Human Biochemistry
CHEM 117
Fall 2010
| Section:
01
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| Certificates: Civic Engagement |
The first part of the course will focus on the basic steps, the molecules, the chemical reactions, and the pathways that make up human energy metabolism. This should give students the background for understanding what happens to food on the molecular level. This will be followed by a consideration of how the demand for energy is communicated between cells. These concepts will be applied to the examination of the regulation of human metabolism by insulin and other hormones as well as by the nervous system. In the second part, the focus will shift to genetics, evolution, and genetic engineering. The course will cover how the genetic information is passed on from one generation to the next and how the genetic information controls the activities of each cell in an organism. The following section will be on evolution and the relationship between evolution and genetics. Then we will examine how genetic engineering is done as well as some of its applications and the impact the information from the human genome project is having. The course is presented with the assumption of no prior college-level background in science. The concepts will be presented at the molecular level. Each section will include the introductory material to familiarize you with the chemical, biological, and physical background concepts that the section is based on. This course will contain a significant cooperative/collaborative learning component. In general, Mondays and Fridays will be lecture classes and Wednesdays will be cooperative/collaborative days. The cooperative/collaborative sessions will be based on working in groups. Each group, with each group consisting of three or four students, will, as a group, prepare written answers to a few questions that will be equivalent, in content and difficulty, to those in the then-current homework assignments. One of the primary aims of cooperative/collaborative learning is for the students to be able to be able to talk about the material and to be able to explain the material to their cohorts. |
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Essential Capabilities:
Logical Reasoning, Writing |
| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
NSM CHEM |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: None |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
| Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
| Examinations and Assignments:
Weekly written assignments and two written quizzes. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
The first part of the course will focus on the basic steps, the molecules, the chemical reactions and the pathways that make up human energy metabolism. This should give you the background for understanding what happens to food on the molecular level. This will be followed by a consideration of how the demand for energy is communicated between cells. These concepts will be applied to the examination of the regulation of human metabolism by insulin and other hormones as well as by the nervous system.
In the second part the focus will shift to genetics, evolution and genetic engineering. This will begin with how the genetic information is passed on from one generation to the next and how the genetic information, primarily DNA, controls the activities of each cell in an organism. The next section will be on evolution. The study of evolution is closely related to the study of genetics. Then we will turn to examine how genetic engineering is done on bacteria as well as on human cells including human embryonic stem cells.
The techniques of genetic engineering are allowing new animal and cell model systems to be developed to investigate human metabolism. The information from the human genome project, and the recently determined draft of the haplotype map, is allowing the identification of genetic differences between individuals as well as the features the human genome has in common with the genomes of other species. The information about the genome and its variations are being combined with new diagnostic methods to screen for the genetic differences in the regulation of metabolism. The genome information is also allowing identification of the key steps in metabolic pathways and these are now being targeted by the traditional methods of pharmaceutical chemistry and those being developed for genetic intervention. There will be discussion of the possible uses of gene therapy in treating metabolic disorders as well as some of the ethical issues involved in genetic engineering. At the end of the semester you should be familiar with not only the science aspects but with the ethical issues that accompany the application of the science.
The course material is presented with the assumption of no prior college level background in science. The concepts will be presented at the molecular level. Each section will include the introductory material to familiarize you with the chemical, biological and physical background concepts that the section is based on.
One class day each week is spent in cooperative/collaborative learning in which small groups work together. The use of illustrations to convey information is emphasized in all of the course. This course cannot be counted toward the chemistry major. |
| Instructor(s): Bolton,Philip H. Times: .M.W.F. 10:00AM-10:50AM; Location: HALL51; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 18 | | SR major: 0 | JR major: 0 | | |
| Seats Available: 6 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 2 | JR non-major: 5 | SO: 5 | FR: 6 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 2 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 2 |
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