Duke University Durham, North Carolina

27708-0305

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS TELEPHONE 919-660-2500 BOX 90305 FAX 919-660-2525  Professor Keith Whitfield A&S Council Committee on Curriculum. 04 Allen Building Duke University Dear Professor Whitfield: The document enclosed is the final draft to create a B.S. and A.B. major in biophysics in the Department of Physics. Sincerely, Seog Oh DUS/Professor Department of Physics

Proposal to Create a Biophysics Major 1. Introduction We are proposing to create a B.S. and A.B. major in biophysics which will be administered by the Department of Physics in close cooperation with the Department of Biology. There has been impressive progress in biological sciences and biophysics has emerged over the past few decades as an important field that deals with systems and problems of biological interest. There is little doubt that physicists with strong problem solving ability should do well in this field. The main objective of the program is to offer a coherent program for undergraduate students interested in both physics and biology. A major in biophysics is offered in many universities including Ph.D programs. Presently, the only way to major in biophysics is through Program II or Interdepartmental Major, which carries the overhead of finding a sponsoring faculty and formulating the courses. Fulfilling all the requirements for a double major in biology and physics is not a good option either, because of the small overlap among the many required courses in the two areas. Creating the major will provide students with well defined trajectories depending on their interest without burdening them with a lot of courses. The proposed program will prepare students for careers in biophysical, biomedical and biotechnical research, graduate school in biophysics or computational biology programs, or health-related professional school. It will also create interdisciplinary synergy with other departments in Trinity and Pratt. Duke’s existing faculty strengths in the medical school and the departments of biology, chemistry, biomedical engineering, and physics would allow an excellent major program in biophysics to be implemented without requiring much additional resources. Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the program, an administrative support group will be formed as explained below. The main function of the group is to guide students through course selection according to their interest. 2. Detailed description Biophysics is the study of the physical aspects of the processes that enable molecular, cellular, tissue, and organismal function and survival. It overlaps with a number of subfields of biology, including biochemistry, biomechanics, development, physiology, neurobiology, genomics, epidemiology and evolution. The complex problems found in genomics, brain research, and origin of life, for example, require a strong training in quantitative thinking, developing concepts and using statistical analysis tools. The field of biophysics will be one of the exciting research frontiers for 21st century science. The immediate aim of the program is to establish a path for students interested in exploring biophysics topics at a depth comparable to what is achieved in the physics and biology majors separately. To achieve this, it is necessary to relax some of the requirements of both majors in order to allow meaningful engagement in biophysics topics in the junior and senior years. The unique focus of the major is to help students develop the ability to apply physical and mathematical methods to biological systems. The program would not produce students who can immediately engage in sophisticated research and development but should prepare students for the next step such as graduate schools or medical schools. The graduate schools could be in the areas of biophysics, medical physics,

biochemistry, marine biology, molecular biology, neurobiology, and physiology. Alternatively, because of the breadth of the education and a focus on developing problem solving skills, biophysics majors should be able to move into careers in industrial research, science teaching, journalism, consulting, business, medicine, or law, as have physics and biology majors in the past. We do not have a good estimate of the number of students who would join the program each year. However, after graduation, we expect that about one third of the students will continue on to graduate studies related to the bioscience field, one third of the students will enter medical school and the rest will choose various options as mentioned above, and some of them may not be even related to bioscience. To administer the program, we propose an administrative support group with at least one faculty from each department listed below. The Physics DUS is responsible for organizing the group and is the Chair. The departments involved are biology, chemistry, physics, medical physics, SBB (structural biology and biophysics), and biomedical engineering. The members could be anyone engaged in research and development or teaching in the departments. For each student the group selects two faculty members based on the student’s interest. One of the two would have to be a member of the administrative group; the other could be another member of the group or a potential senior research advisor from any relevant department. The faculty have the responsibility of guiding students through the undergraduate years. The program offers both B.S. and A.B. degree. B.S. degree students will receive truly interdisciplinary education in depth and be ready for the next step whether it is in a professional school or graduate school. A.B. degree requires three fewer courses than the B.S. degree. Without these courses, A.B. students may not be able to take some advanced courses, but they should still obtain a well-rounded education and have more time to pursue other interests. Juniors and seniors in this program will be strongly encouraged to pursue an independent study closely related to biophysics. There should be ample number of faculty in biology, physics, chemistry, medical school, and BME to oversee the independent study. Mission Biophysics is an interdisciplinary field, and the central mission of the undergraduate program is to teach students how to combine different disciplines, that is, physics, biology and chemistry, to understand the workings of biological matter and living organisms at the fundamental level based on physical principles. Students learn quantitative methods for analyzing data and developing insights and explanations, and experimental techniques. The Physics Department offers educational opportunities that are consistent with the broad principles of the School of Arts and Sciences. The undergraduate program for students pursuing a B.S. or A.B. degree in biophysics provides a solid and challenging education and prepares them to excel in career paths where independent thinking, analytical skills, and experimental skills are useful. These paths include graduate or professional school, and industrial research. Objective

