Seeking Advice in Course Selection and Research (Undergraduate)

[microbecode01]

Dear forum people,

 

I am a rising collegiate sophomore with the double majors in a microbiology and mathematics, and I am training myself everyday to become a great virologist (aiming for the virology-related graduate schools).  I wrote this post because I have a problem choosing the biological courses for the upcoming Fall semester AND the undergraduate research.  I am trying to decide whether to take the Biochemistry I (first semester of year-long introductory course) or Cell Biology (one-semester course); I will also be taking the Organic Chemistry I, Theoretical Linear Algebra, Composition Skills in Life Science, and the Research-Credit Course.  I had talked with my advisers and professors (who will be teaching the biochemistry and cell biology), and they said that either course is fine with the rest of my registered courses.  Although I thought that the organic chemistry is a basis of a biochemistry, my biochemistry professor told me that both the biochemistry and organic chemistry (both year-long) can be taken concurrently as long as I put an effort.  I would like to take either the biochemistry or cell biology as early as possible since my upcoming undergraduate research is based on those topics.  Which course should I take, especially concurrently with the biochemistry?

 

Also I am trying to decide which undergraduate research should I do for the rest of my undergraduate career.  I currently got into the analytical chemistry lab and the virology lab.  In the analytical chemistry lab, which focuses on the molecular biology, I will be researching the methodology to study the cell signaling molecules and the prokaryotic cell signal systems.  In the virology lab, I will be researching the genetics of the influenza and ebola viruses.  I am going to go with only one lab since it is much better to focus on one lab intensely than scattered my efforts in both labs.  Since I am planning to study the virology in the graduate schools, it seems that the virology lab is well suited for me. However, I am also intensely interested in the cell signals and the analytical chemistry because I think that the understanding of cell signaling between the host cells and viruses (such as influenza) is crucial for the development of methods to fight the viral pathogens.  Is it okay to do the undergraduate research that is different from the graduate school programs?  Is it okay for me to do my research in that analytical chemistry lab and still aiming for the virology graduate programs?  Or should I go with the virology research now?

 

I apologize for this lengthy post and the grammatical errors.  I sincerely seek your advice on both matters in academic courses and research.

Thank you very much in advance, and have a wonderful rest of a day!

[peachypie]

I wasn't sure if you were asking what you should take with organic chemistry or with biochemistry?  Either way i'd say that taking organic is important to do either before or at a minimum with biochem.  I wouldn't do biochem followed by ochem.  If I were taking 2 of those three concurrently I'd go with organic chemistry and biochemistry and do the cell bio later.  that is just what I would pick.  

I think you can go in whichever lab is of interest you and I think that at this point you certainly don't have to worry about the lab you are in so much as it is of interest to you and you do research.  It sounds like both of the labs will incorporate interests of yours that you may elaborate more on later as well as the most important is learning how to work in a lab and do research and build some skills and techniques.  no one, and I mean no one will tell you that you can't apply for a virology-focused program because you were in an A Chem lab that focused on molecular biology.  now is the time you want to be figuring out what you want to be interested in, so try the lab you think is closest to what youd like to do in school and afterwords, you either find out you dont like it or you do.  Either way it will help you decide your next steps when you are preparing for graduate school.

Best of luck.

[Vene]

I'd recommend doing biochemistry after organic chemistry. Not being familiar with functional groups can put you in a world of hurt as can poor familiarity with reaction mechanisms.

 

As for the labs do whatever you are more interested in at this point in time. Don't worry if it matches what you want to do in graduate school. The important thing is to get experience with the research process. And don't worry overly much about rushing to get the right class (biochemistry or molecular biology) as you'll learn a lot more by doing in the lab than you will from the class. If the class fits your schedule and you don't have to burden yourself to take it, sure. But, if it means loading up on too many credits ease back as it's more important to keep your GPA high than it is to get in the class you perceive as being important for undergrad research. The PI, postdocs, and/or grad students will train you.

[microbecode01]

Thank you all for your thoughtful advice!  I am very familiar with the organic functional groups and some mechanisms since I had been doing research in the synthetic organic chemistry lab during my freshman year (and the summer after it).  I am actually leaning toward taking both the organic chemistry I and biochemistry I than taking the cell biology with the organic chemistry I science both the organic chemistry and biochemistry share the similar principles.  My biochemistry professor also told me that taking both can be fine since the biochemistry I is not really heavily depend on the organic mechanisms; he also told me that the biochemistry, in the introductory level, does not require many organic mechanisms (and I can independently study the mechanisms by myself as I need them for the biochemistry).  I understand the reason why you recommend taking the biochemistry after the organic chemistry, but I would like to complete the general biochemistry first and then proceed to my major courses such as microbiology, immunology, and mathematics during my junior and senior years (I am double majors in a microbiology and mathematics); it is my understanding that the knowledge of biochemistry is essential to understand the microbiology and molecular biology.  Does the undergraduate-level cell biology depend on the biochemistry?  Do I need to complete the biochemistry first and then proceed to the cell biology?  Do you still recommend taking the biochemistry after the organic chemistry?

 

As for the research labs, I decided to go with the analytical chemistry research lab; I found out today that my professor and graduate mentor in that laboratory are planning to give me an independent research project.  The plan is that I will assist my graduate mentor in his research and then work independently on my own research that goes along with my graduate mentor's research.  The virology lab is only looking for the undergraduate assistant and not willing to give me an independent research.  Do graduate schools favor the independent research experience more than the research assistant to the mentor?

 

Once again, thank you very much for your thoughtful inputs!

[Bonez]

It sounds like you made the right choice as far as research labs go. I'd say that graduate schools look favorably on any research experience at the undergraduate level, and that experience looks even better if you have an independent project. More importantly, you'll probably learn a lot more from an independent project than an undergraduate assistantship. (From my experience, undergraduate assistantships can be great or really crap depending on who supervises them--I don't know what they're like at your school.) If your comfortable with it, I'd ask your supervisor about the possibility of publishing your project. Ask early! Even if its just the undergraduate research journal at your school--that looks damn good as a sophomore.

 

As far as classes are concerned... If you're comfortable with functional groups you should be fine with taking biochemistry and organic concurrently. Biochem I is an introductory course and is pretty simple. Cell Biology is a lower level course and really doesn't require much more than a basic knowledge of general chemistry--assuming its anything like the cell biology course at my school. You might not even need to take it-- a lot of the course will likely be covered in microbiology. 

[Vene]

Cell Biology is a lower level course and really doesn't require much more than a basic knowledge of general chemistry--assuming its anything like the cell biology course at my school. You might not even need to take it-- a lot of the course will likely be covered in microbiology. 

That's going to depend a lot on how each school does it. There could easily be intro level, intermediate, and advanced cell biology classes. Personally, my first taste of it was with an advanced class which assumed we had coursework completed in genetics and biochemistry.