Welcome

Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics is a Basic Science department within the College of Graduate Studies. It is located in Dr. Dobbelaere Science Hall on the main university campus and has strong links to the other Basic Science departments.  The department currently has nine full-time faculty members dedicated to supporting the teaching, scholarly, and service activities of the university.

The Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics department is committed to fulfilling the Midwestern University mission of "dedicated teaching to the highest standards of academic excellence to meet the educational needs of the healthcare community". Our faculty are devoted to nourishing intellectual habits, fostering critical thinking skills needed in medicine, and cultivating behaviors befitting heath care professionals. As a team, the faculty contribute substantially to the education of medical, podiatry, dental, optometry, pharmacy, precision medicine, nurse anesthetist, and physician assistant students. The faculty teach a wide range of students in topics covering the most important aspects of the biochemistry of macromolecules, cell and molecular biology, metabolism, medical genetics, hematology, cancer and nutrition, all of them illustrated with selected clinical topics.     

The Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics department is also committed to basic research.  We provide high-quality training to students in life sciences and medically-related areas. Our research reflects a diversity of interests centered around several major themes. Research in the department extends from cancer biology and neurobiology to molecular biology and cell biology. Information about the research interests of each faculty member can be found on the faculty websites. The research laboratories are housed in the Foothills Science Center, located in close proximity to Dr. Dobbelaere Science Hall. Students have the opportunity to participate in research through various means: as Summer research fellows, through their research electives, as Federal work-study students, or as graduate students in the Biomedical Sciences Master's program in the College of Graduate Studies.

Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Department Courses

• BASIG 1501, 1502, 1503 and 1508 (DM, OPT programs)
• BIOCG 550: Human Biochemistry (NAAP program, 3.0 credits)
• BIOCG 551: Human Biochemistry (PA program, 4.0 credits)
• BIOCG 1511: Biochemistry (DO program, 6.0 credits)
• BIOCG 1512: Biochemistry (POD program, 6.0 credits)
• BIOCG 1522: Biochemistry (DO program, 3.0 credits)
• BIOCG 1523: Biochemistry (POD program, 3.0 credits)
• BIOCG 1551: Human Biochemistry (CPG program, 3.0 credits)
• BIOCG 1552: Molecular Biology and Human Genetics (CPG program, 2.0 credits)
• CLMDG 1301B: Research elective (DO program, 1.0 credit)
• PMGCG 501, PMMSG 501 (PMED program, 2.0 credits)
• PMGCG 502, PMMSG 502 (PMED program, 3.0 credits)

Faculty

• Nancy Bae, Associate Professor
• David Carroll, Assistant Professor
• Samantha Day, Assistant Professor
• Jose Hernandez, Professor and Chair
• Thu Huynh, Assistant Professor
• Garilyn Jentarra, Associate Professor. Program Director for Precision Medicine.
• Chongwoo Kim, Associate Professor
• Kathryn Lawson, Associate Professor
• David Mann, Adjunct Professor
• Minsub Shim, Associate Professor
• Mark Swanson, Assistant Professor

Staff

• Kelsey Abel, Research Specialist
• Ping Chu, Research Specialist
• Aaron Mody, Research Specialist
• Olga Senkovich, Sr. Research Specialist
• Karen Barber, Administrative Coordinator
• Alexis Whetzel, Research Assistant

Resources

• American Association for Cancer Research
• American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Expasy Bioinformatics Portal
• MWU Online Directory
• NCBI- Molecular Biology of the Cell
• RSBC Protein Data Bank

Contact us (Shipping and Postal address)

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics
Dr. Dobbelaere Science Hall 390A
College of Graduate Studies
Midwestern University
19555 N. 59th Ave
Glendale, AZ 85308
Phone: 623-572-3320
Fax: 623-572-3679
Email: kbarbe2@midwestern.edu