Course of Study: Biochemistry

Director: Warren Kosman, Ph.D.
Neils Science Center 211
Tel. 219-464-5387 Warren.Kosman@valpo.edu

Valpo biochemistry majors know that the work they will do with the knowledge they gain at Valpo has the potential to change the world. By studying the very nature of matter, changes in energy, and compositional changes in matter, they are building a knowledge base and gaining experience in the classroom, the lab, and the real world. This experience will put them on the cutting edge of an influential and exciting, everexpanding field.

What can you do with this major?

Degree, Skills or Experience Needed for Beginning a Job in this Field:

A Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry is adequate for a wide variety of jobs. Graduate or doctoral work in Biochemistry will also broaden opportunities for work in this field.

Kinds of Work Available to Graduates in this Major:

Career opportunities for students with training in Biochemistry range from research opportunities to work in the pharmaceutical field to careers in the medical professions. Potential careers include positions such as analytic chemist, enzyme production chemist, medical chemist, product development chemist, environmental scientist, medical doctor, forensic criminology chemist, and pharmacist, among others. Students with a Biochemistry degree are employed in the private sector by various companies, by schools as secondary level teachers, and also by governmental agencies. Graduate and doctoral level work in Biochemistry can open additional opportunities, such as teaching at the college level or working in research and development.

Potential Hiring Institutions:

The opportunities for employment with a Biochemistry major are wide spread and varied. Potential employers include pharmaceutical companies, various private sector companies such as Eli Lilly or Du Pont, secondary schools, national laboratories, and government agencies such as the FDA, the Department of Agriculture, and the EPA.

Graduate Schools:

Almost all Valpo graduates in Biochemistry are fully supported in their graduate work through teaching assistantships or fellowships, including the National Science Foundation and National Institute of Health. Valpo graduates attend graduate schools such as Princeton, UCLA, University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, and Northwestern, among others.

What is distinctive about Valpo’s program?

Laboratory Instruments

Silicon Graphics O2 work station for molecular modeling; superconducting Fourier transform nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer; Fourier transform infrared spectrometer; high performance liquid chromatograph; Raman laser spectrometer; gel electrophoresis; several spectrophotometers including a diode array instrument and a microplate reader; several refrigerated centrifuges; fluorescence polarization spectrometer; protein sequencer.

Individualizing the Major

Students can get personally involved with research with the faculty. Recent research projects include “Protein-Ligand Binding Probed by Pressure and Fluorescence,” “Dissolution of Pharmaceutical Codings,” “Probing Surfaces of Proteins,” “Inhibition of Lymphocyte Proliferation,” “Harnessing Microbes to Synthesize Organic Molecules,” and “Abnormalities in Regulation of Growth and Differentiation of Cancer Cells,” among others.

What Beyond-the-Classroom Opportunities Does Valpo Offer in This Field?

Off-Campus Opportunities:

Connection-Making: Valpo’s Biochemistry students have opportunities to make numerous off-campus connections.Valpo alumni often speak to students on-campus and have, in the past, hosted experiments and projects for Valpo students at their own off-campus work sites.

Cooperative Education:

Valpo Biochemistry majors can participate in a cooperative education program. This involves combining semesters in chemical research at a professional work site with semesters of traditional academic studies on campus. Though this program will probably extend a student’s college education beyond four years, students are financially reimbursed by the cooperating employer while receiving credit toward the Biochemistry major.

Extracurricular Activities:

Valpo’s Chemistry Club is an affiliate of the American Chemical Society and provides extracurricular opportunities for those interested in Biochemistry and Chemistry in general.

Internships:

Valpo’s close proximity to Chicago means that Valpo’s Biochemistry majors have a vast amount of resources at their disposal. Chicago and Northwest Indiana provide a variety of outstanding internship opportunities.

Study Abroad:

Biochemistry students are able to take part in Valpo’s study abroad programs in countries such as England, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Mexico, China, and Japan. Research: Current Valpo Biochemistry students have an exciting opportunity to do research in the summer with Valpo’s outstanding alumni. This is a unique opportunity for students to participate in research projects while also building “real-world” connections with people in the Biochemistry field.

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