Course Description
Multidisciplinary course for graduate students in the Life Sciences (biochemistry, cellular biology, genetics, and others) emphasizing the analysis of primary literature, didactic lecture content, contemporary experimental approaches, presentations, and projects that will provide a common set of core content and skills necessary for contemporary graduate studies emphasizing eukaryotic biology.
Athena Title
Adv Genetic Cell Biology BCMB
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students will achieve: 1) understanding of current state of knowledge in the fundamentals of molecular genetics as the first semester of a 4 x 2 semester-hour course set that will cover the fundamentals of biochemistry, cellular biology, and genetics; 2) training in current approaches for investigation and elucidation of new knowledge in these areas; 3) initial preparation for success in developing an innovative research program involving experimental work and discovery in the field of biochemistry, cellular biology, or genetics. These outcomes will be achieved through lecture, discussion, projects, and use of primary research literature.
Topical Outline
Unit Lecture Biological content 1) Genes and Genomes • Overview: eukaryotic gene expression, control points, Literature discussion: regulation of gene expression • Structure of nucleic acids, Literature discussion: Structure of nucleic acids • Genome structure, DNA recombination/repair, Literature discussion: Genome structure, DNA recombination/repair • DNA replication, Literature discussion: DNA replication • Telomeres, Literature discussion: Telomeres • Genetic approaches, Literature discussion: Genetic approaches 2) Transcriptional regulation • Transcriptional regulation, enhancers, enhanceosome, Literature discussion: Transcriptional regulation, enhancers, enhanceosome • Chromatin structure, histones, nucleosomes, Literature discussion: Chromatin structure, histones, nucleosomes • Bioinformatics: Paper/demonstration: Bioinformatics • Bioinformatics: Paper/demonstration: Bioinformatics 3) Post-transcriptional Regulation • Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression, non-coding RNAs, Literature discussion: Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression, non-coding RNAs • Splicing, mRNA stability and decay, Literature discussion: Splicing, mRNA stability and decay, • rRNA processing, ribosome biogenesis, Literature discussion: rRNA processing, ribosome biogenesis
Syllabus
Public CV