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The University Senate of Michigan Technological University
PROPOSAL 12-
(Voting Units: Academic Departments)
BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, B.S.
with concentrations in
Chemistry and Biological Sciences
1. Program Description
The proposed Biochemistry and Molecular Biology B.S. degree will be offered through a collaboration of the
departments of Chemistry and Biological Sciences. This new degree will be jointly administered by the two
departments and combines the strengths of the existing biochemistry/molecular biology concentrations in each. The
proposed program meets the guidelines set by the BIO2010 report (National Research Council of the National
Academies, 2003) and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) in having a strong
basis in quantitative and physical sciences. Graduates will be prepared for technical and research positions in
industry, particularly biomedical, pharmaceutical and agricultural sciences, and for advanced study in biochemistry,
molecular biology, or health sciences.
This B.S. program recognizes that biochemistry and molecular biology represent a melding of basic biology and
chemistry concepts that truly integrates the topics. The subject can be studied from the perspective of molecular
concepts that are applied to biological systems, or from a cellular biochemical process perspective progressing down
to the molecular scale. Students will choose one of these two complementary approaches by selecting a concentration
in Chemistry or a concentration in Biological Sciences. All students in this B.S. program take a common set of core
courses in chemistry, biology, mathematics, and physics and an additional concentration in Chemistry or Biological
Sciences. This degree is jointly administered by the departments of Chemistry and Biological Sciences through a
committee composed of the two department chairs, and two faculty members from each department.
2. Rationale
Expanding career opportunities in biomedical and biotechnical fields will be available to graduates with a practical and
in-depth understanding of biochemistry and molecular biology. These skills cannot be conveniently acquired through
traditional biology or chemistry degree programs. The joint program takes advantage of faculty expertise in both
departments and offers students the choice of focusing on chemistry or biological processes in their advanced
courses.
During the past decade, the interrelationships between the disciplines of biochemistry and molecular biology have
grown so numerous and complex that the previously distinct boundary between these two disciplines has essentially
vanished and a program with the combined name of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is appropriate. In addition to
traditional areas of research specialization, new areas such as Metabolomics, Bioinformatics, Genomics and
Proteomics have appeared at the interfaces of biology and chemistry. Irrespective of the model system being studied
(plants, bacteria, yeasts, animal cells), investigators now utilize an array of sophisticated techniques and approaches
to address complex cellular problems. Application of these techniques, and development of improved ones, requires a
thorough theoretical understanding of their underlying mechanisms. In recognition of the increased use of molecular
tools and approaches in biochemistry, the premier society for biochemistry, The American Society for Biochemistry
(ASB), was renamed to reflect this change; it is now the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
(ASBMB).
The collaboration of the two departments provides disciplinary strength as well as diversity to this B.S. program. This
program will provide the State of Michigan with graduates educated to actively engage in life science, biotechnology
and pharmaceutical research and industrial productivity. Graduates will be prepared to join a workforce that
increasingly demands interdisciplinary and technologically savvy employees in the biochemical, biomedical and
molecular biology fields. This program draws on the strength of the existing degree concentrations in Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology in both the Biological Sciences and Chemistry departments and complements other recent B.S.
degree programs in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Cheminformatics, and in Bioinformatics at Michigan Tech. The
curricular model for this degree is based directly upon the recommendations forwarded by the ASBMB.
3. Related Programs
The following related programs exist at MTU.
B.S. in Biological Sciences, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry concentration
B.S. in Chemistry with Biochemistry concentration (ACS approved)
B.S. in Bioinformatics
B.S. in Cheminformatics
B.S. in Biochemistry Department of Chemistry
B.S. in General Biochemistry Department of Chemistry B.S. in Professional Biochemistry Curriculum Department of Chemistry B.S. in Biochemistry/Toxicology Program Department of Chemistry B.S. in Biology (Cell and Molecular Biology) Department of Biology
B.A. in Biochemistry Department of Physical Sciences B.S. in Biotechnology Department of Biological Sciences
B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology Interdisciplinary Program (Chemistry, Biology, & Biological Health B.S. in Biology (Genetics and Cell/Molecular Biology) Department of Biology B.S. in Chemistry (Biochem. and Biotechnology Emphasis) Department of Chemistry
B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology/Biotechnology Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
B.S. in Biochemistry Department of Chemistry
B.S. in Biochemistry Interdisciplinary major (Biology & Chemistry) B.S. in Biology (Cell and Molecular Biology) Department of Biology
B.S. in Biochemistry Interdisciplinary major
B.S. in Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology Interdisciplinary major (Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology) B.S./M.S. 5 year program in Cellular and Molecular Biology and Biomedical Engineering
Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (with Biomedical Engineering)
B.S. in Biochemistry Department of Natural Sciences
B.S. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry
The following related minors are also available
o Biochemistry (Biological Sciences)
o Bioprocess Engineering (offered jointly by Chemical Engineering and Biological Sciences)
o Plant Biotechnology (offered jointly by Department of Biological Sciences and the School of Forest
Resources and Environmental Science)
Related Bachelor of Science Degrees at other State of Michigan Universities
Central Michigan University
Eastern Michigan Univ.
