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Biochemistry and molecular biology encompasses the study of biological systems at the molecular level.
These systems have the capacity to transform energy, to make cellular components, to sense their environments, to
reproduce, and to regulate these molecular processes. Biochemistry and molecular biology majors explore these aspects
of biology using concepts and methods that have been adapted from chemistry, physics, and biology. Therefore, a firm
grounding in these disciplines is central to the successful study of this field.
The Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology Program at Mills has generous laboratory facilities, and also uses equipment located in the Chemistry,
Physics, and Biology Departments. These departments and their facilities are housed in the Betty Irene Moore Natural
Sciences Building. Notable in the selection of equipment are thermal cyclers for polymerase chain reactions, a digital
gel imaging system, nucleic acid hybridization ovens, an ultraviolet (UV) wavelength cross-linker, a tabletop
ultracentrifuge, UV-visible spectrophotometers, both gas-liquid and high-performance liquid chromatographs, a nuclear
magnetic resonance spectrometer, a fluorometer, and a 96-well plate reader. The Scheffler Bio-Imaging Center contains
a Leica DMLR research-quality fluorescence microscope with both film-based and digital cameras, and a
research-quality Nikon dissecting scope also capable of photo microscopy. Standard laboratory equipment is also available,
such as clinical and high-speed centrifuges and micro-centrifuges, bacterial cell shakers and incubators,
electrophoresis equipment, dissecting and compound microscopes, and culturing facilities for embryos and algae.
The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Program offers excellent preparation for graduate study in
biochemistry and molecular biology, molecular genetics, developmental biology, and other newly emerging disciplines
such as genomics and systems biology. It also provides valuable training for students wishing to pursue careers in
medicine, dentistry, and other health science professions. The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Committee, composed
of biology and chemistry faculty members, administers this program and advises majors. Entering students considering
this major are urged to take General Chemistry in their first year at Mills. Students wishing to pursue careers in
research are further urged to obtain laboratory research experience; opportunities are available both on and off
campus.
Note: To declare a major in biochemistry and molecular biology, a student must have completed
General Biology (BIO 001 and BIO 002), General Chemistry (CHEM 017 and CHEM 018), and at least one semester of
Organic Chemistry (CHEM 105). The grade average for these courses must be at least B-. Some exceptions may be made
upon the recommendation of the program committee. Students required to declare a major before completing these
courses may provisionally declare the major. The provisional declaration may be revoked if the student does not
earn a B- average or better in these courses.
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