Molecule to Organism

This program will develop and interrelate concepts in laboratory biology, organic chemistry, physiology, and biochemistry, thus providing a foundation for students who plan to continue studies in chemistry, laboratory and field biology, and medicine. In a yearlong sequence, students will carry out upper-division work in organic chemistry, biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, and developmental biology. This program will also give students many of the prerequisites needed for the following health careers: medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, naturopathy, optometry, and pharmacy.

The program will examine the subject matter through the central idea that structure defines property and function, integrating a scaled theme from the molecular and cellular to the organismal level. As the year progresses, the scaled theme will continue through studies of cellular and biochemical processes in biological systems at all levels. We will examine organic chemistry, the nature of organic compounds and reactions, and carry this work into biochemistry and the fundamental chemical reactions of living systems.

The program will contain a significant laboratory component involving extensive hands-on learning. Students will write papers and maintain laboratory notebooks weekly. All laboratory work and approximately half of non-lecture time will be spent working in collaborative problem-solving groups. Group work will also include reading and discussion of topics of current or historical significance in science. This is an intensive program, the subjects are complex and the sophisticated understanding we expect to develop will require devoted time and attention each week both in and out of class.