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Academics Biochemistry

Biochemistry

As an interdisciplinary major, biochemistry combines the strengths of biology and chemistry to prepare students for the biotech revolution of the 21st century. Small class sizes, along with state-of-the-art facilities and instrumentation, create an environment where students can engage in hands-on and experiential learning in collaboration with science faculty.

Academics

  • Student Spotlight

    Rachel Mischke '17

    WLC is the best school for me because I wanted to learn about God's creation in the light of his Word and not just in a secular light. I knew from an early age that I wanted to pursue the sciences. God eventually led me down the biological sciences track to the biochemistry degree I am currently pursuing.

    Now, I am doing lab experiments that would normally be done by graduate students. I am learning directly from professors and have direct, open relationships with some of them. I have made the best of friends here in all different fields. And the best of all, I have been learning everything here in the light of God's Word.

    WLC is equipping me to be a servant leader in the science field, and no other institution I was considering could boast that.

     

  • Biochemistry is a fast-growing and dynamic field that presents a wide array of opportunities for students. The application of chemistry to life allows biological systems to be understood at the molecular level. Biochemistry students learn to appreciate and even love the macromolecules and complex structures that make up living organisms. Wisconsin Lutheran College science faculty work closely together to give students an interdisciplinary view of science, enabling the pursuit of research that lies at the interface of biology and chemistry.

    What Makes the Program Distinctive?

    Students in the biochemistry program at Wisconsin Lutheran have the opportunity to gain experience doing scientific research alongside faculty in Generac Hall, a state-of-the-art facility. Students also collaborate with faculty and student researchers from other programs to give their research additional scope. Biochemistry majors actively engage in scientific research with professors, all of whom hold a doctorate degree and have made meaningful contributions to the field.

  • ACADEMICS AND RESEARCH

    Undergraduate Student Research

    WLC's biochemistry students benefit from the opportunity to engage in diverse research projects with faculty in both the biology and chemistry departments. Students may be asked to assist on such projects as engineering microbial phosphate biosensors using recombinant DNA technology, applying cellular and molecular genetic strategies to investigate heart development, analyzing soil, studying protein structures and enzyme kinetics, biochemical analysis, and designing and synthesizing new antibiotic drugs.

    State-of-the-Art Facilities

    The biology and chemistry departments are located in Generac Hall. This 81,700-squarefoot facility allows undergrads to experience state-of-the-art equipment and techniques that students at many other institutions would not have access to until graduate school.

    BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

    Field Research

    WLC biochemistry students have an opportunity to conduct research both in the lab and in the field. Previous projects include improving water quality in constructed wetlands, studying Ag nanoparticle effects on zebrafish, constructing printed sensors, performing stop-flow kinetic measurements, and experimentation with sulfonamides. In addition, research collaborations with the Milwaukee County Zoo and St. George's University in Grenada offer WLC students the chance to participate in marine and freshwater biological monitoring and terrestrial herpetology studies in the tropics.

    International Competition

    Wisconsin Lutheran College students have participated in iGEM - the International Genetically Engineered Machine competition - for the last three years. Participation usually involves lab work with synthetic biology, and education initiatives. Last summer, a team of WLC students focused on modifying a strain of E. coli in the lab for their research on bacterial resistance to antibiotics. In the end, the team earned a gold medal and received honorable mention at the iGEM competition in Boston. 

    GRADUATE SCHOOL AND CAREERS

    Graduate School

    Many WLC biochemistry majors continue their education, sometimes at the nearby Medical College of Wisconsin. A WLC biochemistry degree, along with experience in undergraduate research, provides a solid educational foundation upon which one may succeed in graduate classes.

    Careers

    Upon graduation, WLC biochemistry majors benefit from broad career opportunities in pharmacology, microbiology, immunology, biomedical engineering, and molecular medicine. Historically, a large percentage of biochemistry majors have continued their education in medical or graduate school. The biochemistry major provides a solid foundation for professional careers in medicine, dentistry, nutrition, and public health.

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