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Course

Biochemistry

BIOL-40357

Learn Biochemistry Online

 

In this online course, students will study life at the atomic and molecular level. This course introduces the fourclasses of biomolecules that are the building blocks of living organisms – proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. Students will explore how bioenergy is stored in and extracted from food sources. Finally, students will study how inheritable genetic information is stored in the form of DNA and orchestrates the functions of cells through the processes of transcription and translation. The course is appropriate for students who have not taken a biochemistry course and those that have and want to refresh their knowledge in the area. A rudimentary understanding of biology and chemistry is recommended.

Topics

 
  • Atoms; Life; Water
  • Protein Composition and Structure
  • Concepts and Kinetics of Enzymes
  • Hemoglobin, Carbohydrates, and Lipids
  • Membranes, Signal Transduction, and Digestion
  • Metabolism, Glycolysis, and Acetate
  • The Citric Acid Cycle and Oxidative Phosphorylation
  • Nucleic Acid Structure and DNA Replication
  • RNA synthesis, processing and regulation
  • Protein synthesis

Learning Objectives




 
  • Analyze and evaluate situations and problems using critical thinking skills.
  • Integrate and relate scientific concepts to personal experiences and the broader world.
  • Understand the iterative nature of science, recognizing current knowledge as a base for future research and scientific innovations.
  • Identify and appreciate the contributions of scientists from minoritized groups to the advancement of the field.
  • Comprehend the intricacy of life's chemical processes, and synthesize the roles biomolecules play within these processes.
  • Formulate judgments on how to contribute to the society by assessing and disseminating credible scientific information.
  • Explain the biological significance of biomolecules, distinguish their foundational components, and apply their chemical traits to elucidate their functions.
  • Analyze the structure/function relationship of biomolecules, and correlate these attributes with other biomolecular entities.
  • Describe the central dogma of molecular biology, understanding its essentiality for human life and its implications in health and disease.
  • Apply foundational equations to calculate and interpret energetics, buffering, and enzyme kinetics and inhibition.
  • Critique and reflect on the practical application of course concepts in laboratory settings and health professions.

Prerequisites





 

There are no required prerequisites for this course. This course assumes knowledge of basic biology and chemistry.

Format





 

This course is offered in an online asynchronous format. There are no set meeting times, however, students follow a weekly schedule and there will be deadlines to meet in terms of course requirements. This course cannot be completed at an accelerated rate.

Transferring for College Credit

 

Many courses at UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies may be eligible for college credit at UC San Diego or other institutions. Credit transfer is determined by the receiving institution. We recommend consulting with the registrar's office at your intended institution before enrolling to confirm how your courses will transfer.

Services for Students with Disabilities

 

Please submit your request and appropriate documentation at least 20 business days before the quarter begins to allow us time to review, approve and arrange your accommodations. For more information: visit Services for Students with Disabilities. 

 

Course Information

Online
4.50 units
$845.00

Get more information

Course sessions

Add To Cart

Section ID:

187273

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Biochemistry: A Short Course 4th
by Tymoczko, John L. & Berg, Jeremy M
ISBN / ASIN: 9781319114633

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 1/13/2025

Note:

This section uses the Biochemistry course version designed by Dr. Brett Barbaro.

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Jake LeVieux

Jake LeVieux
Full Bio
Closed

Section ID:

185314

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Biochemistry: A Short Course 4th
by Tymoczko, John L. & Berg, Jeremy M
ISBN / ASIN: 9781319114633

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 1/13/2025

Note:

This section uses the Biochemistry course version designed by Dr. Brett Barbaro.

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Closed

Instructor: Agape Awad

Agape Awad
Agape M. Awad, Ph.D., is currently serving as a Medical Communications Manager in the Oncology Division in Amgen, Inc. In her role at Amgen, Dr. Awad serves as the US Leukemia Lead for FDA-approved therapeutics and pipeline products. Previous to her work in Amgen, Dr. Awad was a Senior Scientist at Edwards Lifesciences, a cardiovascular medical device company that specializes in transcatheter and surgical heart valve technologies, as well as critical care technologies and devices. Previously, Dr. Awad served as an Instructional Faculty Member in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UCLA, where she taught Biochemistry and led Biochemistry laboratory original research. Dr. Awad received her PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles in Biochemistry, Molecular, and Structural Biology, and completed her Post-doctoral Fellowship at UCLA, as well. Her research focused on metabolism and medical/pathological implications of impaired metabolic states and how to potentially treat such diseases through bona fide molecular pathways. Dr. Awad has over 12 years of laboratory experience and 8 years of teaching/lecturing experience. In her free time, Dr. Awad enjoys spending time on the water, playing basketball and volleyball, teaching Sunday School to children, and traveling.
Full Bio
Closed

