Lecture, three hours. Enforced requisites: courses 153A and either 153B or 153C, with grades of C- or better. Biochemcial reactivity of dioxygen, its role in mitochondrial metabolism, neurodegenerative diseases, apoptosis, and aging. Discussion of radical reactions, how they are harnessed to achieve enzyme catalysis, and how free radicals contribute to or regulate essential biological processes. These same reactions run amok under certain types of stress and can contribute to wide variety of diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Huntington's, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's diseases), mitochondrial diseases, atherosclerosis, and aging. Concurrently scheduled with course C164. S/U or letter grading.