CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY
CHM 575: Nucleic Acid Biochemistry
Monday-Wednesday-Friday
9:30 - 10:20
Room: Eppley College of Business 312
Spring, 2010
INSTRUCTOR
Dr. Juliane Soukup
RS 233, Phone 280-3265
Email: jksoukup@creighton.edu
OBJECTIVES
Students will be introduced to the most current research in the area of
nucleic acid biochemistry. Students will be able to define and describe the
structure and function of nucleic acids, biochemical processes involving
nucleic acids, interactions of nucleic acids with proteins and drug molecules,
catalytic nucleic acids, and the genome and genetic engineering. Students
will use the knowledge they gain to analyze biochemical problems, design
biochemical experiments and integrate each individual topic into the larger
field of nucleic acid research. In addition, students will also learn to critically
read scientific literature and discuss the results with their peers. Finally,
students will form a hypothesis and design experiments related to a specific
area of nucleic acid biochemistry and they will have to orally defend their
proposal to their peers.
This syllabus contains course information you will use throughout the semester. Please take a few
minutes to familiarize yourself with its contents before our first laboratory session. If you have
questions regarding course organization or policies, please ask.
As your professor I wish you success in this course, and I am here to help you whenever you need it.
My best advice is to stay on schedule and come prepared to each class!
ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY!! There will be discussion sessions almost every week, which will
constitute a portion of your grade, therefore you must be present in class.
In addition, class
participation is required and is part of your grade.
REQUIRED TEXT
Blackburn, Gait & Loakes; Nucleic Acids in Chemistry & Biology 3rd edition, 2006.
Many other handouts available on my website: http://chemistry.creighton.edu/~jksoukup
OFFICE HOURS
The times I will be in my office are listed below.
Monday: 1:30-2:30
Tuesday: 11:30-12:30
Other times are available by appointment.
Page 1
Thursday: 9:30-10:30
EXAMS
There will be a midterm and a final exam during the semester. Exams may be in-class or take-home
format. In-class exams will be closed book, closed notes, and the format of these exams may include
multiple choice, problem solving, matching, literature critique and short essay. The exams are worth
100 points each.
An official document (physician’s certificate, etc.) is necessary in cases where it is physically impossible
for you to attend an exam. You must notify me beforehand to take an exam at any other time than
when scheduled. The alternate exam will be different, more difficult, and may be given in a written or
oral format. Regardless of circumstances, only one exam may be made up. You must take a makeup
exam within three days of the time originally scheduled.
LITERATURE DISCUSSION
The most current information on nucleic acid biochemistry comes from the most recent findings
reported in research journals. Therefore, you will be required to read, discuss and critique scientific
articles. The class will discuss these articles as a group and you will be graded on your participation.
Once during the semester you will be the discussion leader on one of the assigned articles. In addition,
you will be required to write a short critique of two articles throughout the semester.
RESEARCH PROJECT/PAPER
Every student will be required to choose an area of research they are interested in and investigate one
aspect of it. You will then devise a set of experiments to test an unanswered question in this field. You
will write a research paper describing your topic and experiments and you will present your ideas orally
to the class. The following are some of the available journals in the Creighton libraries where you can
look for articles of interest. Topics must be approved by Dr. Soukup.
Reinert Alumni Library:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA
Nature
Science
Journal of the American Chemical Society
Health Sciences Library:
Biochemistry
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA
Nature
Science
New England Journal of Medicine
American Journal of Human Genetics
WEBSITES
Reinert library e-journals site
http://atoz.ebsco.com/home.asp?Id=383
National Library of Medicine database
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi
Elsevier Science Direct database
http://www.sciencedirect.com/
If needed, please see me for hints and assistance in your literature searches and for additional research
journal recommendations.
Page 2
GRADING
Your grade will be determined from two exams, class participation, group discussion/literature critiques,
and your research project (paper/presentation).
Midterm Exam
100 pts
Final Exam
100 pts
Class Participation
50 pts
Literature articles
Article discussion
30 pts
Critiques (2 @ 10 pts each)
20 pts
Research project
Paper
100 pts
Presentation
50 pts
______________________________________________________________
TOTAL
450 pts
GRADING SCALE
90.0%-100%
85.0%-89.9%
80.0%-84.9%
75.0%-79.9%
70%-74.9%
60%-69.9%
<60%
A
B+
B
C+
C
D
F
A more detailed description of the grading criteria for discussions, literature critiques, and the research
project/paper will be given to you before each of these items are due.
ELECTRONIC ITEMS IN CLASS
You are expected to turn off all items that emit sounds and noises that may interrupt class (cell phone,
pager, watch alarm, etc.).
ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
Please reference the academic honesty procedures on Creighton's website.
http://www2.creighton.edu/fileadmin/user/CCAS/docs/acadhonesty.html
The academic misconduct code includes “representing the work of others to be one’s own (cheating on an
exam, plagiarizing papers, etc.), tampering with the experiments of others, defacing or tampering with
library or student materials or facilitating dishonesty on an exam.” Misconduct also includes using
unauthorized materials in academic exercises, falsification of records, unauthorized possession of
examinations, intimidation, and all other actions that may improperly affect the evaluation of a student’s
academic performance. This includes situations in which you notice or are aware of cheating by someone
else and do not report it immediately. A zero will be recorded for the exam/quiz/group solving/activity.
Please do not abuse the trust I have in you.
WEATHER & CLASS CANCELLATION
If the University is closed due to severe weather we will not have class. If class has to be canceled for any
other reason I will contact you using your official Creighton email account (blueline). If a canceled class
falls on a day that an assignment is due/a literature discussion is planned/an exam is scheduled I will
contact you by email to let you know how the class schedule will be altered.
Page 3