This course will elaborate on the chemical principles fundamental to understanding biochemical processes and their regulation. Topics covered may include enzyme mechanisms and kinetics, molecular aspects of signal transduction, organization and maintenance of the genome and regulation of gene expression and recombinant DNA techniques. Reading of current journal articles, class discussions, and oral presentations will be integral components of this course. As a contemporary topics course, students may take this course during a different semester for an additional three credits. Prerequisite: Students should have had a previous course in biochemistry, such as CHEM 315 or 317.