Paul Kline

Paul.Kline@mtsu.edu

Greg.VanPatten@mtsu.edu

Chemistry

Discipline specific equipment

SCI 3099

N/A

N/A

The Department of Chemistry has approved changes to the B.S. in Biochemistry degree. Beginning in Fall 2020, Biochemistry majors will be required to take CHEM 4530 Biochemical Techniques, which was previously an elective. The number of Biochemistry majors has increased dramatically, from 85 in 2010 to 263 in Fall 2019. We estimate the number of students taking CHEM 4530 to be in excess of 60 per year. Biochemistry and the related disciplines of molecular biology and medicine are the fastest growing and most dynamic disciplines in global science. To adequately prepare students to enter this vital workforce requires they be trained with the most up to date and advanced laboratory technology. To further this agenda, we wish to add to the laboratory equipment available to students in Biochemical Techniques in the areas of 1: a flash chromatography/HPLC system for natural product purification and characterization. This complements the research being done at the university in the areas of hemp/cannabis, ginseng and traditional Chinese medicine as well as fermentation sciences. 2: rapid kinetics system for the analysis of enzyme-catalyzed reactions on the millisecond scale. Fast reaction kinetics provides insight into the mechanism of enzymes of interest in the areas of molecular biology and medicine. We believe this equipment is needed for our students to be competitive in the Biochemistry workforce.