Course Description
Powerful and rapidly evolving genome engineering technologies have revolutionized basic and applied research, ranging from agriculture to biomedicine. This course will teach students about cutting-edging genome editing technologies in different organisms, focusing on the basic mechanisms, up-to-date techniques, emerging applications, ethical issues, and associated regulations.
Athena Title
Engin Living Organism
Prerequisite
(BCMB 3100 or BCMB 3100E or BCMB 3100H) and (GENE 3200-3200D or GENE 3200E or GENE 3200H)
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Powerful and rapidly evolving genome engineering technologies have revolutionized basic and applied research, ranging from agriculture to biomedicine. The goal of this course is to teach students about cutting-edging genome editing technologies in different organisms, focusing on the basic mechanisms, up-to-date techniques, and emerging applications. This course will also cover related ethical issues and regulations in both agricultural and biomedical fields.
Topical Outline
I. Introduction and Basic Concepts a. Organization and Structure of Genomes b. Basic Principles of Molecular Biology i. Relationship Between Genotype (DNA) and Phenotype c. General Molecular Biotechnology Related to Genome Engineering II. Techniques for Engineering Living Organisms a. Brief History of Genome Editing b. Zinc-finger Nucleases (ZFNs)-Based Genome Editing c. Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases (TALEN)-Based Genome Editing d. Basic Biology of the CRISPR/Cas9 System e. The Versatility of the CRISPR/Cas9 System III. Applications of Genome Engineering a. Research and Therapeutic Applications of Genome Editing in Biomedical Fields b. Genome Editing in Agriculture IV. The Ethics of Genome Engineering a. Ethical Concerns of Genome Editing in Biomedical Fields b. Regulations on Genome Editing in Biomedical Fields c. Ethical Concerns of Genome Editing in Agriculture Fields d. Regulations on Genome Editing in Agricultural Fields V. Final Project a. Student Presentations Focusing on: i. Challenges in Organism Engineering ii. CRISPR-based Gene Therapy for Disease Treatment iii. CRISPR Foods - CRISPR-modified Crops and Livestock iv. How to Balance the Benefits and Concerns Cause by CRISPR-based Genome Editing
Syllabus