1. Students will develop a solid foundation in three disciplines; mechanics, electricity and magnetism, and thermodynamics in physics; general and organic chemistry; molecular biology, genetics or cell and organismal biology. These are followed by advanced courses

where students will learn to apply physics and chemistry to explain the mechanism how living organism works at the fundamental level.

2. Students will learn broad aspects of experimental science in all three areas. They will learn how to use measurement devices, data analysis software, and analytical and numerical method for understanding the experiments.

3. Students seeking research experience will be accommodated through Independent Study courses or summer projects. The Department considers research experience to be a highly effective educational tool which shows students firsthand how scientists conduct scientific investigations and fosters independent critical thinking and communication skills. Students are strongly encouraged to engage in research and to write a senior thesis.

4. Students will be prepared to pursue their career interests. Biophysics majors have many choices in interdisciplinary fields such as medicine, biophysics, pharmacy, and medical physics.

Assessment

The main responsible body for the assessment is the Physics Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. The assessment will be carried out with a close collaboration of Biology department and the already developed assessment programs from both departments will be utilized:

http://www.phy.duke.edu/undergraduate http://www.biology.duke.edu/undergrad/index.html

3. Proposed text in the Undergraduate Bulletin The proposal is to create the biophysics major in the department of physics, and the physics section will be modified to include the biophysics major. THE BIOPHYSICS MAJOR Biophysics is the study of the physical aspects of processes that enable cellular, tissue, and organismal function and survival. Understanding how biological systems function at the physical level requires strong training in quantitative thinking, mastering physical concepts, and use of statistical analysis tools, as well as gaining a sophisticated knowledge of the relevant biology. The major is suited to students with a strong interest in exploring physical aspects of biological systems and equips students with a solid foundation to proceed to the next step, such as doctoral research in biophysics, biology, or medical science or training in one of the health professions. This program is administered in close cooperation with the Department of Biology. For the B.S. Degree Prerequisites. Physics 41L and 42L or 53L and 54L, or equivalents; Mathematics 31, 32, 103, and 107, or equivalents. Chemistry 31L and 32L, or equivalents. Major Requirements. Physics 143, 214 (CL-Bio214) and two of the following: 181, 182, 176 (but not if Chem 166 is chosen) , 211. Chemistry 151L. Biology 101L, 119, Seminar in Biophysics (0.5 course). For students interested in the Cellular Biophysics, two of the following: Biology 102L, 151L, 152, 156L, 205L, 275S, Neuroscience 114, Independent Study. For students interested in Molecular Biophysics, Chemistry 165, 166 and 167L or 168L. Double majors: If the other major is in physics, no more than three physics courses may be counted toward both majors, not counting prerequisites. For double majors in biology, no more

