CHEM C179
Biological Inorganic Chemistry
Description: Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Requisites: courses 153A (or 153AH), 171. Role of metal ions in biology. Topics include interactions of metal ions and metallocofactors with proteins, nucleic acids, and other biological molecules; mechanisms of metal ion transport and storage; metallocofactor biosynthesis; hydrolytic chemistry; biological electron transfer; metalloenzymes; metals in medicine. Concurrently scheduled with course C279. P/NP or letter grading.
Units: 4.0
Units: 4.0
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Most Helpful Review
Winter 2025 - Probably one of if not the most favorite of my classes I've taken at this school. Although it was definitely hard for someone who hadn't really mastered 171 material (wish that class was taught better), and has not taken any quantum chemistry (which should maybe be a prerequisite for this course), I genuinely feel so much more connected with bio and inorganic chemistry than I did before. Every lecture did feel like information overload, but that was because every slide contained so much valuable/interesting information that I was fully engaged throughout the entire lecture. You could tell that Dr. Shafaat was incredibly interested in the material (evidence being the constant interjections about methods and processes being 'so cool', etc.) and although at times, she kind of assumed that we had prior knowledge, discussion section helped so much with filling those knowledge gaps! The midterm was pretty fair and it was so nice to take a class in which learning took priority over getting a good grade. I also really enjoyed the specific aims project, as I felt like I was able to hone my research skills by doing something I was interested in. I just love that I can actually go to both biochemistry and inorganic chemistry research talks and understand what is being said based on the knowledge I've gained from this class. If you're thinking of taking 179, definitely do!
Winter 2025 - Probably one of if not the most favorite of my classes I've taken at this school. Although it was definitely hard for someone who hadn't really mastered 171 material (wish that class was taught better), and has not taken any quantum chemistry (which should maybe be a prerequisite for this course), I genuinely feel so much more connected with bio and inorganic chemistry than I did before. Every lecture did feel like information overload, but that was because every slide contained so much valuable/interesting information that I was fully engaged throughout the entire lecture. You could tell that Dr. Shafaat was incredibly interested in the material (evidence being the constant interjections about methods and processes being 'so cool', etc.) and although at times, she kind of assumed that we had prior knowledge, discussion section helped so much with filling those knowledge gaps! The midterm was pretty fair and it was so nice to take a class in which learning took priority over getting a good grade. I also really enjoyed the specific aims project, as I felt like I was able to hone my research skills by doing something I was interested in. I just love that I can actually go to both biochemistry and inorganic chemistry research talks and understand what is being said based on the knowledge I've gained from this class. If you're thinking of taking 179, definitely do!
Most Helpful Review
Fall 2015 - Alex is a fantastic professor who teaches a great class that is an broad overview of inorganic chemistry as applied to biology and bionanoscience. Very relevant topics. Assignment is a presentation on a researcher and an NIH style research proposal. Great class for anyone planning on continuing in science or medicine.
Fall 2015 - Alex is a fantastic professor who teaches a great class that is an broad overview of inorganic chemistry as applied to biology and bionanoscience. Very relevant topics. Assignment is a presentation on a researcher and an NIH style research proposal. Great class for anyone planning on continuing in science or medicine.
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Most Helpful Review
Dr. Valentine absolutely knows her stuff well. This class is ok for me. My interest in the subject neither increase nor decrease after taking the class. Midterm and final was easy (only took me an hour or so to finish). There is a CPR assignment, which is a pain cause u have to read 2 or 3 scientific papers and compare them and write an essay about it. Your peers review your work and grade you. Overall, this is an ok class and ok professor. her lectures are sometimes dry but it's ok.
Dr. Valentine absolutely knows her stuff well. This class is ok for me. My interest in the subject neither increase nor decrease after taking the class. Midterm and final was easy (only took me an hour or so to finish). There is a CPR assignment, which is a pain cause u have to read 2 or 3 scientific papers and compare them and write an essay about it. Your peers review your work and grade you. Overall, this is an ok class and ok professor. her lectures are sometimes dry but it's ok.
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