This course will focus on the structure, function, design and engineering of biomacromolecules and their use in modern biotechnologies. After a brief review of protein and nucleic acid chemistry and structure, we will delve into rational, evolutionary, and computational methods for the design and engineering of these biomolecules. Then we will review applications in the primary literature including: protein and RNA-based switches and sensors, unnatural amino acids and nucleotides, enzyme engineering, integration of these parts via synthetic biology, and metabolic engineering.

This course is taught from the scientific literature. We begin the semester with several classic papers on protein folding. As the semester progresses, we read about protein structure, stability, and folding pathways. The latter part of the semester focuses on recent papers describing new research aimed toward the construction of novel proteins from "scratch." These papers cover topics ranging from evolution in vitro to computational and rational design. The course ends by discussing the possibility of creating artificial proteomes in the laboratory, and further steps toward synthetic biology.

This course focuses on computational methods in cryo-EM, including three-dimensional ab-initio modelling, structure refinement, resolving structural variability of heterogeneous populations, particle picking, model validation, and resolution determination. Special emphasis is given to methods that play a significant role in many other data science applications. These comprise of key elements of statistical inference, image processing, optimization, and dimensionality reduction. The software packages RELION and ASPIRE are routinely used for class demonstration on both simulated and publicly available experimental datasets.

This lecture and lab course will acquaint non-biology majors with modern molecular biology focusing on topics of current interest to society. The course covers fundamental topics such as information storage and readout by DNA, RNA and proteins. The course addresses how recent scientific advances influence issues relevant to humanity including stem cells and CRISPR; the human microbiome and bacterial pathogens; vaccines and the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic; how a single cell contains all the necessary instructions to build a complex multicellular organism; and how the human genome can be used to understand the evolution of modern humans.

Important concepts and elements of molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, and cell biology, are examined in an experimental context. This course fulfills the basic biology requirement for students majoring in the biological sciences and satisfies the basic biology requirement for entrance into medical school and most other health professions schools.

The Molecular Biology Research Experience is a two-course sequence that provides sophomore students with an in lab research experience mentored by faculty in the department. MOL 280: Molecular Biology Research Experience I, offered in the fall semester, is a non-credit bearing P/D/F course and is a prerequisite to MOL 281: Molecular Biology Research Experience II. MOL 281, offered in the spring semester, is a credit bearing course. Students must earn a "P" in MOL 280 to enroll in MOL 281. Students are expected to spend a minimum of 6 hours per week engaged in research and attend weekly meeting as determined by the mentoring faculty.

MOL320 is a research-based course designed to prepare students to be contributing members of a research lab through fostering creative and critical thinking as well as effective communication skills. During the semester you will complete original research to further our knowledge of how stem cells are maintained by using the fruit fly ovary as our model system. Throughout the course you will employ research techniques used by molecular biologists, analyze scientific literature, and communicate your results in a final paper modeled after scientific publications.

A broad survey of the field of immunology and the mammalian immune system. The cellular and molecular basis of innate and acquired immunity will be discussed in detail. The course will provide frequent examples drawn from human biology in health and disease.

Basic principles of genetics illustrated with examples from prokaryote and eukaryote organisms. Classical genetic techniques as well as molecular and genomic approaches will be discussed. The evolving concept of the gene, of genetic interactions and gene networks, as well as chromosome mechanics will be the focus of the course. Selected topics will include gene regulation, cancer genetics, the human biome, imprinting, and stem cells.

This course focuses on the fundamental biochemical principles that underlie cellular function. An emphasis will be placed on protein structure, function, and regulation. Additional topics covered will include metabolism and catalysis, and cutting-edge methodologies for studying macromolecules in health and disease systems.

The course will investigate the roles that gene regulation, cell-cell communication, cell adhesion, cell motility, signal transduction and intracellular trafficking play in the commitment, differentiation and assembly of cells into specialized tissues. The mechanisms that underlie development of multicellular organisms, from C. elegans to humans, will be examined using biochemical, genetic and cell biological approaches. In-class problem solving, group work, and active learning approaches will be used to emphasize key concepts and analyze experimental data.

