Biochemistry

If you’re fascinated by the chemistry of living things, Augustana’s biochemistry major and minor can take you far.

The direction you choose might be biochemistry or biomedical sciences, or it could be an applied field such as biotechnology, molecular genetics, immunology, pharmacology, toxicology or forensic science. Biochemistry is an ideal background for the health professions, and also useful — especially with your liberal arts foundation — for business, law, and communications in the life sciences.

If you’re thinking of graduate school in biochemistry, our history looks good for your future. The placement rate for Augustana biochemistry and chemistry majors who continue to graduate school at major universities is close to 100% for more than 25 years.

Your brilliant mentors and big opportunities in a small class/lab setting will help you get there. You’ll have substantial research experience—in and out of class, on and off campus, with professors and others, during the school year and in the summer.

On campus, you’ll spend a lot of time in the recently expanded Hanson Hall of Science, which has five labs dedicated specifically to undergraduate research — including the extensive Guehler biochemistry lab.

Distinctions

• Augustana’s biochemistry major/minor is offered through the chemistry department, which is nationally accredited by the American Chemical Society.

• Each year, Augustana biochemistry majors are among the select students taking part in the prestigious Summer Internship Research Program at the Texas Medical Center in Houston.

• Biochemistry students have access to grants for both on- and off-campus research. One of these is Augie Choice: $2,000 to support each Augustana student’s internship, research experience or study abroad.

• Many chemistry and biochemistry majors attend and present their research at regional and national conferences, such as the Argonne Undergraduate Research Symposium at Argonne National Laboratories near Chicago, the annual Sigma Xi meeting, and the annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Recent grads

Giang Pham ’21 is a research associate at Yale College of Medicine, and later applying to a Ph.D. in immunology program.

Kalli Majewski ’21 is continuing her Texas Medical Center internship at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Samantha Anne Dinglasan '20 is a research assistant at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center with a team researching neurofibromatosis I (NF1). 

Alfred Dei-Ampeh ’19 is a research technician/lab manager at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.

James Hartnett ’17 is a research and development associate scientist at Abbott in Pleasant Prairie, Wis.

Lizeth Tamayo ’16 is a Ph.D. candidate in genetic epidemiology at the University of Chicago.

Jacob Gylten ’16 is a student at University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine.