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Groundbreaking research performed in our labs...

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Dr. Patricia (Tricia) Kiley
Professor and Chair
Biomolecular Chemistry

The Department in Brief…

Our location. In 2012, the department moved to its new home on Henry Mall in the Hector F. DeLuca Biochemical Sciences Complex. The complex, which houses the Departments of Biomolecular Chemistry and Biochemistry, consists of three buildings, two research facilities and a teaching and administrative building, all connected by skywalks. The Department of Biomolecular Chemistry laboratories reside in the Biochemical Sciences Building, which features modern laboratory and office space. The department administrative office and teaching laboratory are located in the renovated 1912 and 1937 Biochemistry Building. Within both buildings are many conference rooms, auditoriums, and teaching spaces, which allow for interaction and collaboration amongst faculty, students, and staff from across campus. A tremendous feature of our research space is its openness—large glass windows in the atrium, in labs and in the beautiful lunchrooms help keep us connected to the rest of the busy campus, and the open flow of the labs help keep us connected throughout our work days to our fellow colleagues.

Our Research Mission

As part of the School of Medicine and Public Health, our research focuses on understanding the molecular underpinnings of biological processes, particularly as it relates to human disease. Research in the department spans a broad range of questions and methodologies, including DNA replication, chromatin structure, gene expression, protein and membrane trafficking, cell signaling and metabolism, cancer, embryogenesis, and pathogenesis. Fundamental mechanisms are studied in a variety of model systems, including bacteria, yeast, flies, worms, frogs, rodents, and human stem cells. State of the art technologies are employed in these studies, which address both basic and translational issues in biology. The breadth of science combined with the collegial and collaborative environment provide an exciting and interdisciplinary setting in which to conduct research.

Our Teaching Mission

Our faculty are actively engaged in teaching biochemistry at multiple levels (medical students, graduate students and undergraduate students). We teach human biochemistry to medical students in a new integrated Medical School curriculum. We teach biochemical research techniques to undergraduate students as individual mentors for undergraduate research projects. We teach graduate students across the spectrum of biochemistry and are proud of our world-class graduate program in biochemistry (Integrated Program in Biochemistry) that we jointly lead with the department of Biochemistry. The excellence of, and dedication to teaching by our faculty is reflected in numerous Chancellor’s and Dean’s Teaching Awards.

Department History

1921 Harold C. Bradley founded the Department of Physiological Chemistry and became its first Chair.
 1924 First Ph.D. in the Department of Physiological Chemistry is awarded to Alrick Brynhjolf Hertzman.
 1932 Marian Esther Stark is the first woman to receive a Ph.D. in the Department of Physiological Chemistry.
 1942 The author of the definitive series Principles in Biochemistry, Albert L. Lehninger, receives his Ph.D. in Physiological Chemistry from UW-Madison.
 1947 Philip P. Cohen succeeds Dr. Bradley as Chair.
 1975 Harry J. Karavolas becomes Chair of the Department.
 1979 Elizabeth A. Craig becomes the first female faculty member hired in Physiological Chemistry.
 1991 The department name is changed from Physiological to Biomolecular Chemistry.
 1996 Elizabeth Craig assumes the position of Chair of the department.
 2002 Robert H. Fillingame becomes Chair.
 2012 Biomolecular Chemistry moves into a new $112 million state of the art research complex (Biochemical Sciences) on Henry Mall.
 2013 Patricia J. Kiley becomes Chair.

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