Outcomes Suggested by ASBMB for Undergraduate BCMB Programs

American Society of Biochemists and Molecular Biologists

Suggested Outcomes

    Content

1. Cell structure
2. Structure-function relationships of biomolecules
3. Protein folding, molecular basis for protein function, regulation of protein activity, (proteomics)
4. DNA/RNA structure and function
5. Enzyme kinetics, mechanisms of reversible and irreversible enzyme inhibitors, ligand binding, detailed chemical mechanisms of enzymes
6. Metabolism and regulation, signal transduction
7. Supramolecular assemblies
8. Physical biochemistry: Thermodynamics, kinetics, molecular spectroscopy, solutions and equilibria, ligand interactions, molecular modeling.
9. Classical genetics and the "Central Dogma"
10. DNA replication, transcription and translation
11. Topics in DNA/RNA structure-function
12. Genomics, regulation of gene expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes
13. Protein synthesis and processing
14. Genetic engineering techniques
15. Bio-informatics

    Lab Skills

1. Isolation and characterization of proteins and other biomolecules
2. Enzyme kinetics and inhibition
3. Genetic engineering techniques
4. Quantitative techniques
5. Data acquisition/statistics
6. Use of computer databases
7. Spectroscopy (e.g. UV/VIS, fluorescence, NMR, MS)
8. Electrophoretic techniques (e.g. PAGE, CE, blotting etc.) ­
9. Chromatography (need add HPLC) ­
10. DNA isolation and sequencing ­
11. Cloning­
12. PCR ­
13. Microscopy
14. Aseptic techniques
15. Microarrays

    General Skills

1. Awareness of the major issues at the forefront of the discipline. ­ Develop Senior Seminar
2. Ability to assess primary papers critically. ­ Develop Senior Seminar
3. Ability to dissect a problem into its key features.
4. Ability to design experiments and understand the limitations of the experimental approach.
5. Ability to interpret experimental data and identify consistent and inconsistent components.
6. Ability to design follow-up experiments.
7. Ability to work safely and effectively in a laboratory.
8. Awareness of the available resources and how to use them.
9. Ability to use computers as information and research tools.
10. Ability to collaborate with other researchers.
11. Ability to use oral, written and visual presentations to present their work to both a science literate and a science non-literate audience.
12. Ability to think in an integrated manner and look at problems from different perspectives.
13. Awareness of the ethical issues in the molecular life sciences. ­ Develop Senior Seminar
14. Good "quantitative" skills such as the ability to accurately and reproducibly prepare reagents