Section ID:

185316

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Biochemistry: A Short Course 4th
by Tymoczko, John L. & Berg, Jeremy M
ISBN / ASIN: 9781319114633

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 1/20/2025

Note:

This section uses the Biochemistry course version designed by Dr. Brett Barbaro.

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Closed

Instructor: Brett Barbaro, Ph.D.

Brett Barbaro, Ph.D.

Consultant, Scripps Research Institute

Brett Barbaro is a consultant at Scripps Research Institute where he is currently working on building physical and atomic-resolution computer models of biological systems. He has over 15 years of laboratory experience and has published numerous articles and several book chapters. He is a graduate of Harvard University’s biochemistry program and received his Ph.D. from the University of California Irvine, where he studied the molecular mechanisms of Huntington’s Disease.

Full Bio
Add To Cart

Section ID:

187157

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Biochemistry: A Short Course 4th
by Tymoczko, John L. & Berg, Jeremy M
ISBN / ASIN: 9781319114633

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 1/20/2025

Note:

This section uses the Biochemistry course version designed by Dr. Brett Barbaro.

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Brett Barbaro, Ph.D.

Brett Barbaro, Ph.D.

Consultant, Scripps Research Institute

Brett Barbaro is a consultant at Scripps Research Institute where he is currently working on building physical and atomic-resolution computer models of biological systems. He has over 15 years of laboratory experience and has published numerous articles and several book chapters. He is a graduate of Harvard University’s biochemistry program and received his Ph.D. from the University of California Irvine, where he studied the molecular mechanisms of Huntington’s Disease.

Full Bio
Add To Cart

Section ID:

185315

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Biochemistry: A Short Course 4th
by Tymoczko, John L. & Berg, Jeremy M
ISBN / ASIN: 9781319114633

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 1/20/2025

Note:

This section uses the Biochemistry course version designed by Dr. Brett Barbaro.

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Praveen Kumar

Praveen Kumar

Dr. Praveen Kumar brings his strong interdisciplinary interest and outstanding training in the fields of Microbiology, Biochemistry, Molecular Cell Biology, and pathophysiology to his course on human physiology. Dr. Kumar has been working for the Biotechnology/ Pharmaceutical industry for the last 9 years where he has been involved in cutting-edge research to understand the molecular basis of disease and to support drug discovery programs. He has 10 years of research experience from UCSF in basic science and has published his work in peer-reviewed journals and has presented it at leading national and international conferences. In his spare time, Dr. Kumar enjoys hiking and biking.

Full Bio
Add To Cart

Section ID:

187154

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Biochemistry: A Short Course 4th
by Tymoczko, John L. & Berg, Jeremy M
ISBN / ASIN: 9781319114633

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 1/27/2025

Note:

This section uses the Biochemistry course version designed by Dr. Brett Barbaro.

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Kirthi Reddy

Kirthi Reddy
Kirthi Reddy received her Ph.D. from Stanford University, where she studied effects of chromatin modification on DNA double-strand break formation. She completed her postdoctoral training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, researching how interactions with microbes influence neuronal signaling and behavior. She then spent over ten years as a research scientist at UCSD and the Salk Institute where she worked in a broad range of fields including pathogen resistance, the genetics of autism, and cancer biology. She has published numerous journal articles and has mentored many students in the lab. In her free time, Dr. Reddy enjoys spending time with her kids, playing ping-pong, and solving puzzles. 
 
Full Bio
Add To Cart

Section ID:

185317

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Biochemistry: A Short Course 4th
by Tymoczko, John L. & Berg, Jeremy M
ISBN / ASIN: 9781319114633

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 1/27/2025

Note:

This section uses the Biochemistry course version designed by Dr. Brett Barbaro.

