Program Description:
The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology offers a program of study leading to the Master of Science degree in biochemistry and molecular biology. The M.S. program provides the student with a strong biochemical background that can serve as a basis for further graduate or professional study. Graduate study with faculty in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology leading to a Doctor of Philosophy degree is available through the Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. Program.
Major research interests of the department are grouped into three interrelated areas: molecular structure and function, molecular genetics, and the application of microarrays and magnetic resonance (MR) to biomedical research. Specific research projects deal with the structure and function of membranes, proteins and enzymes, nucleic acids, chromatin structure and function, molecular genetics, nucleotide metabolism, microbial systems biology, and the use of MR to study biochemical phenomena.
Admissions Requirements:
Applicants must fulfill the requirements for admission established by the Graduate School. A bachelor’s degree in the biochemical, biological, or chemical sciences, including course work in organic chemistry, physics, and calculus, is generally required. In addition, letters of recommendation are an important admission consideration.
Facilities:
BMB General Facilities
The BMB department has modern biochemical and molecular biological research equipment, including visible-ultraviolet recording spectrophotometers, spectrofluorometers, DNA synthesizer, circular dichroism spectrophotometer, FPLC, Silicon Graphics molecular modeling system, DNA array, real-time PCR system, stopped-flow reaction analyzer, liquid scintillation counters, gamma counters, ultracentrifuges, various kinds of electrophoresis equipment, phosphorimager, gas-liquid chromatographs, high pressure liquid chromatographs, and tissue culture facilities. NMR, mass spectrometry, and biocontainment facilities are available for departmental use. A modern, well-equipped laboratory animal facility is also available.
Center for Genomics Research
The Center for Genomics Research (http://www.med.wright.edu/cgr) (CGR) is a research center of excellence at Boonshoft School of Medicine. CGR’s primary mission is to provide support and core facilities for Wright State research faculty engaged in basic and clinical research in the areas of gene expression, flow cytometry, and genotyping. The center strives to cultivate collaborations between basic and clinical researchers at Wright State through training of personnel, collaborative projects undertaken at CGR, and joint grant submissions involving researchers and CGR members.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Laboratory
The WSU Magnetic Resonance Laboratory houses two research instruments: (1) a 8.5 Tesla Wide-Bore (89 mm clear bore) 360 MHz NMR System equipped with a Tecmag Discovery Console; and (2) a Varian INOVA 600 NMR Spectrometer.
The 360 NMR system has various Bruker commercial probes for proton, fluorine, and broadband capabilities. This system is also used for NMR studies in vivo and is equipped with several home-built probes that can accommodate mice or rats.
The Varian INOVA 600 is equipped with:
- a triple resonance inverse probe (1H/13C/X),
- a broadband observe probe with a 13C/1H decouple channel (X/13C/1H),
- an Inverse Nanoprobe for 1H MAS spectroscopy in small volumes (40 ul),
- a variable temperature unit (FTS Systems, XR401 Air-Jet Crystal Cooler, -40 °C to +100 °C), and
- a Zymark XP Robotics Sample Changer (50 sample capacity.)
Initiative for Biological Computation
The purpose of this Initiative is to advance biological computation in the College of Science and Mathematics, the Boonshoft School of Medicine and Wright State University by: a) facilitating and enriching research involving biological/biomedical computation, b) recruiting and training students in the evolving areas of biological/biomedical computation, and c) serving the College, the School, the University and the community by facilitating collaborations among researchers within Wright State University and the larger community.
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