than two biology courses may be counted, not counting prerequisites. For double majors in chemistry, no more than three chemistry courses may be counted, not counting prerequisites. For the A.B. Degree Prerequisites. Physics 41Land 42L or 53L and 54L, or equivalents; Mathematics 31, 32, 103, or equivalents. Chemistry 31L and 32L, or equivalents. Major Requirements. Physics 143, 214 (CL-Bio214) and one of the following: 181, 182, 176 (but not if Chem 161 is chosen), 211. Biology 101L, 119, Seminar in Biophysics (0.5 course). For students interested in Cellular Biophysics, two of the following: Biology 102L, 151L, 152, 156L, 205L, 275S, Neuroscience 114, Independent Study. For students interested in Molecular Biophysics, Chem 161 and 163L and one of the following: Chem 176, Bio 205L, Biochem 222 (CL-SBB 222), Biochem 227, Biochem258, Independent Study. Double majors: If the other major is in physics, no more than three physics courses may be counted toward both majors, not counting prerequisites. For double majors in biology, no more than two biology courses may be counted, not counting prerequisites. For double majors in chemistry, no more than two chemistry courses may be counted, not counting prerequisites. 4. List of current courses available In this section, the courses for the major are outlined. Because the courses are mainly selected from the existing courses in several departments, the coverage of the necessary material is not yet optimal. But we are confident that the proposed selection will provide a strong foundation. As the program develops, it is likely that new courses will be developed and some courses consolidated to improve efficiency.

(PR) – Prerequisite AP (R) - Required (SR) - Strongly recommended (O) - Optional

B.S degree: Phy 41L (PR) or AP or equivalent– Introduction to Mechanics Phy 42L (PR) or AP or equivalent– Introduction to E&M Phy 143L (R) - Modern Physics Phy 214 (R) (CL- Bio214) – Biophysics in Cellular and Developmental Biology Two courses from the following: Phy 181 – Mechanics Phy 182 - E&M Phy 176 (SR) -Thermo Physics, not to be taken if Chem 166 is chosen Phy 211 -Quantum Mechanics I Math 31 (PR) or AP or equivalent– Calculus I Math 32 (PR) or AP or equivalent– Calculus II Math 103 (R) -Intermediate Calculus Math 107 (R)- Linear Algebra and Differential Equations Math 108 (O) - Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations Chem 31L (PR) or AP or equivalent– General Chemistry I

Chem 32L (PR) or AP or equivalent – General Chemistry II Or Chem 43L replaces Chem 31L and Chem 32L Chem 151L (R) - Organic Chemistry I Chem 152L (SR) - Organic Chemistry II Bio 101L (R) - Molecular Biology Bio 119 (R) - Cellular and Developmental Biology Seminar (R - 0.5 course) For students interested in Cellular Biophysics, two of the following, but three are strongly recommended. Bio 102L –Genetics and Evolutionary Biology Bio 151L – Principle of Animal Physiology Bio 152 – Molecular Plant Physiology NeurSci 114 – Fundamentals of Neuroscience Bio 156L – Sensory Physiology and Behavior of Marine Animals Bio 205L - Experiments in Developmental and Molecular Genetics Bio 275S – Sensory Signal Transduction Independent Study or Research on an approved topic (SR) For students interested in Molecular Biophysics Chem 165 (R) – Physical Chemistry I Chem 166 (R) – Physical Chemistry II 167L or 168L (0.5 course). and one of the following is strongly recommended. Chem 176 - Biophysical Chemistry Bio 205L - Experiments in Developmental and Molecular Genetics Biochem 222 (CL- SBB 222) – Structure of Biological Macromolecules Biochem 227 – Introductory Biochemistry I: Intermediary Metabolism Biochem 258 – Structural Biochemistry Independent Study or Research on an approved topic (SR) For students also interested in Instrumentation, the following additional courses are available. BME 201L(O) - Electrophysiology BME 220L(O) – Principles of Ultrasound Imaging MP 205(O) - Anatomy and physiology for medical physicists MP 230(O) - Medical imaging physics MP 200(O) - Radiation physics A.B. degree: Phy41 (PR) or AP or equivalent– Introduction to Mechanics Phy42 (PR) or AP or equivalent– Introduction to E&M Phy143 (R) - Modern Physics Phy 214 (R) (CL- Bio214) – Biophysics in Cellular and Developmental Biology One course from the following: Phy181 – Mechanics Phy182 - E&M Phy176 (SR) -Thermo Physics , not to be taken if Chem 161 is chosen Phy211 -Quantum Mechanics I

