The University Senate of
PROPOSAL 12-06
(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
3. Related Programs
The following related programs exist at MTU.
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
Related
Bachelor of Science Degrees at other State of
Central Michigan University
B.S. in Biochemistry | Department of Chemistry |
Eastern
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 |
Ferris State University
B.A. in Biochemistry | Department of Physical Sciences |
B.S. in Biotechnology | Department of Biological Sciences |
Grand Valley State Univ.
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 |
Michigan
State Univ.
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 |
Northern
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 |
Saginaw
Valley State University
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 Molecular Biology and Biotechnology | Department of Biology |
B.S. in Chemistry (Biochemistry Option) | Department of Chemistry |
Wayne State
University
B.S. in Biological Sciences (Biotechnology Track) | Department of Biological Sciences |
B.S. in Chemistry (Biochemistry Concentration) | Department of Chemistry |
Western
Michigan University
B.S. in Biochemistry | Department of Chemistry |
4. Projected
Enrollment
The current graduates in the biochemistry options between
the two departments are 5-7 per year (2003-2004 data). Our goal is to double
this graduation rate within a few years. Inquiries from prospective students
indicate that the program will attract additional students to Michigan Tech.
5. Scheduling Plans
This Biochemistry and Molecular Biology B.S. will be a
regular on-campus program offering. The anticipated commencement date is Fall
semester 2006.
6. Curriculum Design
All students in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology take a
common set of core courses. Additional
courses are determined by the choice of concentration: Biological Sciences or
Chemistry. This degree is jointly
administered by the Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry. Advising
is based on concentration interest.
Core Courses |
Credits |
|
|
||
Orientation |
1 |
|
4 |
||
Biological Sciences |
4 3 4 3 3 2 3 |
|
22 |
||
Chemistry |
4 1 4 3 1 3 2 3 3 |
|
24 |
||
Physics |
1 1 3 3 |
|
8 |
||
Mathematics |
4 4 |
|
8 |
||
Computer Science |
3 |
|
3 |
||
General Education and Distribution |
3 4 3 3 15 |
|
28 |
||
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 |
2 2 5 3 1 6 2 2 |
BL 3240 Cell Biology Select one of the following: BL 4140 Plant Physiology BL 4350 Developmental Biology BL 4020 Biochemistry II BL 4510 Senior Essay |
3 3 3 3 2 3-6 |
|
Concentration Credits | 23 |
17-20 |
||
Electives | 8 |
11-14 |
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