Biochemistry

Overview

The Biochemistry program from University of Maryland emphasizes intensive mentoring, formal and informal training in presentation skills, scientific writing, bioinformatics, teaching chemistry and biochemistry, and professional ethics. 

Research specialization is available in protein structure, dynamics, and function; protein-protein and protein-nucleic acid interaction; protein and nucleic acid biochemistry; RNA and DNA structure, dynamics, interactions, and function; macromolecular folding and supramolecular assembly; biomolecular nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography; proteomics, metabolomics mass spectrometry; membrane proteins, protein-lipid interaction, membrane structure and function; carbohydrate chemistry, glycobiology; immunology; bio-organic chemistry; post-translational protein modification and signaling; metabolic regulation; enzyme mechanisms; drug metabolism. 

Facilities and Special Resources

Biochemistry faculty and graduate students work in well-equipped, state-of-the-art research laboratories. Instrumentation and facilities that are available for research in biochemistry include analytical and preparative ultracentrifuges, high- and ultra-high field nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers (600, 800, 900, 950 MHz), X-ray diffractometers and SAXS, fluorimeters, circular dichroism spectrometers, fluorescence- and phosphor-imagers, calorimeter, mass spectrometers, proteomics and genomics core facilities, Sanger and next-generation DNA sequencing, microarray, quantitative PCR, electron microscopes, atomic force microscopes, confocal and TIRF fluorescence microscopes, flow cytometer, animal colony, fermentation pilot plant, high-performance computing, and a chemistry-biochemistry library.