry is located in the Bracy Hall of Science. The department is well equipped in terms of instrumentation, computer resources, library books and journals.

Chemists utilize many high-tech instruments to determine the properties of the molecules they study. Listed below are the major instruments used in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Biochemistry majors will gain hands-on experience with many of these instruments in their courses and undergraduate research projects.

FOURIER TRANSFORM INFRARED SPECTROMETER (FT-IR)

Different types of molecular bonds absorb infrared light differently. We can measure this absorption with an FT-IR and identify which types of bonds (and therefore which functional groups) are present in a sample. This helps us determine some of the chemical features of a given molecule.

PLATE READERS

Plate readers enable us to measure the absorbance or fluorescence of many very small samples in a short period of time. We often use these instruments in biochemical studies such as determining the concentration of protein in a sample, monitoring enzymatic reactions, and studying protein-DNA binding.

GAS CHROMATOGRAPH (GC)

A GC vaporizes a sample and moves it through a column of tubing. The rate of migration of a given molecule through the column depends on its attraction to the column material. This causes the components of a sample to separate. As the components exit the column, their relative amounts are detected. The technique can be used to determine the purity of a sample, how many components are in the sample, and some information about the chemical properties of the components.

GAS CHROMATOGRAPH-MASS SPECTROMETER (GC-MS)

A GCMS takes GC a step further. After the molecules have been separated by GC, they are analyzed by mass spectrometry, which precisely determines the molecular mass of the molecules present in the sample. Mass spectrometry may also cause fragmentation of the molecules, which can give further insight into the molecule’s structure. This technique can positively identify the molecules present in a sample, and is often used in forensics, drug analysis, and disease identification.

HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY (HPLC)

HPLC is similar to GC except that the sample travels through the column in a liquid solution instead of as a gas. We use HPLC to analyze the contents of samples such as pharmaceuticals and consumer products, and to monitor enzymatic reactions.

ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROMETER (AA)

If an atom becomes excited it can emit light of specific wavelengths depending on the identity of the atom. AA excites a sample and measures the resulting atomic absorption spectrum. This spectrum acts like a fingerprint, and we can determine if a particular atom is present in the sample.

ULTRAVIOLET-VISIBLE SPECTROPHOTOMETER (UV-VIS)

A UV-visible spectrophotometer measures the degree to which a sample absorbs light in the ultraviolet and visible regions of the spectrum. This technique can be used to determine the concentration of a molecule in a sample or to give clues to the identity of the compounds present in a sample.

NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROMETER (NMR)

NMR is a powerful technique that applies a strong magnetic field to a sample, causing the spins of the atomic nuclei to align. Radio waves are then applied to the sample, causing some of the nuclei to become unaligned (flipped). The frequency of the radio wave required to flip a given nucleus depends on the chemical environment of the atom. The spectrometer measures how the sample absorbs these radio waves, allowing us to determine a great deal of information about the chemical structure of the sample.