The University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) is a public research university located in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. It is a smaller university, with a student population of around 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students, and is known for its strong focus on sustainability and the environment. UNBC offers a variety of programs in areas such as natural resources and environmental studies, health sciences, social sciences, business, and engineering. The university is also recognized for its research excellence, particularly in the areas of health, environment, and natural resources, and has a number of research institutes and centers focused on these areas.

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The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Biology B.Sc. Program combines the rigour of chemistry with the fascination of living systems, and is therefore the traditional major for students with biomedical interests. Majors begin their studies with a broad set of courses in the natural sciences. In the second year, biochemistry is introduced, leading to third year explorations of DNA, the blueprint of life, proteins, the machines that make our bodies work, and a wide range of other molecular topics. Finally, your degree culminates in the fourth year with courses that let you see why BCMB is the largest and most dynamic scientific discipline. Topics include oncology, the evolution of life, advanced genetics, and much more. With its strong emphasis on analytical skills, the BCMB major is an excellent launching point for a variety of science-based careers, as described below. The BCMB major also includes extensive training in practical laboratory skills, such as DNA fingerprinting, which are essential for careers in the natural sciences, criminal forensics, laboratory technician programs, and a variety of industries. One of the outstanding features of the BCMB program is the opportunity to work in research labs from your first day on campus. In contrast to larger universities, where it is often difficult for undergraduates to even talk to professors, UNBC's faculty welcome undergraduates to become involved in their research. The BCMB professors maintain vigorous research programs in areas such as RNA metabolism, cancer biology, beetle pheromones, plant genetics, and salmon physiology. Find out more by following the "faculty" link at left. Show less

Select the Course Number to get further detail on the course. Select the desired Schedule Type to find available classes for the course.
BCMB 100 - Introductory Seminar in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
This course introduces students to the possibilities and promises of research benefitting the world in the disciplines of biochemistry and molecular biology through seminars and invited presentations on current UNBC research and topical issues. This course is graded on a PASS/FAIL basis.
Credits: 0.000 OR 1.000

Levels: Undergraduate
Schedule Types: Seminar

BCMB 255 - Introduction to Biochemical Methods
This is a laboratory-based course in which students explore basic biochemical and molecular biological laboratory techniques. Topics include buffers, calculations in biochemistry, enzyme kinetics, and purification of carbohydrates and proteins. Techniques include centrifugation, chromatography, spectrophotometry, and electrophoresis.
Credits: 0.000 TO 2.000

Levels: Undergraduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Laboratory
All Sections for this Course

BCMB 306 - Intermediary Metabolism
This lecture-based course emphasizes the importance of biochemical pathways and macromolecules in physiological systems. The goal of the course is to impart an understanding of metabolism on a cellular scale and the macroscopic implications of impairments in the metabolic pathways. Topics include the metabolism of amino acids, lipids, carbohydrates, nucleotides and how these pathways are interrelated at tissue and organ levels.
Credits: 3.000

Levels: Undergraduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Final Exam

BCMB 310 - Molecular Biology Methods
This laboratory-based course covers modern molecular biological laboratory techniques, and focuses on the purification and characterization of nucleic acids. Students are educated in the theory and practice of laboratory methods that include DNA and RNA purification techniques, restriction enzymes and cloning techniques, electrophoresis of nucleic acids, DNA sequence analysis, blotting techniques, and the polymerase chain reaction and its variations.
Credits: 0.000 OR 3.000

Levels: Undergraduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Final Exam, Laboratory

BCMB 320 - Biochemical Methods
This laboratory-based course covers modern biochemical and molecular biological laboratory techniques focusing on the purification and characterization of proteins. Students are educated in the theory and practice of laboratory techniques that include centrifugation, chromatography, enzyme kinetics, electrophoresis of proteins, western blotting, immobilized metal affinity chromatography, and enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay.
Credits: 0.000 OR 3.000

Levels: Undergraduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Final Exam, Laboratory
All Sections for this Course

BCMB 340 - Physical Biochemistry
This lecture-based course allows students to explore the physical basis of biochemistry through in-depth study of some of the most important biochemical phenomena in nature. The concepts of entropy, enthalpy, and equilibria are discussed in the context of repressor function, photosynthesis, and ATP synthesis. Other topics include the physical basis of biochemical techniques such as centrifugation, electrophoresis, and spectroscopy.
Credits: 3.000

