Courses
Doctoral courses are divided into two levels:
- Course numbers in the 70000s are required core courses
- Course numbers in the 80000s are advanced, special topics courses and seminars
Current courses can be found via CUNY's Dynamic Course Schedule.
Core Curriculum Courses
The following courses comprise the core curriculum of the Biochemistry Ph.D. Program. All students in the program are required to complete these courses, with the exception of BICM 71130 which is taken on an as-needed basis.
BICM 71010 - Advanced Biochemistry I (Protein Structure and Function/Metabolism)
Protein structure, enzyme kinetics, binding proteins, allostery; metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, and nucleotides; physiological relevance and regulation of pathways.
Prerequisite: A one semester course in biochemistry
BICM 71020 - Advanced Biochemistry II (Bioenergetics/Molecular and Cellular Biology)
Membranes: structure, transport and other functions; muscle and cytoskeletal biochemistry; bioenergetics: respiration and photosynthesis; DNA replication, transcription, translation; RNAs; genetic technologies.
Prerequisite: A one semester course in biochemistry
BICM 71110 - Research Techniques in Biochemistry I
2-6 credits
Students perform rotations in 3 or 4 laboratories to gain experience in modern research techniques.
Corequisite: BICM 71010
BICM 71120 - Research Techniques in Biochemistry II
2-6 credits
Continuation of Biochemistry 71110
Prerequisite: BICM 71110
BICM 71130 - Research in Biochemistry
2-6 credits
Continuation of Biochemistry 71120 when necessary.
Prerequisites: BICM 71110 and BICM 71120
BICM 72010 - Basic Seminar in Biochemistry I
1 credit
In-depth analysis of topics covered in BICM 71010 using current literature. Students prepare individual or group presentations.
BICM 72020 - Basic Seminar in Biochemistry II
1 credit
In-depth analysis of topics covered in BICM 71020 using current literature.
BICM 75000 - Bioorganic Chemistry
Structural and physical chemistry of molecules relevant to biological systems including drugs; interactions between ligands and macromolecules such as drugs and their targets; molecular design and synthesis.
BICM 77000/77001 – Physical Biochemistry
Principles and applications of classical and statistical thermodynamics, spectroscopy, kinetics, x-ray crystallography and other techniques to the study of biochemical systems.
Advanced Courses
BICM 81000 – Seminar in Biochemistry
15 hours, 1 credit
Must be taken three semesters; usually designed around relevant current literature and with visiting scientist presentations; includes Grant Writing.
BICM 82000 – Doctoral Dissertation Research
Credits variable
Prerequisite: Successful performance on the First Level Examination
BICM 84000 - Enzymology
Enzyme structure; specialized kinetics; mechanisms in detail; active site design; regulation of catalytic activity; drugs as inhibitors.
BICM 85000 - Nucleic Acid Metabolism and Function
Current views on the molecular structure of DNA and RNA, their biosynthesis and degradation, their functional role in protein synthesis and in development.
BICM 87001 - Bioinformatics/Computer Coding
The use of databases for comparative analysis of biomolecules and their functions; visualization and evolutionary and homology relationships among macromolecular sequences and structures; introduction (workshop) to computer coding for bioinformatic analysis.
BICM 88800 – Current Topics in Biochemistry
15 hours, 1 credit
Recent advances in selected areas of biochemistry.
BICM 90000 – Dissertation Supervision
1 credit, repeated each semester until degree is completed.
Prerequisite: Completion of all required courses.
Course Details: Research Techniques in Biochemistry I and II
The goal of the Research Techniques in Biochemistry course sequence is to introduce first year biochemistry students to biochemical experimentation and acquaint them with several research groups which they may ultimately consider joining to undertake their Ph.D. thesis research.
During the course of one year, students should pass through three or four laboratories depending on the student’s interest and availability of laboratory placements. Before initiating the first rotation, the student must see the coordinator for their College campus to identify areas of interest and determine the schedule of rotations. The coordinator will also make arrangements with participating faculty in selected labs.
Students are encouraged to work with any program faculty member(s) of their choosing, irrespective of the faculty member’s college affiliation. If the student wants to learn a technique or gain experience in an area of biochemistry that is not available in the program, the coordinator can approve and make arrangements for a rotation through any other research laboratory.
Although a minimum of eight hours per week is required for each four-credit course, it is more reasonable to schedule two days per week.
After completing a rotation, the student must submit a written report consisting of an introduction including a statement about the research problem, a description of experiments, a presentation of results including the treatment of data, and a discussion. The report grade will be submitted by the coordinator as the course grade.
If students are unable to complete a rotation by the end of the semester a grade of “Incomplete” will be assigned temporarily.
