Course Descriptions

Core Curriculum – Genes
Fall 1st half
2.0 credit hours
Instruction includes molecular genetics of model organisms; DNA replication, repair and recombination; transcription; RNA catalysis, processing and interference; translation; protein turnover; developmental biology; and genomics.

Core Curriculum – Proteins
Fall 1st half
2.0 credit hours
Instruction includes the energetic basis of protein structure; stability; ligand binding and regulation; enzyme mechanics and kinetics; methods of purification; and analysis by spectroscopic methods.

Core Curriculum – Cells
Fall 2nd half
2.0 credit hours
Instruction includes cell structure; membrane biology; intracellular membrane and protein trafficking; energy conversion; signal transduction and second messengers; cytoskeleton; cell cycle; and introductory material in microbiology, immunology, and neurobiology.

Principles of Microbiology
Fall 2nd half
2 credit hours
Presents basic introductory material necessary for understanding the molecular biology of viruses and bacteria. Basic principles of interactions between these microbes and hosts resulting in infection will also be discussed. In addition to examining aspects of microbial biology, methods commonly used to manipulate and analyze DNA, proteins, and cell culture are also presented.

Bacterial and Viral Genetics
Spring 1st half
2.5 credit hours
Addresses concepts essential for understanding bacterial and viral genetics, including transcriptional regulation, posttranscriptional regulation, replication, and use of genetics to study microbes. Emphasis will be placed on original experimentation and literature.

Bacterial and Viral Pathogenesis
Spring 1st half
2 credit hours
Examines virulence mechanisms of bacterial and viral pathogens necessary for infection and disease. Emphasis will be placed on original experimentation and literature.

Immunology of Infectious Diseases
Spring 2nd half
1.5 credit hours
Examines the host/parasite relationship from both the standpoint of the pathogenic organism and the human host. Emphasis is placed on molecular and cellular mechanisms that contribute to and provide resistance to disease. In general, this course surveys a broad range of pathogenic organisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi, nematodes, and unicellular eukaryotic parasites.

Professionalism, Responsible Conduct of Research, and Ethics I
Fall full semester
1.0 credit hour
Topics covered through lectures and small group discussions: goals of education in RCR; professionalism; collaboration; teambuilding and professional behaviors; everyday practice of ethical science; mentorship; data management and reproducibility; animal research; genetics and human research.

Professionalism, Responsible Conduct of Research, and Ethics II
Spring full semester
1.0 credit hour
Topics covered through lectures and small group discussions: codes of ethics and misconduct; building inter-professional teams; conflict of interest; sexual boundaries and professional behavior; applications of genetic testing; technology transfer and intellectual property; plagiarism, authorship, and citation; Peer review; image and data manipulation.