This course focuses on the molecular pieces that make up a living organism. Some pieces are physical entities like enzymes; others are abstract concepts like Gibbs free energy. Together they help us understand why organisms are the way they are. In a sense, the overarching goal for this course is for you to build a bridge between the molecular pieces and the processes occurring in the cell. More specifically, this course should enable you to…
- Describe the molecular basis for certain biological processes such as respiration, hormonal signaling, cell division and development, gene expression, and immunological responses.
- Analyze cause and effect relationships affecting these biochemical processes and predict the outcome when these processes are interrupted by drugs or diseases.
- Effectively describe and justify procedures and results from experimental lab work.
Course Assignments
Requirements for this course include exams (3 of them), a library research project, and two lab projects. The library research project introduces you to bioinformatics and library research. You will be given the sequence of a gene that has some role in a human disease. You will use a genomic database to uncover the identity of the enzyme encoded by that gene and then research what disease is linked to it. The result is a 2-3 page report.
The labs are intended to involve you in a research process. The first lab deals with how we can physically perceive taste using an Indian herb that blocks taste receptors. You will quantitatively evaluate a class data set and then write a short report. The other lab is one you will design to evaluate the effects of a substance (you choose what it is) on the morphology and viability of a human cell culture. There is a short proposal required to get you thinking of the experimental design, but the final report is an oral presentation given by your research group.Resource Links
| Course Syllabus | TasteLab Report | |
| Course Schedule | Cell Culture Lab | |
| Scientific Writing | Inborn Errors Paper |