Course Descriptions

CHEM 800 - Comprehensive Review in Chemistry

Students read in-depth in a selected field of chemistry to prepare a written review and a presentation of present knowledge and current research in the topic selected. A high standard of writing is required. An oral examination will be conducted by a committee of the department. The student must consult the CHEM 800 Coordinator regarding the selection of a topic and details of this course requirement.

CHEM 801 - Research Proposals

Students are required to submit a research proposal involving an original idea for a research project that has not yet been undertaken. The topic must be approved by the CHEM 801 Coordinator and be distinct from the student’s research problem. The student is required to defend the proposal before a committee of the department.

CHEM 817AA - Mass Spectometry

This course involves a detailed study of mass spectometric (MS) detection in chromatography of organic compound identity and quantitative analysis. The lectures will emphasize mass spectometer instrument design and applications including gas and liquid chromatography coupled with MS and MS/MS for environemental, pharmaceutical and clinical applications.

CHEM 817AB - Inductively Coupled Plasma -MS

The course involves a detailed study of inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection in analysis of inorganic compounds at trace levels. Emphasis will be placed on instrument design, analytical protocal, calibration methods, and new advances in sample introduction accessories. Environmental and clinical applications will be discussed.

CHEM 837AA - Mag Res Spec in Inorg Chem

This course will involve a study of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy as applied to transition metal complexes. The EPR portion will include fundamental aspects, isotropic and anisotropic systems. The NMR portion will be devoted to the use of coupling in inorganic chemistry.

CHEM 837AB - Organometallic Chemistry

A detailed discussion of organometallic chemistry of the transition metals will be presented. Principles including the 18-electron rule, bonding in organometallic complexes, and fluxionality will be discussed. Organometalic structures, reactions and reaction mechanisms will be presented along with practical applications of organometallic compounds, including catalysis and organic synthesis.

CHEM 837AC - Advanced Main Group Chemistry

This course will use a combined lecture/seminar format to examine in detail the chemistry of the p-block elements, including fundamental concepts of structure and bonding. Current literature will be used to discuss recent advances in p-block chemistry, industrial applications, and biological, environmental, and geological aspects of the p-block elements.

CHEM 837AD - Main Group Chemistry

Structure, bonding and applications of main group compounds. Atomic structure and periodic trends, noble gas, solid state, and atmospheric chemistry. Directed readings and a term paper will be assigned in an area of main group chemistry chosen by the student.
**Note: Permission of the Department Head is required to register**

CHEM 841 - Advanced Organic Chemistry

Advanced concepts in organic synthesis including discussions on modern strategies and synthetic methodologies.

CHEM 847AC - Organic Steroselectivity

The fundamental principles and strategies employed in achieving control in stereoselective organic reactions, and the applications of stereoselective reactions in the synthesis of select natural and/or non-natural products of biological and medicinal interests will be examined and discussed. Graduate students will attend the same Chem 490AE lectures.

CHEM 847AG - Synthetic Methods and Applications or Aromatic Compounds

Modern synthetic methods for the construction of aromatic compounds. Introduction to the use of aromatic molecules in various applications.

CHEM 857AB - Group Theory and Electrochemical Methods

This course covers the principles of symmetry, group theory, and electrochemical methods used by chemists. Applications in chemical bonding, vibrational and electronic spectroscopy, electroanalytical chemistry, spectroelectrochemistry, electrocatalysis, energy systems, and environment and water analysis will be discussed.

CHEM 857AC - Electrochemistry and Photochemistry

This course will be an introduction to molecular photochemistry and electrochemistry. Photophysical, photochemical and electrochemical processes and their theories will be discussed. Applications of electrochemistry and photochemistry in biomedicine, catalysis, energy systems, photosynthesis, photovoltaics, sensors, synthesis, and vision will be examined.

CHEM 857AD - Selected Topics in Pure and Applied Inorganic Chemistry

Selected advanced topics in inorganic chemistry will be discussed, including spectroscopy, solid state chemistry, magnetic materials and catalysis.

CHEM 857AE - Industrial Chemistry

Overview of industrial chemistry including business considerations and chemical evaluations, patents, and process chemistry. Agrichemicals, blends and additives, basic inorganic chemicals, oil extraction, emulsions, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, polymer, water issues, and Saskatchewan chemical industries will be covered.

CHEM 857AF - The Mechanics of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

This course will explore foundational aspects of nuclear magnetic resonance, including introductions to: spin operators; density matrix theory; coherences; NMR interactions; and the NMR spectrometer. Discussion of data processing, multidimensional NMR and NMR crystallography will also be provided.

CHEM 857AG - Electrochemistry

This course will be an introduction to molecular electrochemistry. Electrochemical processes and their theories will be discussed. Applications of electrochemistry in analytical chemistry, catalysis, energy systems, and synthesis will be examined.
*Note: Students may receive credit for one of CHEM 857AG or CHEM 490AL.*

CHEM 857AH - Ionic Solutions

This reading course studies Volume I (Ionics) of Modern Electrochemistry (2nd edition, print 1998, e-book 2002), by Bockris and Reddy; e-book available via our Archer Library. The student will learn more about ionic solutions: solvation structure and energies, activity coefficients, ion diffusion and conductivity, and ionic liquids.

CHEM 867AA - Advanced Theoretical Chemistry

Molecular electronic structure theory and approxiimations, Dirac notation, molecular vibration and rotation, statistical mechanics and bulk properities.

CHEM 867AB - Computational Chemistry

Electronic structure of molecules, molecular orbital theory, semi-empirical methods, ab initio methods, molecular mechanisms, use of computer programs.
*Note: Students may receive credit for one of CHEM 867AB or CHEM 461.*

CHEM 901 - Research

Thesis research.

