Spring Semester 2022 | 2 credits | Th 10:10-11:15 AM | Room: TBD or NHH 1-136
Instructors:
Dave Thomas (course director), BMBB (Nils Hasselmo Hall 5-124, 5-0957, ddt@umn.edu)
Summary: This course introduces the principles of spectroscopy and discusses applications of specific techniques to biochemical structure and dynamics. This course is designed for advanced undergraduates (Jr or Sr) and first- and second-year graduate students, who have taken at least one semester of undergraduate physical chemistry or physics. The first part of this section deals with optical spectroscopy, especially UV/visible absorption and fluorescence. The second part covers spin-label electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Particular emphasis is placed on the use of extrinsic spectroscopic probes that are attached to specific proteins and provide information on the relationship of structural dynamics and interactions to function. There is no required prerequisite course, but Bioc 4521 (Introduction to Physical Biochemistry) provides excellent preparation for this course. Students should contact the course director to discuss questions about prerequisites and other issues.