Levels: Undergraduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Final Exam

BCMB 401 - Basic Science of Oncology
This is a lecture-based course designed to provide insight into the biological chemistry of cancer. Major topics include chemical carcinogenesis, genomicinstability, oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, cell growth, apoptosis, tumor progression and metastasis, tumor angiogenesis, hormones, viruses, and drug resistance. This course also provides an in-depth look at the advanced technology used in controlling the disease, including immunotherapy and therapeutic approaches for controlling gene expression.
Credits: 3.000

Levels: Undergraduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Final Exam

BCMB 402 - Macromolecular Structure
This is a lecture-based coruse designed to provide students with an understanding of the theory behind structural techniques used in biochemical laboratories. Topics include X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and electron microscopy. Students are expected to develop an understanding of the theory and application of these techniques and technical considerations. Students also learn how to judge the quality of data.
Credits: 3.000

Levels: Undergraduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Final Exam

BCMB 403 - Advanced Nucleic Acids
This is a lecture-based course designed to provide in-depth knowledge on advanced topics in nucleic acid biochemistry. Topics include mechanistic analysis of nucleic acid metabolism; the RNA world hypothesis and theories of the origin of life; epigenetics; specificity and role of polymerases and repair pathways; replication and recombination mechanisms; RNA structural motifs and physical processing in gene expression; structure and function of non-coding RNA; silencing and micro RNA; catalytic RNA molecules; and technological applications of RNA.
Credits: 3.000

Levels: Undergraduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Final Exam

BCMB 404 - Proteins and Enzymology
This lecture-based course provides knowledge of contemporary protein biochemistry and emphasizes the importance and role of enzymes in biochemistry and molecular biology. Topics include the structure and function of proteins, protein biotechnology, mechanisms of enzyme action, kinetic analysis of enzymes and regulation of protein activity.
Credits: 3.000

Levels: Undergraduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Final Exam

BCMB 405 - Topics in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
This course considers selected advanced topics in biochemistry. Topics depend on instructor and student interest and normally focus on material not dealt with in other courses. Note: Credit may be granted for both 400- and 600-level offerings of Topics in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology courses, and either the 400- or 600-level courses or a combination of both may be repeated to a maximum of 6 credit hours, provided the content of the independent offerings of the courses is sufficiently different (as determined by the Program Chair or Dean).
Credits: 3.000

Levels: Undergraduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Self-Directed, Final Exam

BCMB 430 - Undergraduate Thesis
This is a laboratory-based undergraduate research thesis, designed for students with serious research interests. This course includes an oral presentation of research results. Students must have completed at least 90 credit hours of study and be a BCMB major. The thesis may be taken over one or two semesters.
Credits: 6.000

Levels: Undergraduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Self-Directed, Laboratory, Undergrad Thesis

BCMB 499 - Independent Study
This course concentrates on a particular topic agreed upon by the student and a member of the BCMB faculty. It may be repeated to a maximum of six credit hours. Credit may be granted for both 400- and 600- level offerings of the course provided the content is sufficiently different (as determined by the Program Chair or Dean).
Credits: 1.000 TO 6.000

Levels: Undergraduate
Schedule Types: Self-Directed

BCMB 601 - Basic Science of Oncology
This is a lecture-based course designed to provide insight into our basic understanding of the biological chemistry of cancer. Major topics include chemical carcinogenesis, genomic instability, oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, cell growth, apoptosis, tumor progression and metastasis, tumor angiogenesis, hormones, viruses, and drug resistance. This course also provides an in-depth look at the advanced technology used in controlling the disease, including immunotherapy and therapeutic approaches in controlling gene expression.
Credits: 3.000

Levels: Graduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Final Exam

BCMB 602 - Macromolecular Structure
This is a lecture-based course designed to provide students an understanding of the theory behind structural techniques used in biochemical laboratories. Topics include X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and electron microscopy; students are expected to develop an understanding of the theory and application of the techniques and technical considerations. Students also learn how to judge the quality of data.
Credits: 3.000

Levels: Graduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Self-Directed, Final Exam