Math 31 (PR) or AP or equivalent– Calculus I Math 32 (PR) or AP or equivalent– Calculus II Math 103 (R) -Intermediate Calculus Math 107 (SR)- Linear Algebra and Differential Equations Math 108 (O) - Ordinary and partial Differential Equations Chem 31L (PR) or AP or equivalent– General Chemistry I Chem 32L (PR) or AP or equivanent – General Chemistry II Or Chem 43L replaces Chem 31L and Chem 32L Chem 151L (SR) - Organic Chemistry I Chem 152L (O) - Organic Chemistry II Bio 101L (R) - Molecular Biology Bio 119 (R) - Cellular and Developmental Biology Seminar (R - 0.5 course) For students interested in Cellular Biophysics, two of the following, Bio 102L –Genetics and Evolutionary Biology Bio 151L – Principles of Animal Physiology Bio 152 – Molecular Plant Physiology Neurosci 114 – Fundamentals of Neuroscience Bio 156L – Sensory Physiology and Behavior of Marine Animals Bio 205L - Experiments in Developmental and Molecular Genetics Bio 275S – Sensory Signal Transduction Independent Study or Research on an approved topic (SR) For students interested in Molecular Biophysics Chem 161 (R) – Elements of Physical Chemistry Chem 163L (R) – Physical Chemistry, Lab (0.5 course) and one of the following. Chem 176 - Biophysical Chemistry Bio 205L - Experiments in Developmental and Molecular Genetics Biochem 222 (CL- SBB 222) – Structure of Biological Macromolecules Biochem 227 – Introductory Biochemistry I : Intermediary Metabolism Biochem 258 – Structural Biochemistry Independent Study or Research on an approved topic (SR) For students also interested in Instrumentation, the following additional courses are available. BME 201L(O) - Electrophysiology BME 220L(O) – Principles of Ultrasound Imaging MP 205(O) - Anatomy and physiology for medical physicists MP 230(O) - Medical imaging physics MP 200(O) - Radiation physics

A possible course sequence for B.S students with AP credits in math 31 and 32. Freshman Phy 41 Phy 42 Chem 31L Chem 32L Writing or Seminar Seminar or Writing XXX XXX Sophomore Phy143 Chem 151 Bio 101L Bio Seminar (0.5 course) Math 103 Bio119 XXX XXX Junior Math107 Phy181 or Phy176 Phy214 (CL-Bio214) Bio Elective XXX XXX XXX XXX Senior Phy182 or Phy211 XXX Bio Elective XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX 5. Description of new courses The listed courses in Section 4 are currently available in the respective departments except for the seminar course. The 0.5 credit seminar course is intended to expose students to various subfields in biophysics. A coordinator assigns papers to read, leads the discussion, and invites external speakers mainly from within the University. Other than the seminar course, we propose to modify Phy214 (CL – Bio214) , which is one of the required courses listed above. The proposal is to add a laboratory component to the course to ensure students will get familar with experiments in biophysics. As of now, there is no plan (and no need) to create other new courses for the major. This may change as we learn more about the students’ interest. 6. Identificaton of teaching faculty Since all proposed courses except the seminar course are already listed in the Undergraduate Bulletin, the teaching faculty for the courses listed in Section 4 were not consulted. However, the Directors of the Undergraduate Studies of the respective departments were consulted to make certain the listed courses would still be available for a few years to come. The communication emails are included with this document at the end. 7. Statement of relationship to existing programs or majors The Biology and Biomedical Engineering Departments have some overlap with the proposed biophysics major program. Compared to BME majors, our emphasis is more on the basic understanding of living organisms at the cellular and molecular level using physics and chemistry rather than dealing with engineering (application) aspects. Compared to the biology majors, students will take courses more concentrated in physical and computational aspects and independent studies should have a strong biophysics component.

