Chemistry 460: Bioinorganic Chemistry

This course will examine the role of trace metal ions in biological systems. Metal ions such as iron, copper, and zinc are essential for life and are required for the function of about one-third of all known enzymes. However, the inherent toxicity of these metals has led to the evolution of cellular machinery to control the uptake, transport, storage, and distribution of trace metals in organisms. This toxicity also has been exploited in the development of several metal-based drugs. The challenges of understanding the roles of trace metals in biological systems have led to the development of novel techniques for their study. The course will survey a selection of these methods, and will examine case studies of metal-containing enzymes, metal ion trafficking, and metal-based drugs. A major portion of this course will be student-led literature reviews, presentations, and discussion of these topics.