Ferris State University
Grand Valley State Univ.
Michigan State Univ.
Northern Michigan University
Oakland University
Saginaw Valley State University
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
University of Michigan, Dearborn
Physics PH 1100 Introductory Physics Lab I PH 1200 Introductory Physics Lab II PH 2100 University Physics I - Mechanics PH 2200 University Physics II - E&M
Mathematics MA 1150/51 or 1160/61 Calculus I MA 2150 or 2160 Calculus II
Computer Science CS 1121 Intro to Computer Science 3 3 General Education and Distribution UN 1001 Perspectives UN 1002 World Cultures UN 2001 Revisions UN 2002 Institutions General Education and Distribution Courses
Total core credits 97
Concentration courses Chemistry Concentration Biological Sciences Concentration CH 3511 Physical Chemistry Lab CH 3541 Bio Physical Chem Lab CH 4222 Intro to Quant. and Instrumental Analysis CH 4720 Biomolecular Chemistry II CH 4910 Senior Seminar II CH 4995 Research in Biochemistry MA 2321 Elementary Linear Algebra MA 3521 Elementary Differential Equations
BL 3240 Cell Biology Select one of the following: BL 3640 Immunology BL 4140 Plant Physiology BL 4350 Developmental BiologyBL 4010 Biochemistry I BL 4020 Biochemistry II BL 4510 Senior Essay BL 4995 Research in Biochemistry
Concentration Credits 23 17-
Electives 8 Electives 11-
TOTAL credits required 128 (Core, Concentration, Elective)
*Students will select one of these courses based on their chosen concentration.
GPA calculation: Students will select a concentration initially to determine advising and GPA determination. The departmental GPA will be calculated for all students in each concentration using grades from: A. The core courses in Biological Sciences and Chemistry AND B. The cognate courses in the concentration (i.e. all the chemistry (CH) courses in the Chemistry concentration OR all the biology (BL) courses in the Biological Sciences concentration). Since this degree is cross-departmental, students will select a concentration, which will determine their department for advising and determination of GPA beyond the core courses.
7. New Course Descriptions
Four new courses were submitted through the course change process and approved, BL/CH 1800, CH 3540, CH 3541, and BL 4995.
8. Library and Other Learning Resources
The support from the library for the existing degrees and their biochemistry concentrations is sufficient at present.
9. Computing Access Fee
Students selecting their concentration (in Biological Sciences or in Chemistry within this B.S. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) will be designated to that home department. Basic computer access fees will be as designated for the home department.
10. Faculty Curriculum Vitae
Biochemistry associated faculty from the departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry:
John Adler, Ph.D., Professor Sterol and ecdysteroid biochemistry Shiyue Fang, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Synthesis of bioactive natural products and oligonucleotide analogs Michael Gretz, Ph.D., Professor Carbohydrate biochemistry Donald Lueking, Ph.D., Associate Professor Microbial biochemistry and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolism Pushpalatha Murthy, Ph.D., Professor Phospholipid and Phosphoinositide metabolism and biochemistry Martin Thompson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor DNA-Protein interactions Ramakrishna Wusirika, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Comparative and functional genomics, molecular analysis of disease resistance Heather Youngs, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Enzyme structure/function analysis, plant and fungal biochemistry
Faculty resumes for Biological Sciences are posted online: http://www.bio.mtu.edu/faculty/index.htm
Faculty resumes for Chemistry are posted online: http://www.chemistry.mtu.edu/pages/faculty/index.php
11. Available/Needed Equipment
All equipment required exists within the respective department laboratories.
12. Program Costs: Years 1, 2, and 3
Since the new degree program is based upon existing concentrations, no new costs are expected. Programmatic advertising costs will be borne by the respective departments.
13. Space
No new laboratory or faculty space is required.
14. Policies, Regulations and Rules None required 15. Accreditation Requirements None required 16. Internal Status of Proposal
Department of Biological Sciences, 11-11-05 , Date Approved Department of Chemistry, 11-11-05 , Date Approved Dean of Sciences and Arts, 11-14-05 , Date Approved Vice Provost for Instruction, , Date Approved Provost, , Date Approved University Support Units, , Date Approved University Senate, , Date Approved Academic Affairs Officers, , Date Approved Board of Control, , Date Approved
17. Planned Implementation Date
Fall Semester, 2006.
Introduced in Senate: 18 January 2006
Adopted by Senate: 1 February 2006
Approved by Administration: 6 February 2006
Approved by BOC: 28 April 2006