8. Graduate component There is no graduate component in the proposed program. 9. Available funding No additional funding is requested at this time. 10. Library resources The field of biophysics is not new and there should not be any problem in obtaining references related to biophysics from Duke libraries. Moreover, there are already many excellent groups in biology, chemistry, BME and math engaged in R&D and teaching in bioscience fields. The necesary reference resources for biophysics should not be much different from the resources already available for these groups. A supporting letter is below.

11. Letter of support (Dean)

~uke ~ni6ersitt! DURHAM

NORTH CAROLINA

27708-0046

104 ALLEN BUILDING GEORGE L. MCLENDON

BOX 90046 DEAN OF THE FACULTY

TELEPHONE (919) 684-4510 OF ARTS & SCIENCES

FAX (919) 684-8503 DEAN OF TRINITY COLLEGE george.mclendon@duke.edu

October 22, 2008

To: Arts and Sciences Council Committee on Curriculum

From: George L. McLendon

Re: Proposed Biophysics Maj

I write to enthusiastically endorse the proposal for a major in Biophysics. The departments of Physics and Biology have worked closely together to craft this interdisciplinary program which will draw upon existing faculty strengths in Arts and Sciences, Pratt, and the Medical School. The addition of a major in Biophysics will present a wonderful opportunity for undergraduates and will attract top students. It will also put Duke in the lead in science education. Graduates of this program will be well­prepared to enter graduate school or pursue careers as researchers in the medical industry. Thank you for your consideration of this proposal.

GLM:mj

cc: Dean Lee Baker Professor Dan Gauthier Professor Dan Kiehart

12. Letter of support (Chair, DUS)

DURHAM

NORTH CAROLINA DANIEL J. GAUTHIER PROFESSOR AND CHAIR DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS DUKE UNIVERSITY, BOX 90305 DURHAM, NC 27708-0305

VOICE: (919) 660-2505 FAX: (919) 660-2525

E-MAIL: chair@phy.duke.edu URL: http://www.phy.duke.edu/

September 25, 2009 Prof. Seog Oh Director of Undergraduate Studies Department of Physics Duke University Box 90305 Durham, NC 27708 Dear Prof. Oh, I am writing to give my strongest endorsement to the proposed undergraduate major in Biophysics. There has been a long-standing need for the Physics Department to broaden its offerings to our undergraduates and the proposed program is an excellent way to address this need. You and the team of faculty who crafted and will support this program are to be commended for your far-sightedness. I note that the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Physics will oversee this program and serve as the academic advisor to the Biophysics majors, with the advice and help from faculty in the associated Departments. The timing is excellent for several primary reasons. 1) The sup-discipline of Biophysics is undergoing a renaissance, transitioning mainly from the study of crystallized biomolecules to the study of living biological systems, both at the sub-cellular as well as at the whole animal level and over all time scales. 2) There is a current great need to train scientists in quantitative methods (including model development) who will apply these methods to problems of biological interest. Physicists are well poised to contribute to this scholarly endeavor. 3) There is a great national push to train scientists that can excel in multi-disciplinary teams. 4) Duke has several new programs that can benefit and help contribute to the program, including efforts in Systems Biology, Advanced Imaging, and Medical Physics. 5) The Department is likely to hired faculty in the area of Biophysics in the coming 5 years. I am especially excited by the way in which the program will connect our students to physics- and biology-oriented faculty and students across campus. Our students will receive core training in Physics and Biology and thus will gain experience interacting and developing networks with students in both majors. The graduates from this program will be well prepared to enter into the top graduate programs in Biophysics, Medical Physics, or Medicine, go on to research jobs in the medical industry, or on to any job where quantitative skills and teamwork are of prime importance. Finally, I should mention that the entire Department of Physics is strongly in favor of the creation of this program. Sincerely,

Daniel P. Kiehart Professor and Chair Department of Biology Room 4330 French Family Science Center Science Drive PO Box 90338 Duke University Durham, NC 27708-0338 tel. 919 613-8157--fax 919 613-8177--email dkiehart@Duke.edu

