Biochemistry program

The UWL Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry is fully accredited by both the American Chemical Society-Committee on Professional Training (ACS-CPT) and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB). These recognitions acknowledge the quality program, staff and facilities of the department, and they enable the program to offer prestigious ASBMB-Certified degrees in Chemistry and Biochemistry, along with several other degree options.

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry awards student scholarships annually to support returning undergraduate students in the major and graduates of the program who are entering a professional program in the basic sciences and/or health professions. 

Students have numerous opportunities to get involved in cutting-edge chemical, biochemical, and educational undergraduate research projects. In 2019-20, the Chemistry & Biochemistry Department had the highest percentage of students participating in undergraduate research at UW-La Crosse. Summer undergraduate research fellowships are also available to conduct research with a faculty member. Learn about the research interests of faculty.

Students are given broad preparation with both technical and soft skills. This leads to graduates who are flexible and creative problem solvers who can adapt and thrive as their career advances. Students gain real-world skills including:

• Problem solving
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Independent learning
• Data organization and analysis
• Mentoring
• Project management
• Clear and concise writing
• Public speaking

Students gain 300 hours of hands-on, practical laboratory experience with specialized scientific equipment.

Students have opportunities to connect and enjoy fun and informative experiences through the Chemistry and Biochemistry Club.

Students in the program benefit from a comprehensive and inclusive approach to academic and career advising. Each student is assigned a departmental staff member to provide coordinated and focused academic and career planning. This approach empowers each student to make decisions compatible with their interests.

Students are encouraged to participate in internship experiences, which may be taken for academic credit. They offer practical experiences in the field, and, in some cases, are paid. Campus support is available to help find internships through UWL Career Services and Handshake.

The Chemistry & Biochemistry Department currently has over 250 student majors. Each year, over 30 students graduate with bachelor of science degrees in chemistry or biochemistry. Typically, 30-50% of graduating seniors apply to, and are accepted by graduate programs at major research universities where they pursue doctoral degrees in chemistry or related areas.

Students routinely co-author professional presentations ​and publications with chemistry faculty members. Students often present their research at regional and national meetings. Examples of co-authored research include:

• Roskam JL, Nowak KL, Taylor KT, Rendler SR, and Beyer KD. (2021) Phase diagrams of aqueous solutions of the potassium salts of malonic, succinic, and glutaric acids. The Journal of Chemical Thermodynamics. 158: 106466-106477.
• Stuttgen GM, Grosskopf JD, Berger CR, May JF, Bhattacharyya B, and Weaver TM. (2020) Closed fumarase C active-site structures reveal SS Loop residue contribution in catalysis. FEBS Letters. 594(2); 337-357.
• Thielen MK, Vaneerd CK, Goswami M, Carlson EE, and May JF. (2020) 2-aminobenzothiazoles inhibit virulence gene expression and block polymyxin resistance in Salmonella enterica. ChemBioChem. 21(24): 3500-3503.
• Macedo LJA, Miller EN, and Opdahl A. (2017) Effect of probe-probe distance on the stability of DNA hybrids on surfaces. Analytical Chemistry. 89(3): 1757-1763.

The Chemistry Department had 223 total majors in fall of 2022 with 42% of those majors indicating they are on the pre-health track, looking to future careers in healthcare fields.