Biotechnology - Courses

• BIO-583 Molecular Biology - An in-depth study of gene structure and expression. Concepts are described and illustrated further with examples and discussion of classic and current papers from the scientific literature. Includes DNA, RNA and protein synthesis, regulation of gene expression in procaryotes and eucaryotes, nucleic acid structure, RNA processing, DNA binding proteins and transcription factors, oncogenes, transformation, mutations, DNA repair and recombination. Usually offered every spring. Prerequisite: BIO-356, CHEM-560 is recommended.
  
  
• BIO-596 Topics in Biotechnology: Bioinformatics and Genomics -Analytical and computational techniques commonly used to draw biological inferences from molecular sequence data. The course will begin with an introduction to sequence retrieval and identification from the sequence databases (e.g., Genbank and EMBO), continue with pairwise sequence comparisons and will move onto multiple sequence alignments and conserved sequence pattern, recognition (e.g., gene identification in genomic data, RNA secondary structure prediction). The topic of phylogenetic analysis will be presented in detail (e.g., distance, parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian methods). A series of student projects will involve the analysis of molecular sequence data using elementary programming skill sin, e.g., C++ and PERL, combined with the use of current software packages.
  
  
• BIO-691 Internship - Each student will work in an internship of his or her choice or with our industry and government affiliates, such as: Alpha-Genics, Celera Genomics, Digene, GenVec, Bio Reliance, MedImmune, Human Genome Sciences, BSI Proteomics, Quality Biological.
  
  
• BIO-690 Capstone Project - The capstone project addresses a problem, which is designed in collaboration with industry and government partners, allowing integration of knowledge and skills acquired in earlier parts of the program. The problem is designed to require a multidisciplinary and team approach.
  
  
• CSC-589 Informatics & Analytics - The course provides an overview of the principles of information representation, structure, storage, and retrieval. Also covered are the contextual aspects of information and information systems and the principles and techniques of data and information analysis, XML and Web programming applications, metadata, graphical representation, introduction to GIS issues and techniques, and organizational development for informatics.
  
  
• CSC-600 Simulation and Modeling - Design and implementation of simulation models for systems design and analysis. Emphasis on discrete stochastic systems and real-world business and government problems including resource allocation, queuing, inventory control, and industrial production. Overview of principal simulation languages and their applicability to problem solving.
  
  
• CHEM 560 Biochemistry I and 2 - Includes: origin of life; review of structures and functions of subcellular components and intracellular transport; water and hydrogen bonding; structures and functions of amino acids, peptides, and proteins; chemical synthesis, architecture, conformation, and dynamics of proteins; DNA and RNA structures and functions, DNA replication, the genetic code, transcription and translation; protein evolution; enzyme characteristics, kinetics, inhibition, transition-state analogs, and mechanisms; enzyme evolution and regulation; myoglobin, hemoglobin, allostery, and sickle-cell anemia; structures and functions of lipids. Prerequisite: 1 year of organic chemistry.
  
  
• STAT-514 Statistical Methods - Averages, dispersion, probability, sampling, and approach to normality; simple and multiple regression; tests and confidence intervals for means, proportions, differences, and regression coefficients; nonparametric statistics; and analysis of variance. Focus on biology statistics. Prerequisite: STAT-202 or equivalent.
  
  

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• BIO-589 Bioethics - Recent advances in biotechnology have spawned new ethical problems/issues known collectively as bioethics. This course will review the current medical, ethical, and legal problems that have arisen from biotechnological advances. Some contemporary problems to be addressed in this course include decision-making at the beginning and end of life, organ transplantation, genetic manipulation, cell manipulation, medical experimentation, and issues related to molecular sequence data. In considering these complex problems, students will complete course assignments (e.g., position papers) to further develop their critical thinking, analytical and communication skills required for success in the field of biotechnology.
  
  
• BIO-679 Topics in Evolutionary Biology - Current research topics such as molecular evolution, biochemical approaches to evolution, mathematical modeling of evolutionary processes, and the interaction of genetics, developmental biology, ecology and evolutionary biology.
  
  
• BIO-697 Research Methodology in Biology - Basic scientific research skills necessary for experimental design, data analysis, literature critiques, and disseminating results. Includes techniques for literature research, scientific writing including thesis proposal preparation, the use of statistical packages, and the preparation of an oral presentation for a thesis defense, seminar, or professional meeting. Usually offered every fall. Prerequisite: graduate standing in biology.
  
  
• CHEM-689 Topics in Biotechnology - Current research topics, such as drug design and discovery, biological modeling and dynamics of drug-target interaction, high-throughput synthesis and testing of drug candidates, will be discussed. Students will critically read and analyze primary literature articles and prepare and present oral and written reports related to the topic.
  
  
• CHEM-689 Topics in Biotechnology: Proteomics - Further study of the structure and function of proteins, post-translational modification, and cellular circuitry, including entwords of protein interactions and signal transduction. Examination of X-ray, crystallographic, NMR, computational and other approaches to determining protein structure and function and also protein expression arrays and mass spectral analysis.
  
  

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