BCMB 603 - Advanced Nucleic Acids
This is a lecture-based course designed to provide in-depth knowledge on advanced topics in nucleic acid biochemistry. Topics include mechanistic analysis of nucleic acid metabolism, the RNA worls hypothesis and theories of the origin of life, epigenetics, specificity and role of polymerases and repair pathways, replication and recombination mechanisms, RNA structural motifs and physical processing in gene expression, structure and function of non-coding RNA, silencing and micro RNA, catalytic RNA molecules, and applications of RNA molecules.
Credits: 3.000

Levels: Graduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Self-Directed, Final Exam

BCMB 605 - Topics in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
This course considers advanced topics in biochemistry. Topics depend on instructor and student interest and normally focus on material not dealt with in other courses. Note: Credit may be granted for both 400- and 600-level offerings of Topics in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology courses, and either the 400 or 600 level or a combination of both may be repeated to a maximum of 6 credit hours, provided the content of the independent offerings of the courses is sufficiently different (as determined by the Program Chair or Dean).
Credits: 3.000

Levels: Graduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Self-Directed, Final Exam

BCMB 701 - Cell Biology Theory and Techniques
This course focuses on the most advanced topics in cell biology. Students are given the opportunity to learn both the theory and practical aspects of various techniques used in cell biology, including fluorescence microscopy. Students develop relevant expertise in cell biology methods as part of the course requirement.
Credits: 3.000

Levels: Graduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Self-Directed, Final Exam, Laboratory

BCMB 702 - Chemical Biology Theory and Techniques
This course focuses on a new discipline, spanning the fields of chemistry and biology, that forms the basis of current pharmaceutical research. Chemical biology uses the techniques and tools of chemistry to study and manipulate biological systems, often using small molecules produced synthetically or derived from natural sources. Both in vitro and in vivo systems that are probed with small molecules are covered in this course. Emphasis is placed on the theoretical and experimental strategies used to design or discover molecules with useful properties, including biochemical and cell-based screens.
Credits: 3.000

Levels: Graduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Self-Directed, Final Exam, Laboratory

BCMB 703 - Molecular Biology Theory and Techniques
This course focuses on the most advanced topics in molecular biology. Emphasis is placed on the development of expertise in the relevant molecular biology techniques used to study DNA, RNA, and proteins.
Credits: 3.000

Levels: Graduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Self-Directed, Final Exam, Laboratory

BCMB 704 - Graduate Seminar
Students investigate and present ideas and results pertaining to current research in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The offerings may include presentations of current literature, research methodology, and topics related to students’ own research or project work. This is a PASS/FAIL course.
Credits: 1.500

Levels: Graduate
Schedule Types: Seminar

BCMB 705 - Advanced Topics in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
This course focuses on selected advanced topics in biochemistry and molecular biology.
Credits: 3.000

Levels: Graduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Self-Directed, Final Exam

BCMB 706 - Bioinformatics Tools
This course focuses on the use of bioinformatics tools in biochemistry and molecular biology research. Students are given the opportunity to learn the most widely used as well as more advanced bioinformatics tools to study bio-molecules.
Credits: 3.000

Levels: Graduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Self-Directed, Final Exam

BCMB 790 - Special Topics
This course focuses on selected topics in advanced biochemistry, molecular biology and/or cel biology.
Credits: 3.000

Levels: Graduate
Schedule Types: Lecture, Self-Directed, Final Exam

BCMB 793 - Master of Science (Biochemistry) Project
The MSc project requires the completion of an extended position paper, report, plan or program making a contribution to, or addressing a major issue in, a scientific field. The development of the project requires the application of original thought to the problem or issue under investigation. The non thesis project does not require the development of a research design or research methodology, and need not involve the collection or generation of an original data. This is a PASS/FAIL course.
Credits: 0.000 OR 6.000

Levels: Graduate
Schedule Types: Self-Directed, Masters Project

BCMB 794 - Master of Science (Biochemistry) Thesis
The MSc thesis documents a scientific contribution to the field of Biochemistry. Students are expected to conduct original research involving a literature review, development of a research design and methodology, testing and analysis of data, and development of conclusions. Successful defence of the thesis is required for graduation in the Master of Science (Biochemistry) thesis stream. This is a PASS/FAIL course.
Credits: 0.000 OR 12.000

Levels: Graduate
Schedule Types: Self-Directed, Masters Thesis

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