Document Type
Syllabus
Publication Date
Fall 2024
Course Description
Biochemistry is not just Biology plus Chemistry. The field is always expanding (think of all of the news reports you have heard in your life just concerning what we know about chocolate on the body…). There are too many things to attempt to learn in just one or two classes. The main purpose of this course is to understand the basic underpinnings of chemistry in the living world. Toward this goal, we will study the four basic biochemical building blocks: nucleotide, amino acid, carbohydrate, and fatty acid. The focus of the class will begin with the monomeric building blocks and scaffolding towards increased complexity resulting in the composition, structure, and energetics of biological macromolecules such as DNA, RNA, proteins/enzymes, and cell membranes/walls as well as the use and storage of energy. Structure equals function. During this course you will take part in classroom and laboratory experiences that will expand your understanding of the biological world. By participating in class, completing problem sets, and performing experiments in lab, you will learn why physical exercise increases stamina, how to save someone from methanol poisoning, and explain to your friends why it’s a bad idea to skip breakfast. Prerequisite: CHEM 120; Pre/Co-requisite: CHEM 170. Required for a major in Biochemistry.
Recommended Citation
Kehr, Andy, "CHEM 240 Structure and Function of Biomolecules Kehr Fall 2024" (2024). All Course Syllabi. 885, Scholarly and Creative Work from DePauw University.
https://scholarship.depauw.edu/records_syllabi/885
Student Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course you should be able to: - Visualize and describe the structures of the four major biopolymers - Describe, on a molecular level, how biochemical structures form and how structure relates to function - Perform and understand fundamental biochemical techniques - Interpret biochemical data