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Energetics, Structure, and Kinetics
Energetics, Structure, and Kinetics, Part 1 of a three-part California Institute of Technology course called the Biochemistry and Biophysics of Macromolecules and Molecular Assemblies, offers a detailed analysis of the structures of the four classes of biological molecules (proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and carbohydrates) and the forces that shape them. The course is intended for graduate students or advanced undergraduates majoring in biology or chemistry. Part 1 also discusses the energetic principles and molecular mechanism of enzymatic catalysis and presents practical kinetic techniques. Comprehensive lecture notes, in the form of PowerPoint slides, and data and problem sets with answers are available online. A section on Molecular Modeling Programs contains information on downloading and installing several molecular viewing programs, and guides to making movies of molecular objects are also available online. Students can test their comprehension of the material by taking the final examination, which provides answer keys. Part 2, Biophysical Methods, and Part 3, Case Studies, will come online as lectures are completed and lecture notes are posted.
Tertiary Structure
This slide, from Lecture 2 of the Caltech course, shows the tertiary structure of a protein.
Program Director: Christina Smolke, Ph.D.
Award Years: 1992, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006
Summary: The California Institute of Technology is a private research university in Pasadena, California. Its HHMI-funded initiatives include:
- An interdisciplinary training program in synthetic biology (the application of engineering design principles to the construction of biological systems);
- An undergraduate course-assistant program, which provides opportunities for Caltech undergraduates to participate in developing science and engineering courses and labs;
- The creation of interdisciplinary undergraduate lab courses (in physical biology, biomolecular engineering, and neuroscience and neurophysiology) that reflect the core interdisciplinary strengths of research at Caltech;
- Support for women and underrepresented minority students in biology and chemistry who participate in the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program, which gives undergraduates a chance to do research in faculty laboratories;
- Support for the MURF program, which is directed toward giving gifted underrepresented undergraduate students from other universities summer research experiences in Caltech laboratories;
- The Caltech Precollege Science Initiative (CAPSI), which has produced science modules for secondary school students and inquiry-based science courses for teachers; and
- The creation or expansion of two outreach programs:
- The California Classroom Connection (CCC), a student-run organization that matches Caltech students, postdoctoral researchers, and staff volunteers with teachers in the area’s public schools to enhance science instruction in grades 6-12; and
- The Caltech Research Connection (CRC), which brings approximately 15 students from public high schools into Caltech labs to conduct research.