Spring 2027

Introduction to Biochemistry

Introduction to Biochemistry covers the chemistry, nutrition, and metabolism of biological systems, emphasizing biomolecular structures, genetic information processes, and central metabolic pathways.

offering recorded3 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 Scott Coyle4.4/5Mario Pennella3.7/5Richard Amasino3.7/5 +1 more

Summary

1 / 6

Past student reviews · Mario Pennella

Students reported that Mario Pennella’s section was dense and required a lot of time to understand the material well enough to succeed on the multiple-choice exam.

What you’ll be able to do

  • Describe how biomolecules store, transmit, and receive information to carry out cellular functions, such as catalysis, information transfer, energy production, and biosynthesis

  • Explain how molecular interactions drive the formation of macromolecular structure, including protein, lipid, nucleic acid, and carbohydrate structure

  • Recognize and identify the molecular structure of the building blocks for proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates and describe how their structure relates to their biological function.

  • Describe the process of DNA replication, DNA repair, RNA transcription, and protein synthesis

  • Relate the chemical structure of metabolites and the pathways through which they flow to how cells use those pathways for both biosynthesis (anabolism)and energy production (catabolism

  • Analyze the major anabolic and catabolic pathways of central metabolism in terms of energetics, molecular structure, hormonal control, and regulation

  • Recognize that all life on earth shares a common ancestor as illustrated by the use of the same genetic code and the existence of common biochemical pathways between all organisms

Source: UW Guide

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

(CHEM 341, 343, or concurrent enrollment), or graduate/professional standing

BIOCHEM 501 used by

“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree

Professors

Spring 2027

Scott Coyle

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.88/5 from 33 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Past student reviews · Scott Coyle

Scott Coyle taught the genetics unit, with students describing his lectures as engaging, clear, and often aided by supplemental videos. One student noted the course relied on four noncumulative exams that were easy if studied, while another could not speak to exam fairness, and reviews generally found the material accessible despite a fast pace.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.49 GPA, 70.5% A/AB (n=637 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.58 GPA, 75.0% A/AB (n=768 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.60 GPA, 76.7% A/AB (n=701 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.73/5 from 30 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

For this course: 3.7/5 raw quality · 3.5/5 difficulty · 27 reviews

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Past student reviews · Mario Pennella

Mario Pennella served as course coordinator, teaching in a blended format with online lectures and daily problem sets. Students found his lectures dense and sometimes monotone, but praised his willingness to write on slides to aid comprehension. Exams were described as fair and based strictly on lecture content.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.49 GPA, 70.5% A/AB (n=637 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.58 GPA, 75.0% A/AB (n=768 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.60 GPA, 76.7% A/AB (n=701 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.64/5 from 14 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Past student reviews · RIchard Amasino

Richard Amasino’s lectures were described as straightforward and passionate, with students appreciating his historical context and in-class multiple-choice questions. Other students found them disjointed or hard to follow because slides contained too much information. The class was exam-heavy, but non-cumulative exams were considered easy if students drew pathways and did practice exams.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.49 GPA, 70.5% A/AB (n=637 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.58 GPA, 75.0% A/AB (n=768 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.60 GPA, 76.7% A/AB (n=701 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.49 GPA, 70.5% A/AB (n=637 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.58 GPA, 75.0% A/AB (n=768 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.60 GPA, 76.7% A/AB (n=701 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

Past student reviews · Jill Wildonger, Lisa Lenertz-Lindemer

Jill Wildonger’s lectures were described as clear and well-organized, though some students found the pace quick. Lisa Lenertz-Lindemer’s online notes were praised for clearly laying out expected exam material, and one student said the class required a ton of memorization.

JILL WILDONGER is recorded teaching in Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

LISA LENERTZ-LINDEMER is recorded teaching in Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

MARIO PENNELLA is recorded teaching in Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

RICHARD AMASINO is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

SAMUEL BUTCHER is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2016, Fall 2016, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018, Spring 2019, Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

SCOTT COYLE is recorded teaching in Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Spring 2027

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 4200
LEC 002Online Only0 / 9900

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
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Student experience

the class

Past student reviews · Scott Coyle

The course is graded almost only on four non-cumulative exams, which students found easy if they studied the material.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.49 GPA, 70.5% A/AB (n=637 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.58 GPA, 75.0% A/AB (n=768 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.60 GPA, 76.7% A/AB (n=701 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

Past student reviews · Mario Pennella

Students reported that Mario Pennella’s section was dense and required a lot of time to understand the material well enough to succeed on the multiple-choice exam.

Past student reviews · Scott Coyle

Scott Coyle’s lectures were described as dense and fast-paced, so students recommended downloading or printing the slides in advance to keep up.

Topics

  • Macromolecular structure, including proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates.
  • Genetic information processes, including DNA replication, repair, transcription, and protein synthesis.
  • Central metabolism, especially anabolic and catabolic pathways.

Skills

  • Describing how biomolecules store, transmit, and receive information for cellular functions.
  • Relating the chemical structure of metabolites to metabolic pathways used by cells.
  • Analyzing metabolic pathways in terms of energetics, molecular structure, hormonal control, and regulation.

Grades

Historical instructor

Spring 2027 · Projected

Before grades are released

– average GPA

Approximate 80% prediction interval

About this estimate

The course’s semester-average GPA, not an individual student’s grade. The center uses 5 same-season terms, weighted toward recent results.

The range uses the finite-sample 80th-percentile rank of absolute errors from earlier same-season forecasts. Each forecast uses only records from earlier terms. At least four forecasts are required; bounds are rounded outward and limited to 0–4. This is an empirical estimate: changing instructors or grading policies can reduce its coverage.

8 earlier forecasts · 0.15 GPA average error.

Grades over time

Through Spring 2027

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Where this course fits relative to

Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels

GPA

Higher than % of other courses in this group.

Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range

letter grades

More recorded grades than % of other courses in this group.

Typical course in this group: letter grades.

About this comparison

1280 courses over the same term, each with at least 30 recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.

Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.

Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.

Download part 1
Selected offering source records
BIOCHEM 501 · Spring 2027

Introduction to Biochemistry

Recorded 2026-10-14
Raw records 
[
  {
    "run_id": "20261014T203208-0851c9a1",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:200:001836",
    "course_id": "BIOCHEM 501",
    "course_uid": "course_82b02a0645c630ce73cc6253",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "001836",
    "source_subject_id": "200",
    "title": "Introduction to Biochemistry",
    "credits_min": 3,
    "credits_max": 3,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
  }
]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
Download part 1
Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-10-14

View the dataset on Hugging Face
Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

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Model & dataset provenance 
{
  "model": "Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B",
  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "e95ac7036b7586ea61cb72522f6c80c17abdb013fa795e1fc13e1868e301bbdc",
  "requirements_status": "needs_review",
  "dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
}