Learning Goals for the Brandeis Biochemistry Major
General statement of purpose:
The modern discipline of biochemistry lies at the nexus of what classically have been considered
the three “hard” sciences: physics, chemistry, and biology. This subject draws from physics and
chemistry fundamental principles governing the behavior of molecules, and seeks to understand
how these principles underlie the workings of living cells. The focus of the Brandeis
biochemistry curriculum - the fulcrum around which the fundamental molecular principles are
brought to bear upon life-processes - is the study of macromolecules. These huge molecular
complexes - proteins, nucleic acids, and membrane assemblies - are the molecular machines that
directly carry out virtually all operations of living cells: transmission of genetic information
through the generations, catalysis of the chemical reactions that allow energy to flow through
biological systems, generation of electricity in the nervous system, communication amongst
tissues of multicellular organisms, disruption of healthy life-processes by pathogenic microorganisms, to name a tiny fraction of the myriad examples of macromolecular function.
Two features of biochemistry as a discipline strongly influence our undergraduate curriculum.
First, biochemistry is intrinsically reductionist in attitude. It finds value in studying the isolated
parts of biological machines as a means of understanding those more complicated machines
themselves, as well as their interactions with the cellular milieu. It asserts that macromolecules,
despite their own complexity, can be understood by judicious application of physical-chemical
law. Second, as a young field still exploding with new techniques and insights (rather analogous
to physics in the first half of the 20th century), biochemistry is very much a moving target.
While the fundamental physical-chemical principles underlying macromolecular behavior are
timeless, the biochemical manifestations of these principles continue to change on the rapidly
expanding edge of discovery. Our curriculum must be designed to track this change - to train
students to engage with future issues in life-science that do not currently exist.
Knowledge
All students graduating with a Biochemistry major should have knowledge of the following
general areas:
* Basic principles of cell biology.
* Firm understanding of general chemistry and organic chemical reaction mechanisms,
particularly in the area of carbonyl chemistry.
* Molecular forces determining protein and nucleic acid folding and membrane assembly.
* Mechanisms by which enzymes catalyze cellular chemical reactions.
* Strategies by which cells store and transmit information in DNA and RNA.
* Mechanisms for communicating changes in the extracellular environment to the cell’s interior.
* Techniques for determining molecular structures of macromolecules.
* Relation of impairment in macromolecular function to disease.
* All Honors majors will be additionally required to carry out an original research project in the
laboratory of a Brandies life-science faculty member.
Core skills
Our curriculum requires majors to use a set of basic skills to attack problems particular to
biochemistry, some of which should be mastered through prerequisites taken even before
encountering our introductory course. The core skills needed for the major are:
* Facility with familiar mathematical functions, proficiency in univariate calculus, and
understanding of basic elements of probability and statistics.
* Familiarity with the application of calculus to problems in classical physics.
* Mastery of basic principles of equilibrium thermodynamics and chemical kinetics.
* Ability to read and analyze primary research literature.
Goals of preparation in biochemistry
Upon graduation, biochemistry majors will be well-placed for:
* Graduate and postdoctoral study in preparation for careers in biomedical research.
* Employment in pharmaceutical and biotech companies.
* Careers in other biologically related areas, such as patent law, public health policy, etc.
Goals for non-majors
The Biochemistry curriculum also serves many students with majors in other departments,
particularly Biology, Neuroscience, and Chemistry. Our goals for these students are aimed less
at the quantitative mastery of the subjects listed above for majors, and more towards attaining a
basic literacy regarding behavior of proteins and nucleic acids in cellular function.