MBTP Program



	CHEM209: Macromolecular Recognition Professor: G. Ghosh, Fall Structures and functions of nucleic acids, folding and catalysis of nucleic acids, motifs and domains of proteins, principles of protein-protein interactions, chemistry of protein/DNA and protein/RNA interfaces, conformational changes in macromolecular recognition. CHEM213: Chemistry and Biochemistry of Macromolecules Professor: P. Jennings, Winter A discussion of the structural principles governing biological macromolecules, the techniques used in their study, and how their functional properties depend on three-dimensional structure. CHEM216: Chemistry of Enzyme Catalyzed Reactions Professor: E. Komives, Spring Physical organic principles of enzyme catalysis with a focus on enzymes of current interest (for example kinases, proteases, oxidoreductases, dehydrogenases) through directed reading and problem solving. CHEM219A: Special Topics in Biochemistry Professor: A. Hoffman, Fall This special topics course is designed for first-year graduate students in biochemistry. Topics presented in recent years have included protein processing, the chemical modification of proteins, the biosynthesis and function of glycoproteins, lipid biochemistry and membrane structure, and bioenergetics.

	*Choose one of the following:* *COGS241: Ethics and Survival Skills in Academia, Winter Course Website: http://ethics.ucsd.edu/courses/survival/index.html Register for COGS241 on the ethics website here AND on TritonLink (like any other class) to receive units for this course.* *SOMI266: Scientific Ethics*, Spring Course Website: http://ethics.ucsd.edu/courses/ethics/index.html Register for SOMI266 on the ethics website here AND on TritonLink (like any other class) to receive units for this course. PHAR219: Ethics in Scientific Research, Spring This is a one week ethics course taught by Dr. Palmer Taylor. Register for it on TritonLink.**

	*Take one of the following elective courses:* CHEM232: Statistical Mechanics of Chemical Systems Professor: P. Wolynes, Fall Equilibrium statistical mechanics, distribution functions, and partition functions. Boltzman, Bose, and Fermi statistics. The different ensembles; ensemble averages and QM expectation values; derivation of thermodynamic properties of simple systems. CHEM239: Special Topics in Physical Chemistry Professor: K. Prather, Winter Topics of special interest will be presented. Examples include NMR, solid-state chemistry, phase transitions, stochastic processes, scattering theory, nonequilibrium processes, tensor transformations, and advanced topics in statistical mechanics, thermodynamics, and chemical kinetics. PHYS171/271: Biophysics of Neurons and Networks Professor: H. Levine, Fall Fundamental limits to measurements on nervous systems, the biophysics of excitable membranes and neurons, and the fundamentals of recurrent neuronal networks. The emphasis is on information processing by the nervous system through physical reasoning and mathematical analysis. Three hours lecture. The graduate version, Physics 271, will include a report at the level of a research proposal. PHYS172/272: Quantitative Molecular Biophysics Professor: T. Hwa, Winter Quantitative link from the biophysics of molecules to the functions of genetic circuits: protein-DNA and protein-protein interaction, transcriptional and post-transcriptional control, elements of genetic circuits including signal integration, combinatorial control, genetic memory, oscillation, and stochastic gene expression.

	These courses are recommended but, not required CHEM207: Modern NMR Methods Professor: S. Opella, Winter Treats varied pulse sequences, one- and two-dimensional methods, interpretation of relaxation rates, spin-decoupling, multiple quantum filtering, and solvent suppression with application to liquid crystals, membranes, small molecules, proteins, and nucleic acids. CHEM214: Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry Professor: D. Donaghue, Fall Emphasis will be placed on contemporary approaches to the isolation and characterization of mammalian genes and proteins, and molecular genetic approaches to understanding eukaryotic development and human disease. CHEM215: Molecular Modeling Professor: L.F. Ten Eyck, Spring Use of computer graphics and modeling methods in the study of biological macromolecules. The course will cover basic methods and techniques. The objective is to provide a good working knowledge of the critical features of the methods and to provide a foundation for further study for those who wish to pursue these methods as research topics. CHEM230: Quantum Mechanics Professor: A. Sinha, Fall Concepts and mathematical formalism that are useful for problems of chemical interest: states, representations, operators, eigenvalues andeigenfunctions, time evolution, observables, and measurements. Time- independent perturbation theory. CHEM231: Chemical Kinetics and Reaction Dynamics Professor: R. Continetti, Winter Classical kinetics, transition state theory, unimolecular decomposition, potential energy surfaces; scattering processes and photodissociation processes. BGGN220: Advanced Molecular Biology Professor: W. McGinnis, Fall Provides a broad, advanced-level coverage of modern molecular biology for first-year graduate students. BGGN221: Advanced Protein Biochemistry Professor: Faculty This course also covers the relationship between the structure and function of selected proteins. BGGN222: Advanced Cell Biology Professor: D. Forbes, Winter A coverage of modern cell biology for first year graduate students. BGGN223: Advanced Genetics Professor: L. Pillus, Spring Provides a broad and extensive advanced-level coverage of molecular and formal aspects of genetics. BGGN224: Advanced Neurobiology Professors: N. Spitzer, M. Feller, M. Scanziani, Fall Course covers modern molecular, cellular, developmental, and physiological aspects of neurobiology. BGGN253: Immunology Professor: S. Ho, Fall Topics in specialized areas of immunochemistry and cellular immunology, etc. BGGN254: Cell and Membrane Physiology Professor: M. Farquhar This course is a survey covering current subjects in membrane biology relevant to medicine. PHYS200A/B: Theoretical Mechanics Professor: P. Diamond, Fall Lagrange's equations, Hamilton's principle, symmetry, constants of motion, action-angle variables, adiabatic invariants, perturbation theory, non-integrable systems and chaos. PHYS203A/B: Classical Electrodynamics Professor: K. Intriligator Electrostatics, symmetries of LaPlace's equations, magnetostatics, Green functions for Maxwell's equations, special theory of relativity, multipole radiation fields. PHYS212: Quantum Mechanics Professor: A. Manohar, Fall PHARM231: Contemporary Topics in the Pharmacological Sciences Professors: R. Tsien and P. Taylor, Spring The course presents the basic principles of fluorescence, looking in more detail at steady-state fluorescence instrumentation and microscopy as well as time-resolved fluorescence and the use of fluorescent tools in research. In this course, students must also select a paper on the techniques of fluorescent tools in studying cellular or molecular function.