Biochemistry

Biochemistry is the study of the chemistry of living systems. Biochemists use of principles of general chemistry, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and physical chemistry to understand biological systems. We study the structures of the various classes of biomolecules, how their activity is affected by their structures, and how they interact with one another in an incredibly complex and dynamic array of metabolic processes that transfer, store, and release energy to meet the needs of the organism.

About the Majors

Ohio Wesleyan offers two distinct majors in chemistry to meet the educational and career goals of students.

  • B.A. Biochemistry. The Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry is for students who wish to obtain a biochemistry background that is ancillary to another major or area of interest. This major requires sufficient breadth and depth in biochemistry while still providing flexibility in choice of courses in order to meet students’ needs and interests. This major is appropriate for students intending to pursue careers in medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, secondary school teaching, industrial sales, or other fields, such as graduate work in molecular biology, that benefit from a biochemistry background. The B.A. Biochemistry major is not intended for students planning to pursue graduate work in biochemistry or a professional career as an industrial biochemist.
  • B.S. Biochemistry. The Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry is for students intending to pursue professional careers in the biochemical industry or graduate work in biochemistry or other fields such as molecular biology, immunology, or microbiology. This major is also appropriate for students intending to pursue careers in medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, secondary school teaching, industrial sales, or other fields that require a solid biochemistry background, but who want a more developed major than that offered by the B.A. Biochemistry major.
  • ACS-Certified Biochemistry. This major is no longer accepting new students.

Related Minors

Think Big

All Biochemistry majors have opportunities to conduct independent research under the guidance of a faculty member.

Biochemistry majors conduct research in areas as diverse as computer modeling, synthesis and analysis of inorganic complexes, design and testing of probes for environmental analysis, synthesis of complex organic molecules, and chemical modification of proteins.

Research & Independent Study Summer Science Research Program

Ibuprofen Research

Ali Amer '23 worked with Prof. Bethany Rudd to examine the nature of interactions between ibuprofen and a component of our cell membranes. Investigating this piece of the puzzle helps us understand how ibuprofen adn other medications work in our bodies.

Summer Research

In 2020 Alejandra Coronel-Zegarra ’22 completed a 10-week project to research faster and more effective ways to create photosensitizers, or molecules that produce chemical changes in other molecules.

Yeast Research Project

Madeleine Sorrick '19 spent the summer of 2018 working with two professors at The Ohio State University exploring "Yeast Display of Cysteine Free 3E8 Antibodies."

Go Global

OWU provides several ways for you to combine academics and travel across the country and around the world. In Travel-Learning Courses, you one or two weeks of travel is built into a class, adding depth and context.

You can also participate in research at other universities, internships across the country, or special projects that you design yourself to complete anywhere in the world.

Travel-Learning Courses

Public Health in Haiti

Valentina Marginean ’16, a triple major in Biochemistry, Pre-Medicine, and Sociology/Anthropology, traveled to Haiti for her Theory-to-Practice grant titled, "An Analysis into the Effects of Structural Violence in Haitian Public Healthcare."

Watch the Video

Get Real

Build your experience and connections to the professional world with internships at universities, research centers, hospitals, and other organizations.

You also can received University-funded Theory-to-Practice Grants for research projects that you design.

Internships Theory-to-Practice Grants

Mayo Clinic Internship

Emma Hall '21 researched stress, locomotion and zebrafish mutant analysis under the mentorship of Karl Clark, Ph.D. in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Highlights

Teaching & Research Labs

The department features seven modern laboratories for classroom research and four dedicated labs for use in independent research with faculty. The facilities are designed to expedite workflow and promote collaboration.

Women in Science (WINS)

The Ohio Wesleyan Women in Science Organization is a collection of students who share a passion for mathematics and the natural and social sciences. They share information about research opportunities, graduate school positions, and summer internships; promote discussion of issues facing women in science; bring in guest lecturers; arrange field trips; and participate in community service.

Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy exposes samples to a broad band of infrared radiation. OWU has three IR spectrometers: a Thermo-Nicolet Nexus 670 FT-IR, a Thermo-Niclolet Avatar 360 FT-IR, and a Nicolet 210 FT-IR.

Diode Array UV/Vis Spectrometer

Ultraviolet/visible (UV/Vis) spectroscopy measures the light absorptions by molecules due to electronic excitations in the ultraviolet and visible regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. OWU has three HP8453 UV/Vis spectrometers, one of which is equipped with an HP 89090A temperature control module.

Graduate Outcomes

Madeleine Sorrick ’19

After graduating, Madeleine was accepted into the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine. While at OWU, Madeleine participated in a Travel-Learning Course comparing the national health care systems in the U.S. and Europe and conducted summer research on songbirds and on biochemistry.

Science Careers

Recent graduates have moved straight from OWU to science careers at Battelle Memorial Institute, Boehringer Ingelheim, the Clean Air Council, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Monsanto, and other leading corporations and organizations.

Pathway to Medicine

Recent OWU graduates are enrolled in medical school at Boston University, Johns Hopkins, Michigan, Northwestern, Ohio State, and many other top programs.

From OWU to Yale

Biochemistry major Evan Bai graduated from OWU in 2011 and moved on to graduate school at Yale. In December 2015, his research on how benign brain tumors become malignant was published in "Nature Genetics," the most prestigious research journal in genetics. After graduating from Yale, he became a research scientist in computational genomics at Vertex Pharmaceuticals in Boston.

On the Fast Track

After graduating from OWU in biochemistry and physics in 2016, Alexandra Cook worked for a year in a research program at the Mayo Clinic, earned an M.S. in chemical engineering at Columbia, then was hired as a senior research engineer at Celgene in New York City. As an undergraduate at OWU, she completed a research internship at the Mayo Clinic and volunteered at a Delaware food pantry.

Headlines

Events

A Look at Biochemistry

See All 6 Items
Chemistry Lab

Chemistry Lab
Summer Science Research Symposium

Summer Science Research Symposium
Public Health in Haiti

Public Health in Haiti

Travel-Learning Chemistry in Germany

Travel-Learning Chemistry in Germany
Laboratory Work

Laboratory Work

Department Contact Info

Location

Schimmel/Conrades Science Center
Ohio Wesleyan University
Delaware, OH 43015
P 740-368-3907
F 740-368-3999

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Department Contact

Chair: Katherine Thomas
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Schimmel/Conrades Science Center 362
740-368-3526
klthomas@owu.edu

Academic Assistant: Judy Arlington
Schimmel/Conrades Science Center 201
740-368-3907
jaarlington@owu.edu