In this course we explore the genetic basis of adaptation. We will investigate the forces that drive adaptation (e.g., environmental stress, pathogens, conflict, sex), the genetic mechanisms of adaptation (protein sequence changes, expression divergence, gene duplication, etc.), and the consequences of adaptation for contemporary cellular functions, developmental processes, and ecological interactions. The class meetings will be structured around both lectures and student-led discussions of the primary literature.

This course will be a focused study of genomes, genomic techniques, and how these approaches are and will be used in diagnosing and treating human disease. Topics will include genome sequencing, analysis of sequences and microarrays, and new techniques including high-throughput sequencing and reverse genetic analysis with a focus on genome-wide mutant collections.

Advanced seminar on current topics in human genomics and human evolution. Topics include the methods used for mapping and sequencing genomes; phylogenetic and population genetic analysis; and detecting variation in the human genome. This course is designed for graduate students but advanced undergraduates with a strong background in genetics are also welcome.

This course will survey the discipline of molecular genetics. Two broad areas will be considered 1) Molecular Biology: DNA replication, transcription, translation, regulation of gene expression in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems, and genomics and 2) Genetics: basic Mendelian & molecular genetics.

This course will survey the discipline of molecular genetics. Two broad areas will be considered 1) Molecular Biology: DNA replication, transcription, translation, regulation of gene expression in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems, and genomics and 2) Genetics: basic Mendelian & molecular genetics.

This course will survey the discipline of molecular genetics. Two broad areas will be considered 1) Molecular Biology: DNA replication, transcription, translation, regulation of gene expression in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems, and genomics and 2) Genetics: basic Mendelian & molecular genetics.

Animals display extraordinary diversity in their morphology, physiology, and behavior. Traditionally, these topics have been mostly studied from an ecological perspective. This course will focus on recent advances and discoveries that address the underlying biological mechanisms of animal diversity. Specific topics will include the genetic, molecular, and developmental basis of animal morphological diversity, and genetic, molecular, and neural basis of animal behavioral diversity. Students will gain an understanding of how animal diversity is encoded at the different levels of biological organization. The course will be comprised of lectures to introduce topics, discussion of primary literature, and in-class activities.

A fundamental goal of neuroscience is to understand how neural circuits in the brain function to influence behavior. The aim of this course is to highlight the neural basis of behavior and discuss modern approaches and novel methods to study the neuronal control of classically studied aspects of behavior. Through a combination of discussions, student presentations, and interactive lectures, we will explore the neural systems that regulate the interactions an animal has with the external world. We will explore sensory systems (such as vision, taste, and olfaction), motor systems, and survival behaviors (such as feeding, drinking, mating, and aggression). The course evaluation will be based largely on written work, participation, and presentations.

Life depends on the propagation of genetic material from one generation to the next through cycles of genome replication and cell division. The genome is copied by the parent, and one exact copy is inherited by each daughter cell. We will treat chromosomes as discrete entities, rather than collections of genes, that are replicated and divided with high fidelity to ensure that the genome remains stable over many generations. By reading selected primary literature covering several decades, we will build an understanding of the cell cycle by focusing on chromosomes and the associated molecular machinery. We will explore mechanisms that underlie replication and division, particularly control mechanisms that maintain genome integrity and are critical to prevent disease. The goal of the course is to develop a picture of the cell cycle by examining some of the key experiments and insights that have led to our current understanding.

This course is designed for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students with a particular interest in infectious disease biology. Note that this course is not a comprehensive survey of the field and is not appropriate for students seeking a lecture course on disease. The primary objective of this course is to teach students considering a career in the biomedical sciences how to read, discuss, and question research papers effectively. Intensive classroom discussions focus on the experimental methods used, results obtained, interpretation of these results in the context of pathogen interactions with host cells and organisms, and implications for basic research and therapeutic development.