BI**194 / BGGN 280-285: Spring 2024 Course Descriptions
Disclaimer: Students may not receive credit for a second attempt of the same topic that was previously completed.
| Instructor |
Ernst, Andreas |
| Title |
Mechanistic Cell Biology |
| Description |
We will discuss recent publications from UCSD faculty who perform research in the field of ‘Mechanistic Cell Biology’. The goal for this course is to learn how to critically read and interpret primary literature, and to gain an overview of state-of-the art methods employed in current research at UCSD. |
| Prerequisites |
Please see the Biology Course Prerequisites page for most current prerequisite information. |
| Instructor |
Saier, Milton |
| Title |
TBD |
| Description |
TBD |
| Prerequisites |
Please see the Biology Course Prerequisites page for most current prerequisite information. |
| Instructor |
Amaro, Rommie |
| Title |
Computational Structural Biology |
| Description |
Computational Structural Biology is undergoing a revolution, thanks to increased experimental datasets, algorithmic advances, and continually evolving computer hardware. For example, AlphaFold made real the promise and use of artificial intelligence (AI) methods to enormous gain for the scientific community. In parallel, molecular, subcellular, and cell-scale simulations use, integrate, and extend experimental datasets providing novel hypotheses and views into regions of time and space that are otherwise inaccessible to experiment. This course will cover an overview of modern computational structural biology methods, through reading, discussing, and presenting primary literature. |
| Prerequisites |
Please see the Biology Course Prerequisites page for most current prerequisite information. |
| Instructor |
Flagg, Matthew |
| Title |
Structure, Disease, Medicine |
| Description |
We'll use protein structure to understand human disease and commonly used therapeutics. Our central focus will be to visualize and characterize protein-drug interactions. |
| Prerequisites |
Please see the Biology Course Prerequisites page for most current prerequisite information. |
| Instructor |
Desai, Arshad / Oegema, Karen |
| Title |
Cancer: Origins and Therapeutic Strategies |
| Description |
In this course, we will read primary scientific literature highlighting basic scientific findings and how they are leading to new therapeutic approaches in cancer. Students will read, present and discuss scientific papers and turn in a final written assignment analyzing an assigned pair of papers. |
| Prerequisites |
Please see the Biology Course Prerequisites page for most current prerequisite information. |
| Instructor |
Wilhelm, James |
| Title |
Unsolved Problems in Cell Biology |
| Description |
After a review of how to use biochemistry and genetics to answer questions in cell biology, students will work in groups on their own solutions to a set of unsolved cell biological problems and present their proposal to the class. Possible problems include: karyoklepty, suctorian biology, and photosymbiosis as well as others. |
| Prerequisites |
Please see the Biology Course Prerequisites page for most current prerequisite information. |
| Instructor |
Rivera Chavez, Fabian |
| Title |
Bacterial Virulence Factors and Pathogenesis in the Mammalian Host |
| Description |
This course provides an overview of the field of bacterial pathogenesis. The goal of the course is to learn about the molecular mechanisms of bacterial virulence factors and microbial interactions within mammalian hosts. Students will focus on reading, critically evaluating, and presenting primary research literature. |
| Prerequisites |
Please see the Biology Course Prerequisites page for most current prerequisite information. |
| Instructor |
Russell, Alistair |
| Title |
High-throughput genetics as applied to biological systems |
| Description |
In the modern era, sequencing and computational analysis has allowed for the simultaneous measurement of thousands of perturbations to cellular, or microbial, systems. Classical genetic approaches, with one gene and one phenotype, can now be expanded dramatically to understand how entire genomes encode complex behaviors. This class will cover the foundations of sequencing, caveats in data analysis, and new techniques in high-throughput genetics as applied to cellular or microbial systems. Students should have a solid foundation in molecular biology and ideally genetics before taking this class. Students will read and discuss primary literature as a means of understanding the state-of-the-art applications of these methods. |
| Prerequisites |
Please see the Biology Course Prerequisites page for most current prerequisite information. |
| Instructor |
Wildonger, Jill |
| Title |
CRISPR Technologies in Modern Biology |
| Description |
CRISPR has revolutionized gene editing and opened up new possibilities in research, disease treatment, food production, and disease detection, to name a few. We will discuss the emergence of gene editing technologies, and the expansion of approaches made possible by CRISPR-Cas9 and other CRISPR-based systems. Throughout the course, you will also acquire the skills to interpret, evaluate, and present primary literature. |
| Prerequisites |
Please see the Biology Course Prerequisites page for most current prerequisite information. |
| Instructor |
Glasgow, Stacey |
| Title |
Glia in health and disease |
| Description |
This is an advanced primary literature based seminar course that discusses current work on the role of glial cells in disease. |
| Prerequisites |
Please see the Biology Course Prerequisites page for most current prerequisite information. |
| Instructor |
Chisholm, Andrew |
| Title |
Biology of Regeneration |
| Description |
Student-led discussion of primary research articles in modern regenerative biology in animal models. |
| Prerequisites |
Please see the Biology Course Prerequisites page for most current prerequisite information. |
| Instructor |
Farley, Emma |
| Title |
Gene Regulation |
| Description |
We will read and discuss papers relating to gene regulation. |
| Prerequisites |
Please see the Biology Course Prerequisites page for most current prerequisite information. |