Hampton University News September 27, 2010 HU Receives Grant to Establish Biochemistry Program Hampton, Va. -The Hampton University Department of Chemistry recently received a $293,853 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish the new Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry degree program. The grant will assist the department in procuring essential equipment and other resources needed to help the program grow. The curriculum for the program has been carefully designed to combine topics in biological, chemical, mathematical, and other key science concepts. HU is one of four Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) that offer an undergraduate biochemistry degree. The program gives HU students interested in medical careers a chance to become more competitive in the industry. "The program will place Hampton University in a rather unique position," stated Dr. Isai T. Urasa, chair of the Department of Chemistry and principal investigator of the NSF grant. "We will be one of very few institutions that offer an undergraduate degree in biochemistry, it will promote our visibility for student recruitment and also enhance our competitiveness for research and other programmatic grants." Biochemistry is the study of the chemical processes in living organisms. It deals with the structure and functions of cellular components, such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and other biomolecules. Biochemistry combines biology with organic and physical chemistry to reveal the mechanisms by which living things obtain energy from food; the chemical basis of heredity; and biological changes related to disease. "It is widely understood that as in all science and engineering fields, minorities are acutely underrepresented in biochemistry and the biomedical workforce," stated Urasa. "The newly established biochemistry program will provide chemistry and other science students with an expanded field of career options." SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404.592.4820 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/meeting-form.html for the October 24-26, 2010 HBCU Library Alliance 4th Membership Meeting and the "Conference on Advocacy" pre-conference in Montgomery, AL. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.