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Matthew Weinstock

Matthew Weinstock

Matthew Weinstock is a Group Leader at the biotechnology company AbSci where he is currently leading a team of scientists in the Molecular Sciences group in developing bacterial strains to produce complex biopharmaceuticals.  Previously he was a scientist at Synthetic Genomics, Inc. where he focused on large-scale genome engineering of novel microorganisms for biotech applications. He earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Utah, where he worked on the discovery and development of mirror-image peptide therapeutics for emerging infectious diseases.
 

Full Bio
Add To Cart

Section ID:

185325

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Biochemistry: A Short Course 4th
by Tymoczko, John L. & Berg, Jeremy M
ISBN / ASIN: 9781319114633

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 1/27/2025

Note:

This section uses the Biochemistry course version designed by Dr. Brett Barbaro.

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Kirthi Reddy

Kirthi Reddy
Kirthi Reddy received her Ph.D. from Stanford University, where she studied effects of chromatin modification on DNA double-strand break formation. She completed her postdoctoral training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, researching how interactions with microbes influence neuronal signaling and behavior. She then spent over ten years as a research scientist at UCSD and the Salk Institute where she worked in a broad range of fields including pathogen resistance, the genetics of autism, and cancer biology. She has published numerous journal articles and has mentored many students in the lab. In her free time, Dr. Reddy enjoys spending time with her kids, playing ping-pong, and solving puzzles. 
 
Full Bio
Add To Cart

Section ID:

185319

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Biochemistry: A Short Course 4th
by Tymoczko, John L. & Berg, Jeremy M
ISBN / ASIN: 9781319114633

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 2/3/2025

Note:

This section uses the Biochemistry course version designed by Dr. Brett Barbaro.

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Carla Uranga

Carla Uranga
Carla Uranga, Ph.D., is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the J. Craig Venter Institute, where she is actively working on studying the metabolomics of microorganisms. With a specialty in purification method development, her current focus is on purifying small molecules produced by bacteria from the human oral microbiome and studying their physiological effects on the host immune system and on other bacteria.
 
Prior to joining JCVI, she worked in industry in a variety of capacities, including purification, especially as applied to virus and virus-like particles (VLPs) for oncolytics and vaccine purposes at PaxVax (now Emergent Biosolutions) and in plant molecular biology at Syngenta. She and her husband started a business in Baja California during her doctorate and they currently make natural lotions and soaps for the Guadalupe Valley wine country in Baja California.
 
She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry from the University of California, San Diego, and her doctorate in Life Sciences/Biochemistry from CICESE in Ensenada, Mexico.
 
Full Bio
Add To Cart

Section ID:

185320

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Biochemistry: A Short Course 4th
by Tymoczko, John L. & Berg, Jeremy M
ISBN / ASIN: 9781319114633

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 2/3/2025

Note:

This section uses the Biochemistry course version designed by Dr. Brett Barbaro.

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Tobey Tam

Tobey Tam
Tobey Tam, PhD, has a background in the fields of biotechnology patents, computation biology, and health care. She prosecuted biological, biochemical, and medical device patents in local law firms and in a biotech company. She also holds a California teaching credential and has taught a variety of science and health care courses at the college level for over ten years and has taught at UCSD, CSUSM, and the San Diego Community Colleges. She received her Ph.D. in biology from UCSD and conducted her post-doctoral research at the San Diego Supercomputer Center. When she is not working, she enjoys nature by visiting the state parks.
Full Bio
Add To Cart

Section ID:

185321

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Biochemistry: A Short Course 4th
by Tymoczko, John L. & Berg, Jeremy M
ISBN / ASIN: 9781319114633

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 2/10/2025

Note:

This section uses the Biochemistry course version designed by Dr. Brett Barbaro.

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Jose Saborio

Jose Saborio

Teaching Experience
During his scientific career, Dr. Saborio has taught in-person full or part of courses in Biochemistry and in Molecular Biology to graduate students, and a Biology course in two community colleges: Irvine Valley College, at Irvine, CA, and Saddleback College, at Mission Viejo, CA. Dr. Saborio has been an instructor in eight Biochemistry courses offered by UC San Diego Extended Studies.

Research Experience 
At the Department of Molecular Biology of Beckman Instruments, Inc., Fullerton, CA, Dr. Saborio developed procedures for bulk production of recombinant proteins and antibodies used for diagnostic tests, and later on became Quality Assurance Manager for the company's Molecular Biology product line. 

The following link [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sort=date&term=Saborio+JL&cauthor_id=7806347] opens a list of articles Dr. Saborio has published in peer-reviewed Journals during his scientific career. The articles are listed in no especial order but can be grouped as follows: 1) Studies on Poliovirus that describe work done at the Roche Institute of Molecular Biology, Nutley, NJ. USA, 2) Studies on Adenovirus that describe work done at the Wallenberg Laboratory, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden; 3) Articles on Cytoskeletal and Muscle proteins, done at the Institute of Advanced Studies, National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico City, Mexico; and 4) Articles on T. cruzi flagellar proteins, done at the Polytechnic Institute in Mexico City, the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, and at several sites in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Brazil. This site allows people to read the summary of the articles, and to assess the impact of those articles on the community working in those particular fields.

Full Bio
Add To Cart

Section ID:

185322

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Biochemistry: A Short Course 4th
by Tymoczko, John L. & Berg, Jeremy M
ISBN / ASIN: 9781319114633

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 2/10/2025

Note:

This section uses the Biochemistry course version designed by Dr. Brett Barbaro.

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Katrina Yamazaki

Katrina Yamazaki
Katrina Yamazaki received her Ph.D. in Molecular Pathology from UCSD, where she used x-ray imaging and biochemical techniques to study the mechanisms by which abnormal wall motion leads to an upregulation of inflammation in the heart. Following graduate studies, Dr. Yamazaki was awarded the Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Award (IRACDA) Fellowship, which provided a mentored postdoctoral research experience in the field of mitochondrial biology at UCSD, as well as an opportunity to develop as an instructor through pedagogical training workshops and a mentored teaching assignment at San Diego State University. After her postdoctoral fellowship, Dr. Yamazaki began her academic career at Cal State LA, where she is currently as an Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences.
 
 
Full Bio
Add To Cart

Section ID:

185323

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Biochemistry: A Short Course 4th
by Tymoczko, John L. & Berg, Jeremy M
ISBN / ASIN: 9781319114633

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 2/17/2025

Note:

This section uses the Biochemistry course version designed by Dr. Brett Barbaro.

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Agape Awad

Agape Awad
Agape M. Awad, Ph.D., is currently serving as a Medical Communications Manager in the Oncology Division in Amgen, Inc. In her role at Amgen, Dr. Awad serves as the US Leukemia Lead for FDA-approved therapeutics and pipeline products. Previous to her work in Amgen, Dr. Awad was a Senior Scientist at Edwards Lifesciences, a cardiovascular medical device company that specializes in transcatheter and surgical heart valve technologies, as well as critical care technologies and devices. Previously, Dr. Awad served as an Instructional Faculty Member in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UCLA, where she taught Biochemistry and led Biochemistry laboratory original research. Dr. Awad received her PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles in Biochemistry, Molecular, and Structural Biology, and completed her Post-doctoral Fellowship at UCLA, as well. Her research focused on metabolism and medical/pathological implications of impaired metabolic states and how to potentially treat such diseases through bona fide molecular pathways. Dr. Awad has over 12 years of laboratory experience and 8 years of teaching/lecturing experience. In her free time, Dr. Awad enjoys spending time on the water, playing basketball and volleyball, teaching Sunday School to children, and traveling.
Full Bio
Add To Cart

Section ID:

185324

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Biochemistry: A Short Course 4th
by Tymoczko, John L. & Berg, Jeremy M
ISBN / ASIN: 9781319114633

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 3/3/2025

Note:

This section uses the Biochemistry course version designed by Dr. Brett Barbaro.

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Brannon McCullough

Brannon McCullough
Brannon McCullough Ph.D. has been serving as a Preclinical Research Scientist at W.L. Gore & Associates for over the past five years. His professional responsibilities include developing innovative medical products and technologies. Dr. McCullough's academic background includes B.S. degrees in Chemistry and Physics from the University of Wyoming, followed by a Ph.D. in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale University. His distinguished dissertation research focused on the mechanics of actin filament turnover. He then served as a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Minnesota, where he researched brain cancer cell migration. Subsequently, he taught Chemistry and Biochemistry at Northern Arizona University. In his free time, Dr. McCullough enjoys being with his wife and three sons, exploring the outdoors, and traveling to new destinations.
 
Full Bio