Scientific Research

Industry Case Studies in Microbial Biotechnology
Project-based course directly working with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Students work in teams on a company-specific project. Projects range from developing business or marketing plans for new products; writing Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants or white papers; creating procedures, protocols, and/or process improvements for a company-specific process; and studying intellectual property issues. Written and oral communication skills as well as teamwork, flexibility, and ambiguity management are emphasized. 

Plant Biology
An introduction for Life Science majors to the ecology, structure, function, processes, reproduction and evolution of higher plants. 

Plants & Civilization
Covers plant use in ancient civilizations, including the economic, social, political, religious, culinary and medical roles of plants and plant products. Plant use in ancient cultures, including but not limited to, Amazonian, Celtic, Chinese, Egyptian, Greek, Inca, Indian, Maya, Mesopotamian, Nubian, Persian, and Roman are discussed. Topics include foods, beverages, medicines, fibers, construction materials, psychoactive drugs, and religious symbols. 

Medicinal Plants
Plants and their derived pharmaceuticals in Western medicine and in herbal medicine. 

Principles of Plant Pathology
Fundamental principles of plant pathology with emphasis on disease etiology, nature of pathogenesis, ecology of host/parasite interaction, epidemiology of plant diseases, current strategies and practices for integrated disease control. 

Plant Physiology
Physiology of higher plants with emphasis on biochemical, cell biological and molecular aspects of how plants function. Unique aspects of regulation of plant metabolism including photosynthesis, respiration, nitrogen fixation, cell wall biosynthesis, growth and stress responses will be emphasized. The course is intended for students interested in postgraduate studies in plant biology. 

Intro to Plant Biotechnology
Introduction to gene cloning, plant tissue culture and transformation, and the development of agriculturally important transgenic traits. Critical thinking, case studies, and discussions are used to examine global approaches to the regulation and risks of genetically-modified organisms, plant and gene patents, and the consequences of these factors on food sovereignty and trade. 

Methods in Plant Molecular Biology and Physiology
This course provides an overview of the methods to characterize the physiology of plants, their genetic composition, and modes for genetic modification. Students will apply core concepts in plant physiology and genetics to real-life biotechnology applications. Emphasis is placed on developing critical thinking skills that are essential for professional plant biologists. 

Organic Chemistry I & Lab
First half of two-semester sequence in the fundamentals of modern organic chemistry. Structure and bonding, stereochemistry, reactivity and synthesis of carbon compounds. Detailed coverage of aliphatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, ethers, and alkyl halides. Introduction to spectral techniques of IR, UV-vis, and NMR. 

Principles of Genetics & Lab
Basic concepts and principles of prokaryotic and eukaryotic genetics. Mendelian inheritance, polygenic inheritance, linkage and mapping, chromosome aberrations, population genetics, evolution, DNA structure and replication, gene expression, mutation, gene regulation, extranuclear inheritance, bacterial and viral genetics, and recombinant DNA technology. 

Genes & Development
Overview of pivotal experiments in embryology and developmental genetics; genes and genetic pathways that control development in animal model systems and humans; focus on the application of molecular genetic approaches to the study of genes and development; reading and discussion of primary scientific literature. 

Molecular Genetics
Biologicalmacromolecules and their interactions, DNA topology, eukaryotic genome structure, chromatin and chromosome structure, transcription and transcription regulation, epigenetics, RNAi and RNA processing, recombinant DNA technology, genetic transformation and cloning of plants and animals. Bacteria, viruses, plants, animals and fungi as genetic systems. 

Genome Science
Genomic approaches with a foundation in classical and molecular genetics, including both historical strategies used in early major genome projects, and cutting edge contemporary methods for genomics and systems biology; the sequencing, assembly, and annotation of genomes and transcriptomes; use of genomic methods to tackle problems in epigenetics, metagenomics, and proteomics; application to a wide variety of species and biological questions, including evolution and human health; reading, discussion, and presentation of current scientific literature. 

Microbial Metabolic Regulation
An integrative perspective on bacterial physiology and metabolism through analysis of metabolic regulatory functions. 

Manipulation of Recombinant DNA
Introduction to molecular biology and protein chemistry. Theory behind laboratory techniques and overview of cloning strategies starting from nucleic acid or protein sequence data. Laboratory sessions involve subcloning, preparation of competent cells, transformation, screening recombinant DNA by colony hybridization and PCR, SDS-PAGE of recombinant protein, affinity purification, and Western blots. 

Plant Genetic Engineering
This course covers fundamental hands-on techniques and strategies in plant genetic engineering. Plants are major sources of food, fiber and fuel and provide model systems for both fundamental and applied research. Students will learn techniques for stable and transient transformation of plants and plant cell cultures and selection and detection of transgene expression. Additional topics covered will include methods to generate and screen for mutants, synthetic biology and applications of plant genetic engineering.