Annual Report Text, 1997-1998

Dr. Boyer has' divided his work among three areas: teaching, research, and writing. His teaching assignment for the fall semester 1997-98 included Chemistry 101 lab (Nursing Chemistry) and Chemistry 311 (Biochemistry I). The Biochemistry class was so large (90 students) that it was divided into two lecture sections. During the second semester Dr. Boyer taught three sections of Chemistry 315 (Biochemistry Laboratory) using his text, Modern Experimental Biochemistry, second edition. Biochemistry classes are popular at Hope as well as other colleges because it is now a required course for admission to many medical and other professional schools and the American Chemical Society will soon require a biochemistry course for ACS-certified degrees in chemistry.

In the research laboratory, Dr. Boyer and Anne Roulo ('99) studied complexes made from heme and the iron storage protein, apoferritin. They found that the complexes could be isolated and purified using gel filtration chromatography. The complexes were characterized spectroscopically and also found to have the ability to catalyze the oxidation of ferrous ion, thus the complexes act as ferro-oxidases. Students in the lab are investigating this interesting biological activity as well as testing other cofactors that may form complexes with ferritin.

Perhaps the highlight of the year was publication of Dr. Boyer's new book, Concepts in Biochemistry (Brooks/Cole Publishers). After five years of writing, rewriting, drawing figures, redrawing figures and proofreading, it was a relief for Dr. Boyer to see the final product. The book, with 700 pages and a full-color art program, is designed for use by students in the health sciences, environmental sciences and biotechnology.