Much of today’s scientific effort is directed toward an understanding of biological processes from the physical and chemical points of view. Curricular initiatives at Haverford, begun as a result of a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, led to the development of biologically oriented courses of study in the chemistry and physics departments. The concentration in biochemistry and biophysics recognizes current and undoubtedly enduring trends in interdisciplinary science by establishing in the curriculum a formal program of classroom and laboratory training at the interface between the physical and biological sciences.

To be a member of the concentration, a student must major in one of the three sponsoring departments: biology, chemistry or physics. On the student’s transcript, the concentration may be recorded as one in biochemistry, biophysics or biochemistry/biophysics, depending on the individual program of study. However, students may not obtain both a chemistry minor and a biochemistry concentration, and they may not obtain both a physics minor and a biophysics concentration.

Faculty

• Professor of Physics Walter F. Smith
  Concentration Coordinator
• Professor of Chemistry Karin Åkerfeldt
  Concentration Advisor
• Professor of Biology Robert Fairman
  Concentration Advisor
• Professor of Biology Jennifer Punt
  Concentration Advisor
• Professor of Chemistry Robert C. Scarrow
  Concentration Advisor
• Associate Professor of Physics Suzanne Amador Kane
  Concentration Advisor
• Assistant Professor of Chemistry Casey H. Londergan
  Concentration Advisor

Requirements

To earn an Area of Concentration, a student must complete an interdisciplinary course of study beyond the requirements of a single natural science department. We describe below only the four more popular programs of study within the concentration. Students interested in other options, such as a concentration in both biochemistry and biophysics, should consult with the faculty representatives listed above to design a course of study encompassing the required courses and any proposed substitutions.

Note All concentrators must also complete a major in biology, chemistry or physics. This requires course–work in the student’s major department in addition to what is outlined below.

Course Requirement Notes

Some of the requirements below involve CHEM 351; the prerequisites for this course have recently changed to: at least two of the following courses: BIOL 200b, CHEM 225, and CHEM 320.

Some of the requirements below refer to 'a proteins course', which is one of the following: BIOL 303, CHEM 352 (topics in biophysical chemistry, must be taught with protein emphasis), and CHEM 357 (topics in bioorganic chemistry, must be taught with protein emphasis). Whether CHEM 352 or CHEM 357 has a sufficient emphasis on protein structure and function in a given year will be determined by the concentration coordinator. Because of overlapping content, only one 'proteins course' can be used to satisfy the concentration requirements.

• Biochemistry/Biophysics Core Curriculum (required of all)

  1. BIOL 200 (cell biology; full year course).
  2. One semester of BIOL 300 (laboratory in biochemistry and molecular biology, cross-listed as CHEM 300).
  3. CHEM 112 (chemical dynamics).
  4. One semester Mathematics course numbered 114 (calculus II) or higher.
  5. PHYS 101-102 or 105-106 (introductory physics).

  If students do not take these courses at Haverford or Bryn Mawr, they must have the substitute course(s) approved for college credit by the relevant departments. Beyond this foundation, students must take the following advanced interdisciplinary coursework:

• Biology Major with a Biochemistry Area of Concentration

  Biology majors desiring a Biochemistry Area of Concentration must complete the Biochemistry/Biophysics core curriculum (see above) as well as the following additional requirements. Students may use courses meeting concentration requirements for the biology major in lieu of one semester of BIOL 300.

  1. CHEM 111 (chemical structure and bonding) or 115, CHEM 222 and 225 (organic chemistry)
  2. CHEM 304 (statistical thermodynamics and kinetics) or 305 (quantum chemistry)
  3. CHEM 301 or 302 (laboratory in chemical structure and reactivity).
  4. Two half-semester advanced courses from the following list: CHEM 351 (bioinorganic chemistry), 352 (topics in biophysical chemistry) and 357 (topics in bioorganic chemistry); topics courses may be taken multiple times with different topics
  5. Two half-semester courses from the following list: BIOL 301 (genetics), 302 (cell architecture), 303 (structure and function of macromolecules), 304 (biochemistry: metabolic basis of disease), 306 (inter- and intra-cellular communication), 308 (immunology), 310 (molecular microbiology), 314 (photosynthesis), and 351 (molecular motors and biological nano-machines).
  6. Of the courses taken to fulfill requirements 4 and 5 above, one (and only one) must be a 'proteins course', as defined above.

• Biology Major with a Biophysics Area of Concentration

  Biology majors desiring a Biophysics Area of Concentration must complete the Biochemistry/Biophysics core curriculum (see above) as well as the following additional requirements. Students may use courses meeting concentration requirements for the biology major in lieu of one semester of BIOL 300.

  1. MATH 121 (calculus III) or 216 (advanced calculus).
  2. PHYS 213 (waves and optics), 211 (laboratory in electronics and waves; half-credit course) and 326 (advanced physics laboratory)
  3. PHYS 214 (quantum mechanics) or CHEM 305 (quantum chemistry)
  4. PHYS 303 (statistical physics) or CHEM 304 (statistical thermodynamics and kinetics)
  5. PHYS 303 (statistical physics) or CHEM 304 (statistical thermodynamics and kinetics)
  6. One half-semester course from the following list: BIOL 301 (genetics), BIOL 302 (cell architecture), BIOL 304 (biochemistry: metabolic basis of disease), BIOL 306 (inter- and intra-cellular communication), BIOL 308 (immunology), BIOL 310 (molecular microbiology), BIOL 314 (photosynthesis), and BIOL 351 (molecular motors and biological nano-machines).
  7. One half-semester 'proteins course', as defined above.

• Chemistry Major with a Biochemistry Area of Concentration

  Chemistry majors desiring a Biochemistry Area of Concentration must complete the Biochemistry/Biophysics core curriculum (see above) as well as the following additional requirements. Students may use courses meeting concentration requirements for the chemistry major in lieu of CHEM 302.

  1. Two half-semester courses from the following: CHEM 351 (bioinorganic chemistry), 352 (topics in biophysical chemistry) and 357 (topics in bioorganic chemistry); topics courses may be taken multiple times with different topics
  2. Two half-semester courses from the following list: BIOL 301 (genetics), 302 (cell architecture), 303 (structure and function of macromolecules), 304 (biochemistry: metabolic basis of disease), 306 (inter- and intra-cellular communication), 308 (immunology), 310 (molecular microbiology), 314 (photosynthesis), and 351 (molecular motors and biological nano-machines).
  3. Of the courses taken to fulfill requirements 1 and 2 above, one (and only one) must be 'proteins course', as defined above.

• Physics Major with a Biophysics Area of Concentration

  Physics majors desiring a Biophysics Area of Concentration must complete the Biochemistry/Biophysics core curriculum (see above) as well as either PHYS 320 (introduction to biophysics) or two half-semester courses from the following list: BIOL 301 (genetics), BIOL 302 (cell architecture), BIOL 304 (biochemistry: metabolic basis of disease), BIOL 306 (inter- and intra-cellular communication), BIOL 308 (immunology), BIOL 310 (molecular microbiology), BIOL 314 (photosynthesis), BIOL 351 (molecular motors and biological nano-machines), or a 'proteins course' (as defined above). Students may use 300-level biology courses meeting concentration requirements for the physics major in lieu of one or two of the six required 300-level physics courses.