2.772/20.110 Thermodyncs of Biomolec Sys
Fall 2014
image restricted to class participants
The power of thermodynamics is in its ability to predict chemical and biological events. Will a metabolic reaction occur? Will a drug bind to its protein target and at what concentration will it be active? Will an antibody bind to an antigen? Into what structure will viral coat proteins self-assemble? Will a protein fold? This course is an introduction to the foundations of thermodynamics and its application to biomolecular systems. The first third focuses on the terms that go into the calculation of free energy (ΔG=ΔH-TΔS), which predicts whether or not a process will occur. This represents the culmination of the zeroth (T), first (ΔH), and second/third (ΔS) laws of thermodynamics. The second third moves to the details of molecular interactions through an introduction to statistical mechanics, in part through the relationship Boltzmann developed (see equation carved on his gravestone, in the image above). Finally, the last third is focused on the application of these tools to biomolecular problem.
Instructors: Moungi G Bawendi, Linda G Griffith, Jacquin Niles, Krystyn J Van Vliet, Christopher A. Voigt
TAs and Tutors: Alexander Thomas Brown, Linyi Gao, Alex Hull, Tushar V Kamath, Ishwar N Kohale, Chee Kong Lee, Kathy Lin, Deena Antoinette Rennerfeldt, Nathan Darrell Ricke, Katherine Emily Shulenberger, Hendrik Utzat, Karinna O Vivanco, Tuo Wang, Asmamaw T Wassie, Hao Xing
Lecture: MWF10 (32-123)
Information:
Announcements
20.110 grades posted
The final grades should be posted this evening.Announced on 18 December 2014 5:36 p.m. by Lindsay King
Update
I'm hanging out in stata (outside of 32-141) until 7, at which point I'll be heading over to 56-614.Announced on 15 December 2014 5:38 p.m. by Alex Hull
Office Hours
Hey gang,I officially have 56-614 booked from 7-10. That was a little later than I was hoping for, seeing as your exam is 9 am tomorrow, so I might post up in a public space somewhere, starting at 5 or so. If that's the case, I'll let you know where I am, and you can drop by and ask questions. Email is also an option.
Good luck!
-Alex
P.S. Get some sleep tonight. Seriously.
Announced on 15 December 2014 12:50 p.m. by Alex Hull
Review Session Problems and Solutions Posted
Hi everyone!The problems I covered during the review session this evening, along with my solutions to them, have been posted to Stellar (with the recitation materials). They cover topics from the first two parts of the class. Don't feel like you have alter your study plans to go over them, though. They're just there as an extra resource for those who are interested.
Office hours are still planned for tomorrow. I will let you know the time and location as soon as I book a room.
Good luck! (And get a good night's sleep tomorrow
night)
-Alex
Announced on 15 December 2014 12:07 a.m. by Alex Hull
One More Piece of Reading and Office Hours
Hey everyone,If you want some more information on Gaussian polymer statistics and polymer elasticity (the material covered in the week 14 recitation problems), I would suggest pages 665-670 in Dill.
Also, I am planning on holding office hours Monday afternoon/evening. Time and location TBA.
One more week! Hang in there!
-Alex
Announced on 13 December 2014 11:51 a.m. by Alex Hull
