on biochem profs

biochm term test II is coming. and Prof. Moran is going to leave us. Baker will come.

i'm always very slow to appreciate a lecturer's style. Now i realize Moran isn't so Moron. I've always complained of his horrible teaching but after I've analyzed it, I realized he's just a bit different from what i'm so used to. He's not so organised as Rini, true, but he makes people think by contrasting current theories and bringing homologous mechanisms along the evolutionary pathway. there's a general force that governs everything. what i remember most about his lectures is the constant reminder that 'this's not the only...'

NADH is NOT the only electron donor, neither is water the only electron acceptor.
there could be nitrates. cytochrome c? NADPH in plants. etc etc.

H2O is NOT the only source of electrons for photosystems. look at all the chemobacteria out there. H2S, complex ions. they're all sources of electrons to replenish the pool.

and photosysnthesis is not ONLY about oxidation of water or the making of carbo. Carbo is just one of the many uses of the energy harnessed from PS.

we're often blind by conventions or what we take as default while in truth alternatives and variations are the proud products of nature. we're too familiar with ourselves to realize other organisms' intricate designs, or at least some of us do.

But how to escape the box? Unless someone reminds you that it could be DIFFERENT. or you read more on your own initiative. the more u know, the more u'll see.

so Prof Moran isn't bad as i've thought, in fact quite enlighting sometimes. and he seems to be trying hard to build good relationships with fellow students, which's rare for a busy old man like he is. Even someone as attractive looking and young as Prof. Rini doesn't bother to do that. Rini is very systematic though. very very organised. and it's my favourite style. no overheads or powerpoints. talking through the concepts and writing down the main points on transparency sheets. and i memorized lots of stuff while copying n listening. but prof moran, sighs, why do i drift off so often everytime i stare at his slides. but maybe the section he covered is more complex n challenging. all the mechanisms.

genetics prof is also good. mind-stimulating type. bio prof is thorough. too thorough. as if she's afraid we might not get her at every single point. the 2nd lecture she left 2 pages uncovered. today's lecture she only covered 2 pages of the new lecture handouts. it's gonna snowball. in no time we'll have to add extra lectures just to finish up the handouts.