Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Biochemistry I (Face-to-Face)

CHEM 4110-01

Course: CHEM 4110-01
Credits: 4
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Chemistry and Physics
CRN: 31195

Course Description

A course designed to develop a foundational understanding of biochemical processes through an exploration of molecular structure-function relationships. Three-dimensional structures of biological molecules will be a major focus as well as their physical and chemical properties, and their functions within the cell/tissue/organism. Proteins, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and lipids will be discussed in detail. Membrane structure/signaling/transport processes, and enzyme kinetics and mechanisms will also be covered in this course. A minimum grade of "C" (2.0 or above) must be earned in this course before it can be counted in a physical science major or minor or as a prerequisite for any other course. (Fall, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)]

Required Texts

Fundamentals of Biochemistry, 6th ed. by Voet, Voet, and Pratt (2016) ISBN: 978-1-119-90333-8. Chapters 1-10 will be covered this semester. You will be mostly fine in this class if you have the 5th edition instead, but the order of the material has been changed substantially, and it will be your responsibility to make sure you're reading the correct chapters and sections to prepare for class.

You will also need a scientific calculator capable of logarithms.

Learning Outcomes

To fulfill the mission of SUU, courses should emphasize excellence in learning designed to foster critical thinking, effective communication, lifelong intellectual curiosity, global awareness, personal responsibility, and integrity.

Chem 4110 is taught with the following goals: (1) to develop a fundamental understanding of the structures and physical properties of biological macromolecules such as DNA, RNA and proteins, the forces which stabilize these structures and the forces underlying the intermolecular interactions leading to complex formation and conformational changes, (2) to gain an understanding of various methods of purification and analysis of these molecules, (3) to develop an understanding of the principles and mechanisms of enzymatic reactions and signaling and (4) to appreciate the power of biochemistry to address important issues in areas such as nutrition, medicine, agriculture and fuel technologies and to thereby become better-engaged local and global citizens. Specifically, after taking this class, you should be better able to read news articles about and understand drug function, vaccines, biofuels, and other biochemical technology.

Course Requirements

Your grade in this course will be based on homework and exams:

Homework ― 25%
Four exams (evenly weighted) ― 60%
Final exam ― 15%

Exams

Four regular exams will be given in class during the semester. I will announce any date changes (unlikely!!) in class and on Canvas.

Exam 1 ― September 25th
Exam 2 ― October 16th
Exam 3 ― November 13th
Exam 4 ― December 11th

A rough schedule of material to be covered each class period is available below. We may not stick exactly to that schedule, but the exams will be given on the dates scheduled. I will not test you over material that we haven't yet covered in class. However, if we're ahead (extremely unlikely!!!), an exam may include more than is listed in the schedule. While the exams will focus on the material in each section, biochemistry by its nature is cumulative, and these exams will be cumulative as well. I can’t cover everything in class. I will try to hit the most important parts of each subject, and the exams will naturally focus on what I think is most important, but all of the material in the book and study guides is fair game for exams. Note: It is a department policy to retain all exams. Grades will be posted on Canvas. Exams will be available for you to look at during my office hours until the end of the semester.

Final exam

The final exam will be Tuesday, Dec 15th from 7-8:50 am. The final is comprehensive, including Chapters 1-10 from the textbook and some additional material that we will cover this semester. There is no ACS final for the first semester of biochemistry.

Missed exams

Exams will be given in the classroom this fall. You must take each exam at the time it is offered. A score of zero will be given for any exam that is missed, unless you make prior arrangements in the case of extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances include:

  • a bad illness or an emergency: notify me as soon as possible that you will miss the exam, or why you did miss the exam. I will work with you to schedule the exam when you're able to take it in person.
  • traveling on official university business: it is your responsibility to give me the earliest possible notice that you will miss class, and to make arrangements with me to make up anything you will miss. You will most likely be required to take the scheduled exam before you travel, and I need at least a week of advance notice to prepare the exam before you take it.
  • certain pre-approved absence requests (e.g., travel for a dental school interview). For these absences, you will also most likely be required to take the scheduled exam before you travel.

Please note that any exam that is given outside of the scheduled class period for any reason may be in a different format and cover different content. No exam will be given online except under the most extraordinary circumstances.

Exam difficulties

Each exam will cover a large amount of material. I recognize that otherwise good students may occasionally have a bad test. I will replace one score from Exams 1-4 with the grade from section of your final exam corresponding to the same material that shows the most improvement. However, I will not replace a zero from a missed exam with your final exam grade, except for specific cases outlined in the late work policy below.

