ZOOL 351 - Cell and Molecular Biology

(1.25 units)

Topics in this course center on the following fundamental questions: How is the genome structured and organized? How is the information contained within the genome expressed in time and space? What factors control the cell division cycle and how do they work? How are proteins and lipids made, organized, modified, and moved within the cytoplasm? What kinds of systems control the growth of cells in their appropriate social context and what kind of pathologies result when these regulatory systems fail? A series of recent papers will be used to learn about model building and prediction testing. The lab will introduce a variety of modern molecular techniques and model organisms. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: CHEM 110, CHEM 111 and BIOL 120. One additional course in genetics or molecular biology strongly recommended. Spring (Group II)