As a visitor, you are welcome to use the course materials on this site in your own studies and research. You are also encouraged to speak up if you find an error or problem with the materials presented here. Course materials (and only course materials) are made available to you via the Creative Commons license. For more information on this license, please see the link toward the bottom of the page.
Since 2018, MSU has transitioned to Canvas for its course management system. Several of the following courses are available on the MSU Canvas site; if you would like access to the materials, please contact me.
Theory of Solution NMR Spectroscopy (CH 8413 01 link)
NMR spectroscopy is one of the most powerful analytical techniques available, but fully understanding how NMR spectra are acquired requires the integration of many concepts chemistry, physics, mathematics, and computer science. This class will cover the theoretical groundwork for understanding NMR spectroscopy at a conceptual level. It is designed to give the student the knowledge needed to understand how NMR works at a quantum mechanical level, and when completed students will be able to interpret common NMR spectra as well as spectral artifacts.
General Biochemistry II (CH 4613 01 link)
Life is only possible because a myriad of pathways that allow for energy transduction and storage. These pathways are governed by chemical principles, modulated by biological macromolecules, and controlled by biophysical interactions. This class will provide an overview of the metabolic processes that allow life to exist on our planet. We will examine how simple molecules can be used to power the activities of cells, and how cells can make new molecules and store energy when resources are plentiful. When you have completed the course, you be familiar with the most important metabolic pathways, and you will understand how these pathways are regulated to maintain cell homeostasis.
Thermodynamics and Kinetics (CH 4413 01 link)
Chemists are often interested in two fundamental questions about any given reaction: (1) Will it proceed spontaneously, and (2) If so, how long will the reaction take? While these questions were introduced in Chemistry I and II, this class will investigate the “how” and “why” behind thermodynamic and kinetic models. Statistical reasoning will be used to understand understand reaction behavior. We will also investigate how reactions in solution deviate from those in the gas phase.
Biophysical Chemistry (CH 4403 01 link)
As our understanding of life has grown, it has become increasingly important to quantify the behavior of biological systems. Such characterization not only allows us to explain in increasing detail how these systems function, but it also allows us to intervene when something goes awry. The fundamental principles that govern life are the same as those that govern all of chemistry: thermodynamics, kinetics, and quantum mechanics. In this class, we will examine how these physical principles apply to the chemistry of life. When you have completed the course, you will understand how scientists are using physical chemistry to study the myriad of reactions inside the living cell.
Methods in Biophysical Chemistry (CH 8613 01 link)
Many of the advances in modern biochemistry have occurred because of the intense effort scientists have devoted to studying proteins and protein function. By applying the principles of physical chemistry to biological systems, we have learned much about the chemistry of life, and we have started to understand the molecular basis of human disease. This class is designed to build upon an undergraduate background in physical chemistry and biochemistry; in it, we will study the behavior of proteins, and we will learn about several techniques that are commonly used to study protein structure and function. We will also focus on how mathematical models can be used to describe protein behavior, and we will discuss in depth how those models can be related to experimental observables. When you have completed the course, you will be able to design and interpret experiments for studying proteins, and you will be able to apply biophysical concepts to understand how these molecules work.
General Chemistry I (CH 1213 01 link)
General Chemistry I is an introductory course for science and engineering majors. The course reviews concepts related to molecular structure and function, chemical reactions, solutions and gases.
Professional Chemistry: Tools (CH 2141 01 link)
Chemists need to be familiar with using many different computational tools in their daily work. It is not sufficient to understand chemical principles without the technical stills to collect, analyze, and present data. This class teaches the essential skills you will need to prepare lab reports and present data as you work through your chemistry degree. The course website is hosted through the MSU MyCourses server.
Biochemistry Boot Camp (Summer Workshop link)
Undergraduate biochemistry researchers must draw from a common set of computer skills to understand their data. These skills include DNA/Protein sequence alignment (bioinformatics), molecular visualization, image analysis, statistics, and increasingly, programming and Linux. This week-long workshop provides an introduction to these crtical topics at the beginning of the summer, allowing you to jump-start your research experience. Look for an email annoucement or contact Dr. Fitzkee late in the Spring semester to register for this workshop.
Courses No Longer Taught by Dr. Fitzkee
Introduction to Biophysical Chemistry (CH 4404 01 link)
This course is obsolete and has been replaced with the 3-credit version listed above.
Professional Chemistry: Research (CH 4141 01 link)
A significant number of chemists devote their careers to investigating chemical phenomena and trying to synthesize and understand new molecules. This research process requires practical skills, including familiarity with literature, scientific ethics, documentation, and presentation. In this class, you will learn and practice these skills. The course website is hosted through the MSU MyCourses server.
Course materials are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.