CHEM 0400

BIOPHYSICAL AND BIOINORGANIC CHEMISTRY

Spring 2015
Instructors: Prof. Eunsuk Kim (Lecture)
Email: Eunsuk_Kim@brown.edu
Office Hours: Mondays, 1:30 3:30 pm, GeoChem 327
Prof. Li-Qiong Wang (Lab-Wednesdays, Thursdays)
Email: Li_Qiong_Wang@brown.edu
Office: GeoChem 337
Lectures:

MWF, 11:00 11:50 AM

MacMillan 305

Labs:

WTh, 1:00 5:00 PM (First meeting: February 11, 12)

MacMillan 209

Text:

Principles of Bioinorganic Chemistry by Lippard & Berg

(Publisher: University Science Books, ISBN: 1-935702-72-5 or 0-935702-73-3)
Books on Reserve at Sciences Library (3 hrs bldg use):
Biological Inorganic Chemistry-Structure and Reactivity. Bertini, Gray,
Stiefel, and Valentine, 2007
Chemical Principles 5th ed. Zumdahl, 2005

Learning Objectives:
By the time you complete Chem 400, you should be able to (i) demonstrate an
understanding of the fundamental aspects of coordination chemistry, and (ii)
explain the principles of the structure and reactivities of metalloproteins and other
metallobiomolecules.
The lab is designed to get the hands-on experience in the core biophysical and
bioinorganic chemistry and help you to have a better understanding of the theory
and principals learned from the lectures. The majority of the labs focus on the
metal ion interactions with biomolecules and metal ions roles in enzyme catalysis.

Grade:

Two mid-terms (Mar 4th, Apr 15th)

Laboratory
Class presentation & discussion
Final

40%
20%
10%
30%

Lecture Outline:
1. Basics of physical and inorganic chemistry necessary to understand life processes
(~13 lecture hours)
Transition Metals and Coordination Chemistry
Bonding (valence bond, molecular orbital, and crystal field theory)
Electrochemistry
2. Major roles of metal ions in biology (~17 lecture hours)
O2 Carriers & O2 Activating Enzymes
Electron Transfer & Catalysis
Metal Ions & Oxidative Stress
Metal Ion Uptake and Regulation
3. Metals in medicine (~4 lecture hours)
Cancer
Neurodegenerative diseases
Imaging and Diagnosis