Developmental, Cell and Molecular Biology Group

27 August 2008 Professor Seog Oh and Professor Dan Gauthier, Chair Department of Physics Duke University Dear Professors Oh and Gauthier, I write to formally, wholeheartedly and enthusiastically to endorse the Department of Physics’ plan to field a major in Biophysics. This major will provide a significant educational opportunity for our undergraduates. As you know, the Department of Biology includes a faculty with a broad range of interests, ranging from climate change to animal behavior, from population genetics to the mechanisms of development. Three of us, me, Zhen-Ming Pei and Sonke Johnsen are doing research in Biophysics and I have co-taught a Biological Physics course with Professor Glenn Edwards from your department. Nevertheless, each of us also has major teaching responsibilities outside of Biophysics and as a consequence there is no real opportunity for our students to get formal training in the discipline. The commitment of Physics to formalize such a training opportunity is an excellent one. The program that you have proposed with a core of entry courses that embrace critical training in mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology provide the fundamentals required to go on to a graduate program (PhD, MD/PhD) in biophysics. The options of selecting alternative tracks in Cellular Biophysics or Molecular Biophysics is also very good one. It should allow our students augment a broad overview of the discipline with in depth coverage of one of two vibrant aspects of this rapidly expanding discipline. I expect that independent study opportunities in Trinity, Pratt and the Medical School will yield presentations at the March Meeting of the American Physical Society and the annual meeting of the Biophysical Society of which we has a faculty can be proud. Biology remains committed to providing the training required to produce the very best biophysicists possible. We will continue to provide the entry level training in Molecular Biology, Genetics and Cell Biology required as a foundation for both upper level tracks and will continue to encourage our faculty to offer upper level courses that embrace biophysical aspects of their chosen subdisciplines. Please let me know if there is any thing else that I can do to help make this wonderful opportunity available to the Duke undergraduates. Sincerely,

Page 2

DURHAM

NORTH CAROLINA 27708-0338

DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY TELEPHONE (919) 660-7372 BOX 90338 FAX (919) 660-7293 Committee on Curriculum Arts and Sciences Council Duke University September 1, 2008 Dear A&S Curriculum Committee

We are writing to express our support for the new Biophysics Major proposal, which the Physics Department has prepared. Our Biology Department Curriculum Committee has considered this proposal carefully. We view it as strongly interdisciplinary and as an enhancement to Duke’s current offerings; the Biophysics Major will strengthen our Department’s – and the University’s – efforts to offer broad, interdisciplinary opportunities in a flexible manner.

We concur with the Physics Department that Physics, rather than Biology, is the proper

administrative home for this new Major. We anticipate that the curricular needs of students participating in the Biophysics Major can be met within the context of our current course offerings; the Biology courses listed as options for the Biophysics Major are standard courses in our Biology curriculum. Of the specific courses in biophysics that we contribute, we note that Biology 214 is currently taught by only a single Biology faculty member, Dan Kiehart. The Biology Department can only commit to that course when Professor Kiehart is available to teach it. But, otherwise, we have no curricular concerns and are strongly supportive of the new major. We are excited about the possibilities that the new Biophysics Major will offer students. Sincerely,

Susan Alberts, Director of Undergraduate Studies

Ron Grunwald, Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies

Appendix B. Communication with Various Departments Regarding the Courses for Bipphysics majors. **************** Department of Bioloy ************************** Dear Seog, The Biology Department is delighted to support the effort to establish a major in biophysics. As part of that support, we will offer a number of courses to be offered as part of the biophysics major. Notably, the basic courses in molecular and cell biology (Biology 118 & 119) will continue to be offered each semester as part of the core curriculum in biology. We are currently in the planning stages for a revision of Biology 118 that would increase emphasis on molecular biology, making it a more relevant course for the biophysics student. There may be consequent adjustments to the cell biology offerings (Biology 117 & 119), but courses appropriate for the biophysics major in this area will continue to be a staple of our curriculum. I'll also note that we expect to start a new course next year, Cellular and Molecular Neurosciences, in support of the Neuroscience major. This course, which is being offered in pilot form this semester, will be a useful addition to the repertoire of courses in this area for the biophysics major. There are no changes planned for courses in systems level physiology (Biology 151L, 152, 156L) or the advanced laboratory course in cell and developmental biology (Biology 205L). CC. Daniel Kiehart Ron Grunwald Lecturer & Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies in Biology 136 Bio Sci Bldg. e-mail: ron.grunwald@duke.edu Duke University phone: (919) 660-7322 Durham, NC 27708-0338 fax: (919) 660-7293 http://www.biology.duke.edu