The ultimate goal of every species is the successful contribution of an individual's genes to the next generation, leading to the evolution of diverse strategies to maximize reproductive success. First, we discuss various reproductive tactics employed in the animal kingdom, examining topics such as asexual and sexual reproduction, extent of parental investment, and maximizing reproductive lifespan. We then focus on human reproductive biology, highlighting age and environment-induced fertility issues, as well as cutting edge research into fertility treatments and assisted reproductive technologies employed in clinics which combat these issues.

Many organisms are agents of disease in humans, but few can cause a pandemic. This course will survey where pandemic pathogens come from, how they replicate and cause disease, and what technologies have been invented to combat them or predict where they may emerge next.

The cell biology of tissues is discussed covering the molecules and fundamental concepts in cell communication, adhesion, shape, division, and differentiation. How cells become different from one another in a developing organism is explored, focusing on important concepts and developmental strategies using model systems. Both lectures and primary literature discussions are used to introduce seminal work, classic and modern experimental approaches, and outstanding questions in cell and developmental biology. Students are expected to learn to read critically, think beyond the reading, and participate in presenting and discussing the materials.

Modern biology research increasingly relies on quantitative tools to make precise measurements of cell state. This course provides an introduction to the experimental techniques and computational methods that enable the quantitative study of biological systems. We start with an intro to programming using Python and we employ the learned skills to analyze proteomics and sequencing data for studying gene networks within and across species, modeling biochemical reactions to study the dynamics of gene and protein networks, and extracting information about the spatial organization of biological systems using fluorescence imaging.

Students perform research in the laboratories of potential faculty advisors.

Satisfies the NIH mandate for training in the ethical practice of science. The course is discussion-based, and uses readings, videos, case studies and guest participants to examine basic ethical and regulatory requirements for the responsible conduct of research. Topics include: the nature of - and response to - research misconduct; collaborative research; protection of human and animal subjects; conflicts of interest and commitment; authorship, publication and peer review; mentorship; societal impacts of scientific research; diversity and inclusion in scientific research; and contemporary ethical issues in biomedical research.

Introduction to a mathematical description of how networks of neurons can represent information and compute with it. Course will survey computational modeling and data analysis methods for neuroscience. Example topics are short-term memory and decision-making, population coding, modeling behavioral and neural data, and reinforcement learning. Classes will be a mix of lectures from the professor, and presentations of research papers by the students. Two 90 minute lectures, one laboratory. Lectures in common between NEU 437/NEU 537.

In this course, we will explore the diverse and complex interactions between the brain and the immune system from the perspective of current, cutting-edge research papers. In particular, we will focus on the molecular mechanisms of these interactions and their role in brain development and function as well as their potential contributions to specific neurological disorders, including autism. In the process, students will learn to read, critically evaluate, and explain in presentations the content of articles from the primary literature. Prerequisites: MOL 214/215.

A survey of modern neuroscience that covers experimental and theoretical approaches to understanding how the brain works. This semester builds on 501, focusing on how the circuits and systems of the brain give rise to cognition. The course covers the neural mechanisms responsible for vision, long-term memory, sleep, motor control, habits, decision making, attention, working memory, and cognitive control. How these functions are disrupted in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders are also covered. This is the second term of a double-credit core lecture course required of all Neuroscience Ph.D. students.

This lab course introduces students to the variety of experimental and computational techniques and concepts used in modern cognitive neuroscience. Topics include functional magnetic resonance imaging, scalp electrophysiological recording, and computational modeling. In-lab lectures provide students with the background necessary to understand the scientific content of the labs, but the emphasis is on the labs themselves, including student-designed experiments using these techniques. This is the second term of a double-credit core lab course required of all Neuroscience Ph.D. students.

Introduction to a mathematical description of how networks of neurons can represent information and compute with it. Course surveys computational modeling and data analysis methods for neuroscience. Example topics are short-term memory and decision-making, population coding, modeling behavioral and neural data, and reinforcement learning. Classes are a mix of lectures from the professor, and presentations of research papers by the students. Two 90 minute lectures. Lectures in common between NEU 437/NEU 537. Graduate students carry out a semester-long project.

Advances in molecular biology and computation have propelled the study of genomics forward, including how genes are organized and how their regulation manifests complex phenotypes. A hallmark of genomics is the production and analysis of large data sets. This course will pair an overview of genomics with practical instruction in the analytical techniques required to use it in research and medicine. We will start with a primer on genetics and an introduction to programming using Python. The goal of this course is to provide a foundation for understanding the data heavy experiments that are increasingly common in biomedical research.