GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY II covers biosynthesis, signal transduction, nucleic acid metabolism, and protein synthesis.
The course requires significant memorization of metabolic pathways and reactions. Students report that dense content and difficult exams necessitate creating condensed study tables and dedicating ample time to preparation to finish exams on time.
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BIOCHEM 507
“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.
Robert Kirchdoerfer is described as kind, accessible during office hours, and knowledgeable about his lecture unit. Reviewers note that his lectures are well-organized and his test preparation materials accurately reflect the actual exam content.
Recent recorded grades — Fall 2024: 2.78 GPA, 39.0% A/AB (n=41 letter grades); Spring 2025: 2.73 GPA, 32.7% A/AB (n=98 letter grades); Fall 2025: 2.91 GPA, 32.8% A/AB (n=64 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.
Judith Simcox is praised for her passion, clear explanations, and accessibility, with students noting her helpful anecdotes and fair testing. Conversely, some reviewers found her lectures confusing and exams difficult, while others criticized her exams as unfair and practice tests as unrepresentative.
Recent recorded grades — Fall 2024: 2.78 GPA, 39.0% A/AB (n=41 letter grades); Spring 2025: 2.73 GPA, 32.7% A/AB (n=98 letter grades); Fall 2025: 2.91 GPA, 32.8% A/AB (n=64 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.
Historical reviews of David Pagliarini: David Pagliarini is consistently praised for clear, concise lectures and fair exams. Reviewers highlight his ability to make material applicable and his provision of study guides, though some note he only teaches a fraction of the course.
DAVID PAGLIARINI is recorded teaching in Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2019. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
JAMES NTAMBI is recorded teaching in Spring 2017. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
JUDITH SIMCOX is recorded teaching in Spring 2020, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
ROBERT KIRCHDOERFER is recorded teaching in Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.
SEBASTIAN BEDNAREK is recorded teaching in Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2022, Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024, Fall 2024, Spring 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.
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| Section | Mode | Enrolled / capacity | Waitlist |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | Classroom Instruction | 42 / 140 | 0 |
Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.
Most reviewers praise current instructors Judith Simcox and Robert Kirchdoerfer for their passion, organization, and accessibility, noting that exams align well with practice materials. However, some students report that Simcox’s exams are unfairly difficult and confusing, creating a polarized experience.
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 2.73 GPA, 32.7% A/AB (n=98 letter grades); Fall 2025: 2.91 GPA, 32.8% A/AB (n=64 letter grades); Spring 2026: 2.98 GPA, 39.1% A/AB (n=87 letter grades).
The course requires significant memorization of metabolic pathways and reactions. Students report that dense content and difficult exams necessitate creating condensed study tables and dedicating ample time to preparation to finish exams on time.
Students find Simcox and Kirchdoerfer accessible outside of class, with Kirchdoerfer providing clear test prep and Simcox offering helpful anecdotes. Simcox also points out clearly what to know for exams, while reviewers appreciate her passion and engagement.
Latest available · Spring 2026— not enough history to project Fall 2026.
Through Spring 2026
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.
1283 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.
Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.
Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.
General Biochemistry II
Recorded 2026-09-07[
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"course_id": "BIOCHEM 508",
"course_uid": "course_c759b64b8555402c1fff9182",
"term_id": "1272",
"source_course_id": "001839",
"source_subject_id": "200",
"title": "General Biochemistry II",
"credits_min": 3,
"credits_max": 4,
"typically_offered": "Spring"
}
]Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.
Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.
Explore recorded gradesRecorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.
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