Physics 303/607

Biology 303/607

Class times: MWF 10-10:50 AM

Instructors:

(1) Professor Martin Guthold, Phone: 758-4977, Office: 302 Olin, e-mail:gutholdm@wfu.edu, http://www.wfu.edu/~gutholdm/

(2) Professor Daniel Kim-Shapiro, Phone: 758-4993, Office: 208 Olin, e-mail:shapiro@wfu.edu, http://www.wfu.edu/~shapiro/

Office hours: Kim-Shapiro: Mondays 2:00-3:00 pm, Thursdays 9:00-11:00 am, Fridays 1:00-2:00 pm or by appointment. Guthold: M, W, F; 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm, or by appointment

Texts: Principles of Physical Biochemistry, 2nd Edition, by K.E. van Holde, W. C. Johnson, and P.S. Ho; Neurodynamix,by W.O. Friesen and J.A. Friesen. Additional reading will be assigned in the form of journal articles and handouts

Supplementary texts: 1. Biophysical Chemistry Part II, Techniques for the study of biological structure and function, by Charles Cantor and Paul Schimmel (1980). 2. Biochemistry by Lupert Stryer (1988).

Learning Outcomes

· Students will be proficient in the fundamental concepts of biological macromolecular structure and function, various spectroscopic techniques (x-ray, absorption, light scattering etc), and membrane biophysics

· Students will use critical thinking skills to formulate and solve quantitative problems

· Students will demonstrate an ability to apply core physical concepts in practical environments.

Grading:

Undergraduate Students

2 hour exams.............................................................45%

Final Exam................................................................35 %

Problem Sets............................................................20%

The lower hour exam score will be worth 20% and the higher one 25%.

Graduate Students

2 hour exams.............................................................35%

Presentation of Journal Article......................................10%

Final Exam................................................................35 %

Problem Sets............................................................20%

The lower hour exam score will be worth 15% and the higher one 20%.

Emphasis in grading will be placed on how each problem is solved. All work showing how the solution was obtained must be shown. An answer with the correct answer but poor method is inferior to one with the wrong answer but good method.

Problem sets will generally be assigned on a weekly basis and the students will have one week to complete them. Students may help each other on problem sets but each student must write their own solution to each problem. The lowest score on homework will be dropped. .

Graduate students will present one of the journal articles that are part of the reading assignments.

Exam Schedule

Hour Exams: February 21, April 11; Final Exam: May 2 (9 AM)

Hour Exams will be given in the evening with agreeement from the class.

Per departmental policy, cell phones will be collected during exams.

Wake Forest’s Honor code will be strictly enforced.