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Carol L Dieckmann

  • Professor Emerita
Contact
  • (520) 621-3569
  • Life Sciences South, Rm. 000427
  • Tucson, AZ 85721
  • dieckman@arizona.edu
  • Bio
  • Interests
  • Courses
  • Scholarly Contributions

Biography

Research organelle organization and function.

Teach molecular and cellular biology.

Serve the department, college, university, and national and international communities.

Degrees

  • Ph.D. Biology
    • University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
    • Circadian rhythms in Neurospora crassa: A biochemical and genetic study of the involvement of mitochondrial metabolism in periodicity
  • B.S. Biological Science
    • University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California

Work Experience

  • University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona (1984 - Ongoing)
  • Columbia University, New York, New York (1980 - 1984)

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Interests

Teaching

Molecular basis of life MCB 301 is the first of three core courses in the MCB major. This course explores the foundational concepts of molecular biology in depth: DNA replication and transcription, RNA processing, modification and translation. Biochemical principles governing molecular interactions are emphasized. Honors students demonstrate their understanding of nucleic acid - protein interaction through mastery of molecular graphics.

Research

The general focus in this lab is on understanding the coordination of organelle/host cell interactions. Two different systems under study arenuclear control of mitochondrial mRNA expression in yeast mitochondria, and eyespot assembly in Chlamydomonas. Mitochondrial tRNA processing is inhibited in yeast strains defective in fatty acid biosynthesis in the organelle. We are trying to understand why gene expression and fatty acid metabolism intersect. Mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis precedes the synthesis of lipoic acid, the swinging arm cofactor of pyruvate dehydrogenase and two other enzyme complexes. We are studying how lipoic acid is synthesized and attached to target proteins in mitochondria, and how this process is controlled. The eyespot in Chlamydomonas is made up of components in the chloroplast and in the plasma membrane of the cell. We are interested in how the cell controls the assembly of these components into a functional light-sensing structure. Originally isolated as part of a collection of 168 phototaxis-defective mutants, 28 mutants define four genes required for eyespot assembly. eye2 and eye3 mutants are eyeless. min1 mutants have small eyespots and mlt1 mutants have multiple eyespots. We are trying to understand how these mutations affect eyespot assembly and placement relative to the cytoskeleton through a combination of molecular genetics and light, fluorescence and electron microscopy.

Courses

2023-24 Courses

  • Senior Capstone
    BIOC 498 (Fall 2023)

2022-23 Courses

  • Senior Capstone
    BIOC 498 (Spring 2023)
  • Directed Research
    BIOC 392 (Fall 2022)
  • Senior Capstone
    BIOC 498 (Fall 2022)

2021-22 Courses

  • Molecular Basis of Life
    MCB 301 (Spring 2022)
  • Science,Society + Ethics
    MCB 695E (Spring 2022)
  • Special Tutoring Wkshp
    MCB 497A (Spring 2022)
  • Thesis
    MCB 910 (Spring 2022)
  • MCB Journal Club
    MCB 595 (Fall 2021)
  • Thesis
    MCB 910 (Fall 2021)
  • What is MCB?
    MCB 195I (Fall 2021)

2020-21 Courses

  • Independent Study
    MCB 399 (Spring 2021)
  • Honors Independent Study
    MCB 399H (Fall 2020)
  • Honors Independent Study
    MCB 499H (Fall 2020)
  • Senior Capstone
    MCB 498 (Fall 2020)

2019-20 Courses

  • Directed Rsrch
    MCB 492 (Spring 2020)
  • Honors Independent Study
    MCB 399H (Spring 2020)
  • Honors Independent Study
    MCB 499H (Spring 2020)
  • Honors Thesis
    MCB 498H (Spring 2020)
  • Molecular Basis of Life
    MCB 301 (Spring 2020)
  • Special Tutoring Wkshp
    MCB 497A (Spring 2020)
  • Directed Rsrch
    MCB 392 (Fall 2019)
  • Honors Independent Study
    MCB 399H (Fall 2019)
  • Honors Thesis
    MCB 498H (Fall 2019)
  • What is MCB?
    MCB 195I (Fall 2019)

2018-19 Courses

  • Directed Rsrch
    MCB 492 (Spring 2019)
  • Molecular Basis of Life
    MCB 301 (Spring 2019)
  • Special Tutoring Wkshp
    MCB 497A (Spring 2019)

2017-18 Courses

  • Honors Thesis
    MCB 498H (Spring 2018)
  • Molecular Basis of Life
    MCB 301 (Spring 2018)
  • Senior Capstone
    MCB 498 (Spring 2018)
  • Special Tutoring Wkshp
    MCB 497A (Spring 2018)
  • Honors Thesis
    MCB 498H (Fall 2017)
  • Senior Capstone
    MCB 498 (Fall 2017)

2016-17 Courses

  • Directed Rsrch
    MCB 392 (Spring 2017)
  • Honors Thesis
    MCB 498H (Spring 2017)
  • Molecular Basis of Life
    MCB 301 (Spring 2017)
  • Directed Rsrch
    MCB 392 (Fall 2016)
  • Honors Thesis
    MCB 498H (Fall 2016)

2015-16 Courses

  • Dissertation
    MCB 920 (Spring 2016)
  • Honors Independent Study
    MCB 399H (Spring 2016)
  • Honors Thesis
    MCB 498H (Spring 2016)
  • Molecular Genetics
    MCB 304 (Spring 2016)

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Scholarly Contributions

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