Current instructor
Original student reviews · all captured dates
I thought he did a really nice job with his section. He is very responsive, and I thought his lectures showed he wanted to help us succeed. Overall, very matter-of-fact and good at instructing a tough unit.Rate My Professors ↗
Let me retake an exam I had missed, very understanding guy. Do all the practice exams for this class they will make it a lot easierRate My Professors ↗
Pennella is a good professor for the tougher unit in Biochem 501. He attempts to make the course more easy to follow but it's really up to you if you're into Anabolism. The class is exam heavy with 4 exams but each exam is noncumulative and easy if you put in the time to study with the practice exams and drawing out the complex pathways.Rate My Professors ↗
Despite some of the other ratings I found him to be the easiest to understand and follow along of all three lecturers. He is also extremely accommodating with no complaints, which I really appreciate.Rate My Professors ↗
Very kind and cares about students. Very difficult material but, so he makes the effort to hand write some of the material and organize it in a way that helps students.Rate My Professors ↗
Dr. Pennella's lectures were always very interesting. Outside of class he was also very friendly and showed he cared about the students.Rate My Professors ↗
Personal experiences, not a representative survey. Profile matching and captured coverage are shown in the source details.
First-year seminar introducing the discipline of biochemistry, the UW Biochemistry Department, faculty research projects, university resources, and career options for students with a biochemistry background.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=18 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.93 GPA, 97.5% A/AB (n=118 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.91 GPA, 95.5% A/AB (n=44 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Introduction to molecular life mechanisms and evolutionary diversity, exploring current topics like gene editing, genomics, and biotechnology to evaluate scientific claims.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Mario Pennella
Prof. Mario Pennella taught with a clear, concise style, though one student noted he could be monotone. Homework took about 30 minutes weekly, and exams covered lecture material.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Independent Study involves research work under the direct guidance of a Biochemistry faculty member.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Recent recorded grades — Fall 2025: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=23 letter grades); Spring 2026: 4.00 GPA, 100.0% A/AB (n=21 letter grades).
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Survey of Biochemistry explores chemical properties of biomolecules, metabolism, and DNA processes, linking them to disease, drug design, and gene therapy; it does not prepare students for advanced biochemistry or med/vet admission.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Recent recorded grades — Spring 2026: 2.93 GPA, 40.5% A/AB (n=37 letter grades). Includes jointly taught sections.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Spring 2026Introduction to Biochemistry covers the chemistry, nutrition, and metabolism of biological systems, emphasizing biomolecular structures, genetic information processes, and central metabolic pathways.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
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.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026Distinct courses recorded per term
Explore courses taught by this instructor →| Term | Course | Title |
|---|---|---|
| Spring 2027 | BIOCHEM 100 | Biochemistry First-year Seminar |
| Spring 2027 | BIOCHEM 104 | Molecules to Life and the Nature of Science |
| Spring 2027 | BIOCHEM 299 | Independent Study |
| Spring 2027 | BIOCHEM 301 | Survey of Biochemistry |
| Spring 2027 | BIOCHEM 501 | Introduction to Biochemistry |
| Fall 2026 | BIOCHEM 100 | Biochemistry First-year Seminar |
| Fall 2026 | BIOCHEM 104 | Molecules to Life and the Nature of Science |
| Fall 2026 | BIOCHEM 299 | Independent Study |
| Fall 2026 | BIOCHEM 501 | Introduction to Biochemistry |
Teaching history may be incomplete. Course pages contain course-specific feedback and citations.
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