400

An in-depth, independent, literature-based study of a current topic in chemistry or biochemistry. A written report and an oral presentation of the topic must be presented to and reviewed by the chemistry faculty. 

Advanced Biochemistry CHE420 is a writing-intensive, laboratory-based course that expands on the basics introduced in Biochemistry CHE 320 and Biochemistry Laboratory CHE 320L. This course emphasizes both biochemical theory and methodology, including enzymology, purification and characterization of biological molecules, immunobiochemistry and the structure/function relationship of biological molecules. Students perform a semester-long laboratory project, culminating in formal laboratory report. Students are also assessed through scientific presentation, in-class examinations and take-home examinations designed to measure students’ mastering of the concepts presented during the lecture and laboratory portions of the course.

Studies atomic and molecular structure, types of chemical bonding, periodic relationships, typical reactions of inorganic substances, and the modern experimental methods used in inorganic chemistry. Lecture only.

This course is designed to cover many of the topics discussed in Organic Chemistry I and II in more depth. Topics may include the general study of organic reaction mechanisms including Eyring plots, Hammond's postulate, Curtin-Hammett principle, isotope effects and acid-base catalysis; conformational control; stereoelectronics; Hückel molecular orbital theory; pericyclic reactions; aromaticity; free-radical species and reactions; nucleophilic substitutions; eliminations; additions; multi-step synthetic strategies; retrosynthetic strategies; and natural product synthesis. In addition, the student may be expected to develop literature research skills by preparing and presenting a project involving the total synthesis of a naturally occurring compound or a topic of current interest. Lecture only.

Studies the theory and practice of modern instrumental methods of chemical analysis. Methodology includes spectrophotometric, chromatographic, electroanalytical and nuclear techniques. Additionally, students are required to retrieve scientific information from primary, secondary and tertiary literature sources. Lecture and laboratory.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of chemical methods and techniques commonly used in the analysis of forensic evidence. Topics include 1) drugs of abuse, explosives, and ignitable liquids, 2) sample preparation and extractions, 3) separations theory, 4) gas chromatography, 5) high performance liquid chromatography, 6) absorbance methods and color tests, and 7) mass spectrometry. The course is focused on forensic analytical methods, with particular emphasis on analysis of drugs of abuse, as well as interpretation of data. Lecture.

Laboratory experiments supplement lecture material presented in CHE 432.

Focuses on the application of methods discussed in Forensic Chemistry to biological samples such as blood, urine, ocular fluid and tissue samples, to identify and quantitate drugs and toxins. Topics covered include 1) immunoassay, 2) forensic toxicology analyses of urine, blood, and alternative matrices, 3) pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, 3) blood-alcohol analyses, and 4) subdisciplines and related topics such as postmortem forensic toxicology, human performance forensic toxicology, forensic urine drug testing, and performance-enhancing drug testing. Lecture.

Laboratory experiments supplement lecture material presented in CHE 434.

This course is designed to help students transition the knowledge and skills gained in their laboratory and coursework into employment in working forensic laboratories. The following topics, in the context of forensic science, are covered: quality assurance, courtroom testimony, ethics, data integrity, and employment practices.

Covers current spectroscopic methods for organic structure determination. Topics include mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance, X-ray diffraction, and other techniques and their use in organic structure determination. Students are expected to develop literature research skills by preparing and presenting a project involving the determination of the molecular structure of a naturally occurring compound. Lecture only.

Qualified students choose a project in consultation with a chemistry faculty member. Requires laboratory or computational research. The project should be performed during the student’s junior and/or senior years. This capstone research experience may be repeated for up to a total of 4 credit hours. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Provides practical experience in chemistry-related programs in a firm or agency under the supervision of faculty and firm representatives. May be accomplished on a part-time basis and may be repeated for a total of 4 credit hours. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Qualified students in junior year choose project subject in consultation with chemistry faculty member. Requires laboratory research related to forensic science.  A written report and an oral presentation of the research must be presented to and reviewed by the chemistry faculty. The project should be performed during the student’s last three semesters. This capstone experience may be repeated for a total of 4 credit hours. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

Provides practical experience in forensic science-related programs in a firm or agency under the supervision of faculty and agency representatives. Students must apply for this internship at least one semester in advance. May be accomplished on a part-time basis and may be repeated for a total of 4 credit hours. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

This course is an introduction to biochemical principles of and techniques utilized in the science of cultivating, manipulating and assaying animal cells in vitro. This course provides the basic science knowledge and laboratory skills required for carrying out diverse research projects in biomedical science, clinical research and biotechnology. This laboratory-intensive course provides extensive hands-on experience in animal cell propagation, sub-culturing, transfection with transgenes, clonal cell isolation, cryopreservation, inducible transgene expression, and a variety of biochemical assays. Lecture and laboratory.

Molecular Basis of Cancer (MBoC) is a laboratory-intensive course that provides extensive hands-on experience in chemically treating human cancer cell lines and performing a variety of biochemical assays and molecular analysis techniques of the biological molecules isolated from these cells. MBoC is intended to serve as an undergraduate classroom research experience (CURE). This CURE course includes lectures on the molecular techniques utilized and background on molecular oncology topics including oncogenes, signal transduction, DNA replication and repair, cell growth metabolism, apoptosis, as well as cancer of breast, colon, lung and prostate organ sites.

A lecture course in an applied forensic science discipline offered at the discretion of the forensic science faculty. Subject may be chosen from across forensic science but will typically involve forensic DNA analysis or forensic microscopy.

A lecture and/or laboratory course offered at the discretion of the chemistry faculty. Subject may be chosen from theoretical and/or practical applications in biochemistry, analytical, inorganic, physical or organic chemistry.