BIOC 800 - Comprehensive Review in Biochemistry

Students read in-depth in a selected field of biochemistry to prepare a written review and a presentation of present knowledge and current research in the topic selected. A high standard of writing is required.An oral examination will be conducted by a committee of the department. The student must consult the BIOC 800 Coordinator regarding the selection of a topic and details of this course requirement.

BIOC 801 - Research Proposals

Students are required to submit a research proposal involving an original idea for a research project that has not yet been undertaken. The topic must be approved by the BIOC 801 Coordinator and be distinct from the student’s research problem. The student is required to defend the proposal before a committee of the department.

BIOC 821 - Physical Biochemistry

This upper level course serves to introduce the student to physical biochemistry, the study of biological systems using physical techniques. We will investigate the principles that underscore each physical technique and the biological questions that each method can address. Emphasis will be placed on techniques that apply to protein systems.

BIOC 827AF - Surface Biology

This graduate level reading course will begin with a short history of scanning probe methods, followed by a detailed description of AFM and NSOM. the theoretical principles of AFM adn NSOM will be examined in detail and then used to evaluate studies from current literature.

BIOC 827AG - Chemical Biology

Chemical biology can be defined as an interdisciplinary science where chemistry is applied to problems in biology. Many topics in this fast growing field are covered including protein engineering, abzymes, chemical genetics, genomics/proteomics, ribozyme/DNAzyme, metabolic engineering, antibiotic resistance, DNA nanotechnology, and chemical ecology.

BIOC 827AH - Natural Products Biosynthesis

This course aims to provide a comprehensive and balanced introduction to natural products from a biosynthetic perspective. Applying fundamental chemical priciples, the relationships between the various structures encountered in nature will be shown to provide a rationale for the metabolic sequences leading to various natural products.

BIOC 827AM - Advanced Microscopy

This course will introduce students to physical biochemistry (biophysics). We will examine the modern physical microscopy methods that can be used to probe a range of biological systems, from proteins to whole cells, the principles that underscore each technique and the biological questions that each type of microscopy can address.

BIOC 827AO - Mitochondrial Systems Biology

This course focuses on exploring different protocols and approaches used in studying mitochondrial proteins in mammalian systems. In addition, the course aims at developing the appropriate skills of drafting a manuscript as well as choosing relevant papers as references of this topic.

BIOC 827AP - Systems Biology and Network Medicine

The course will focus on interactive lectures and open classroom discussions on understanding how complex systems as networks can be useful in understanding protein function and disease mechanisms, as well as will cover the principles of systems and network biology. During this course, students will develop practical skills in writing and evaluating research papers as part of the course curriculum.

BIOC 827AQ - Industrial Chemicals, Environmental Impact and Human Health

Hurricane Harvey presents real life chemical questions. Power is interrupted, cooling stops, chemical explosions occur and chemicals/by-products of chemical fires escape. This directed reading course will look at the movement of chemicals through the environment and the consequences of these noxious agents.

BIOC 827AR - Chemical Basis of Biological Systems

The course will address contemporary topics of chemical biology demonstrating the integration of chemical, biochemical and biological approaches to problems of relevance to medicine, the environment and drug design. The course focus may vary from year to year; the integrative approach to chemical biology will remain the course goal.

BIOC 827AS - Selected Topics in Chemical Biology and Nanotheranostics

Selected topics in the development of theranostic nanoparticle systems will be discussed in terms of their structure, stability, and dynamics. In addition, recent developments in protein engineering, chemical genetics, ribozymes and nucleic acid aptamers will be introduced.

BIOC 827AT - Uncovering disease related proteins by proteomics and microscopy

Covers theoretical aspects of proteomics and confocal microscopy, used to discover and validate, respectively, disease related proteins for diagnosing clinical conditions. Emphasis on critical analysis of research articles using two major topics.

BIOC 827AU - Chemical Ecology

Chemical Ecology integrates chemistry and biology to examine chemical interactions and their environment, and the consequence of those interactions. Topics include cellular and system responses to nutrients, drugs and xenobiotics, and the integrations of those responses.

BIOC 827AV - Chemogenomics

This course surveys the field of chemogenomics, which analyzes biological problems at the whole-genome level using chemicals. Topics covered include: chemogenomic methodologies; applications in comprehensively studying compound-target relationships and the interdependent biological networks that respond to chemical and metabolic stress; applications in drug discovery and mode of action determination.

BIOC 827AW - Advanced Microscopy with Application to Medicine

We will focus on advanced microscopic methods and laser-based methods that support current and future medical diagnostics, and enable the development of new medical imaging techniques.

BIOC 827AX - Biochemistry: Mechanisms of Toxicity

This course will address current issues of chemical biology demonstrating the integration of chemical, biochemical and biological approaches to problems of relevance to medicine, the environment and drug design. Topics include nutrients, xenobiotics, biological toxicants, and environmental toxicology.

BIOC 827AY - Advances in Antimicrobial Research: from Genomes to Drugs

This course surveys the applications of genomics techniques in antimicrobial research and antibiotic drug discovery. Topics include the use of mutant libraries, deep sequencing, and other genome-scale approaches in mapping the bacterial interactions with chemical perturbants, drug mode of action determination, and drug discovery.

BIOC 827AZ - Systems Biology and Network Medicine

The course will review how and why protein interaction networks can be used for discovery of disease-causing biological disruptions, genomic approaches to identify mutations that are the source of disease, and a broad spectrum of methodologies to survey cellular interaction networks of relevance in modern medicine.

BIOC 901 - Research

Thesis Research.