Extra credit

To keep things fair, I don’t offer extra credit to individual students.

Course Outline

Week | Class days | Textbook sections | Topic | Exams
1 | Sept 2, 4 | 1.1-1.2 | Syllabus, origin of life, review cellular architecture and functional groups | 
2 | Sept 8, 9, 11 | 1.3, 2 | Thermodynamics review, physical and chemical properties of water | 
3 | Sept 14, 15, 16, 18 | 3, 4.1-4.2 | Amino acids, protein secondary and tertiary structure | 
4 | Sept 21, 22, 23 | 4.3-4.4, A1 | Protein quaternary structure, stability and folding, purification, using PyMOL | Exam 1
5 | Sept 28, 29, 30, Oct 2 | A2, end of 4 | Protein evolution, oxygen binding to myoglobin and hemoglobin | 
6 | Oct 5, 6, 7, 9 | 5, 6.1, 6.3 | Carbohydrates, nucleotides and nucleic acid function | 
7 | Oct 12, 13, 14 | 6.2, A3, A4 | Nucleic acid structure, supercoiling and topoisomerases, working with nucleic acids | Exam 2
8 | Oct 21 and 23 | 7.1-7.3 | Classes of lipids, lipid bilayers, membrane proteins | 
9 | Oct 26, 27, 28, 30 | 7.4-8.1 | Membrane structure and assembly, thermodynamics of transport across membranes | 
10 | Nov 2, 3, 4, 6 | 8.2-8.3 | Transport across membranes | 
11 | Nov 9, 10, 11 | 9.1-9.3 | General properties of enzymes, reaction energetics, catalytic strategies | Exam 3
12 | Nov 16, 17, 18, 20 | 9.4-9.5, 10.1 | Catalytic mechanisms, reaction kinetics | 
13 | Nov 30, Dec 1, 2, 4 | 10.1-10.2 | Enzyme kinetics and inhibition | 
14 | Dec 7, 8, 9 | 10.3 | Control of enzyme activity, analyzing kinetic data | Exam 4

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

If you get sick and miss one or more assignments or quizzes, I will work with you on adjusting due dates and on catching back up with the class. Please let me know as soon as possible if you need to turn in work late. When you contact me I will suggest a new due date or ask you to come up with one. I know that this may be difficult if you're sick, and in that case you can expect some flexibility from me.

I also understand that occasionally things come up in your personal life that may make you late with a homework assignment. Please feel free to ask if you need to turn something in late, with the understanding that we will set a new due date, that this should not be a frequent occurrence, and that I may say no if you are asking regularly, since it's strongly to your advantage to keep up with the class, and since I need to spread grading out relatively evenly over the semester to ensure that I have adequate time to give it the attention it deserves. 

Occasionally students have emergencies or personal circumstances that make it difficult or impossible for them to attend class for some portion of the semester. If that's the case for you I don't need the details, but please let me know that something is going wrong so that I can help you get in touch with the Dean of Students, who can assess your needs and encourage your professors to accommodate your absences or help you withdraw from your classes if necessary. In extreme cases I may offer to replace a missed exam grade with a portion of your final exam grade. In case of an incomplete, I may offer to let your midterm exam average for the semester take the place of your final exam grade. I may also extend homework deadlines or waive certain homework assignments altogether.

Please understand that making up work later is only possible up to a certain extent, since the class has to keep moving. If you have an extended period of late or missing work, you may reach a point where you won't be able to catch back up, and will need to consider withdrawing from the class or taking an incomplete, depending on where we are in the semester. University policy only allows me to offer an incomplete to a student who has completed at least 75% of the course requirements and is passing the class.

Attendance Policy

I don't require attendance. However, this is a face-to-face class, and you will most likely need to be in the classroom this semester if you want to do well in the class. I will make an audio recording or record the class via zoom only for students who are sick, students for whom this is an ADA accommodation, students traveling on university business who request this access in advance of travel, or for students with certain pre-approved absence requests (e.g., travel for a dental school interview). To describe our classroom camera as inadequate when it comes to clearly recording what's on the whiteboard seems like an understatement. If you need to miss class, your best bet will be to get a copy of the notes from a student who was there.

Course Fees

There is no fee for this course.

Prerequisites

Prerequisite(s): CHEM 2320 and CHEM 2325 and BIOL 1610 and BIOL 1615 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.