BIOTEC 525 - Molecular and Cell Biology

This course examines the logic and mechanisms of gene regulation and the key experiments that revealed how oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes control the cell cycle. The molecular basis for cell signaling, cell adhesion, cytoskeleton dynamics, and organization of the extracellular matrix, are reviewed. In the laboratory students carry out experiments with mouse cells in order to learn the techniques of mammalian cell culture, flow cytometry, immunoblotting and immunofluorescence. Microarray technology and its application to the diagnosis of disease is also examined.

Students taking the course for Graduate Credit will fulfill two additional requirements:

1. Journal Club Facilitation. Graduate students participate as Journal Club Facilitators. To ensure preparation as a facilitator, graduate students meet with course director twice in the two weeks prior to the assigned activity (mandatory office hours). During the first meeting (approximately two weeks from the day of the undergraduate activity), the Course Director will disseminate the reading materials and assignment. Graduate students are expected to complete the readings and activity prior to the second mandatory office hour (approximately one week from the day of the regular class activity). During this second meeting, the Course Director and Graduate Students develop a plan to effectively teach and/or facilitate a discussion of the paper. Each Graduate Student will work with a small group of undergraduates on the assigned day of the activity.
2. Final Presentations. The final week of the course is an opportunity for Graduate Students to present the results of a primary research article of their choosing. Graduate students will be required to identify three papers of interest to them on topics of cell biology. The list of papers will be submitted to the Course Director for evaluation, and a discussion of which paper will be presented will occur. A draft of slides is due to the Course Director two weeks in advance of their presentation for feedback.