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CSS 491
Biotechnology: Demystifying the Concepts/CSS 491 (3 credits)
Syllabus
I. An Introduction to Living Organisms (Week One; Ch. 1)
a. Cells and cellular organization
b. Biomolecules and chemical forces important to biomolecules
II. Molecular Biology: The Flow of Information Within Cells (Week One; Ch. 2)
a. DNA structure
b. DNA function
c. Gene and its major regulatory sequences
d. Transcription and translation
e. DNA replication
f. Issues and discussions: Who owns our genes?
III. Chromosomes, Cell Division and Sexual Reproduction (Week One; Ch. 3, Ch. 4)
a. Cell division
b. Eukaryotic cell cycle
c. Mitosis
d. Cytokinesis
e. Mitosis in context
f. Sexual reproduction
g. Genetic differences between sexes
h. Issues and discussions: Genes, behavior and Prejudice
Mid-Term #1
IV. Mutations and Genetic Diseases (Week Two; Ch. 5, Ch. 6)
a. Gene-level mutations
b. Environmental mutagens
c. Mutations and the flow of information
d. Chromosome-level mutations
e. deletions
f. translocations
g. Issues and discussions: Can knowledge of genetic makeup create stigmas?
V. Biological Control (Week Two; Ch. 7)
a. Regulation of metabolism
b. Control of gene expression
c. Cellular communication
d. specificity of molecular interactions
e. Signal transduction
f. Disease: the loss of biological control
g. Issues and discussions: Ethics in biotechnology
VI. Antibodies (Week Two; Ch. 12)
a. Polyclonal antibodies
b. Monoclonal antibodies
c. Issues and discussions: Animal right groups and biotechnology
VII. Cloning of Genes, Genetic Engineering, Genetic Therapy, Genome-To-Life (GTL) project and synthetic biology (Week Three; Ch. 8, Ch. 9, Ch. 10)
a. Cloning: How and why?
b. Genetic engineering: Microbes, plants and animals
c. Cell therapy and gene therapy
d. Human genome project, GTL and synthertic biology
e. Issues and Discussions: Concerns, ethics and risks
VIII. Visit Plant Genetic Engineering Laboratory (Week Three)
IX. Immunology (Week Four; Ch. 11)
a. Defense
b. Cells that kill invading microbes
c. Antimicrobial proteins
d. Inflammatory, fever and immune responses
e. Immune system
f. Examples of infectious diseases (Cancers, HIV) and vaccines
g. Issues and discussions: Evolution of cures versus development of new diseases
X. Aids, HIV and Cancer (Week Four; Ch. 13, Ch. 14)
X). Bioremediation, Biofuel and Biopharma (Week Four; Movie and Slide Show)
h. Bioremediation
i. Biotechnology of alcohol fuels and biodisel
j. Biotech drugs
k. Biopharma
l. Issues and discussions: Gene flow, ecological concerns and more
Final Exam