**************** Department of Chemistry ************************** September 28, 2009 Professor Seog Oh Director of Undergraduate Studies Department of Physics Duke University Box 90305 Durham, NC 27708 Dear Professor Oh, We are writing with regard to the proposed undergraduate major in Biophysics. First we wish to confirm that all of the chemistry courses involved in this major, including CHEM 31L, 32L, 43L, 151L, 152L, 161, 176, 165, and 166, will continue to be taught for the foreseeable future, that we are fine with these courses counting toward the new major, and that we also foresee no issues with accommodating Biophysics majors in these courses. Second, to confirm our recent discussions regarding these chemistry courses, you should revise your list of courses to reflect the fact that the old CHEM 21L, 22L, and 23L have been replaced by CHEM 31L, 32L, and 43L, and also that the sequencing and pre-requisites within the general and organic chemistry courses have changed somewhat (for example, the only pre-requisite for CHEM 151L is now CHEM 31L). In addition, we discussed the fact that the most appropriate required physical chemistry course for the molecular biophysics track would be CHEM 161 rather than CHEM 165. (You may want to consider the pairing of CHEM 165/166 as an option for students wishing a more mathematical version of physical chemistry. For reference, our own BS chemistry majors take either the CHEM 165/166 or CHEM 161/176 pairings). Please let us know if you seek further clarification on any of these issues. Finally, we wish to express the Department of Chemistry’s support for the new Biophysics major. In particular, the Molecular Biophysics track dovetails closely with the research interests of a number of our faculty, as well as a number of students. However, with the increasing focus on molecular underpinnings of cell biology, as well as the increasing use of sophisticated spectroscopic tools for imaging, we would urge you to advise students in the Cellular Biophysics track to include CHEM 161, as the material in that course is very relevant. Sincerely, Richard A. MacPhail, Co-Director of Undergraduate Studies in Chemistry James Bonk, Co-Director of Undergraduate Studies in Chemistry Warren S. Warren, Chair of Chemistry

**************** Department of Mathematics ************************** To: Prof. Seog Oh, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Physics Dept. Dear Seog, You asked me about math courses that are to be required for a biophysics major. You included 3 semesters of calculus, Math 107, and Math 108. I can assure that the Mathematics Dept. will continue to offer all these courses for the forseeable future. Math 107 and 108 are taken by most engineering undergraduates and some science majors. Many students take calculus through the third semester. There are several alternatives for the 3 semesters of calculus, especially since students start at different points. You should consider the following as equivalent for your requirements: first semester: 31 (AP credit only), 31L, or (25L and 26L) second semester: 32, 32L, or 41L third semester: 103 or 105 Some explanation: 25L and 26L are intended for students not ready for 31L. The two together should be treated as equivalent to 31L for background. Many students get AP credit for 31 and 32. A student who starts with the second semester should take 32 or 41L, not 32L. 105 is an elite version of 103 and serves any purpose served by 103. For more about these alternatives, please see math.duke.edu/first_year/placement.html or go to www.math.duke.edu and click on placement. I will copy this to Lewis Blake, our Supervisor of First-Year Instruction, so that if I have made a mistake he can correct me! Sincerely, J. Thomas Beale Director of Undergraduate Studies Mathematics

**************** Structural Biology & Biophysics Program************************** Seog, All three have been given each year for decades; BioChem 222 and 227 with their same numbers, Biochem 258 is a development of the historic "Proteins and Enzymes", probably the oldest course given by the Biochemistry Department. Of course, the material covered has evolved over time, but long term stability is what we got. I be glad to talk with you further about courses and programs. These next few weeks would be a good time for me. -Dave Richardson Lab 211 Nanaline Duke Bldg. Duke U Med Ctr Durham NC 27710-3711 USA 1-919-684-6010; fax 684-8885