BIOL 4240: CELL BIOLOGY SYLLABUS Spring 2008 COURSE HOURS: Mon &Wed 10-11 am INSTRUCTOR: Neena Philips, Ph.D. Dickinson Hall Room 4410 (Office) Ext 6494 [email protected] COURSE DESCRIPTION/FORMAT: Modern Cell Biology investigates the central concept for cellular functioning, DNA to RNA to Protein, by integrating biomolecules, biotechnology, regulating mechanisms, signals and signaling pathways and aberrations that result in pathology, such as cancer. The composition of the exams is objective questions (tests knowledge of concepts) and short answers (tests application of information to problem solving). In addition, there is comprehension and presentation of specific information A power point of the presentation is to be submitted a week before the scheduled presentation. The comprehensive exam is the integration of cell biology to problem-solve a case-study. An additional comprehensive assignment is the connection of cell biology lecture and laboratory in the form of a research proposal, to investigate a pathology and/or pharmaceutical intervention of interest. The process consists of selecting a topic, creating a hypothesis based on rationale/expectation, and adding an experimental design and methods. The proposal format is: informative title, background, hypothesis, rationale, expectation, experimental design, method, and literature cited. The proposal is presented in a written format (paper) and an oral presentation. TEXTBOOK: Lodish H., Berk A., Kaiser, C.A., Krieger, M., Scott, M. P., Bretscher A., Ploegh H., Matsudaira P. 2008. Molecular Cell Biology, 6th Ed. W.H Freeman and Company TOPICS: Topic Chapter Text 1 Life Begins with Cells Chapter 1 2 Chemical Foundations Chapter 2 3 Protein Structure and Function Chapter 3 4 Basic Molecular Genetic Mechanisms Chapter 4 5 Molecular Genetic Techniques and Genomics Chapter 5 6 Transcriptional Control of Gene Expression Chapter 7 7 Transport of Ions and Small Molecules Across Cell Membranes Chapter 11 8 Moving Proteins into Membranes and Organelles Chapter 13 9 Vesicular Traffic, Secretion and Endocytosis Chapter 14 10 Signaling at the Cell Surface Chapter 1511 Signaling Pathways That Control Gene Activity Chapter 16 12 Integrating Cells into Tissues Chapter 19 13 Regulating the Eukaryotic Cell Cycle Chapter 20 14 Cell Birth, Lineage, and Death Chapter 21 15 Cancer Chapter 25 SPECIAL TOPICS: Sec. Topic Chapter Text 1 Phospholipids as Signal Transducers Chapter 16.5 The Extracellular Matrix of Epithelial Sheets Chapter 19.3 2 The Extracellular Matrix of Nonepithelial Tissues Chapter 19.4 Overview of the Cell Cycle and Its Control Chapter 20.1 3 Cell-Cycle Control in Mammalian Cells Chapter 20.6 Checkpoints in Cell-Cycle Regulation Chapter 20.7 4 The Birth of Cells Chapter 21.1 Cell Death and Its Regulation Chapter 21.5 TENTATIVE SCHEDULE: Class Day Date Lecture 1 Mon Jan 28 2 Wed Jan 30 3 Mon Feb 4 4 Wed Feb 6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 Mon Feb 11 6 Wed Feb 13 Presentation 1 7 Mon Feb 18 8 Wed Feb 20 Exam 1 9 Mon Feb 25 10 Wed Feb 27 11 Mon Mar 3 12 Wed Mar 5 Presentation 2 13 Mon Mar 10 14 Wed Mar 12 Exam 2 15 Mon Mar 17 -------------------------Spring Break----------------------------- 16 Wed Mar 19 -------------------------Spring Break------------------------------ 17 Mon Mar 24 18 Wed Mar 26 19 Mon Mar 31 20 Wed Apr 2 Presentation 3 21 Mon Apr 7 22 Wed Apr 9 Exam 3 23 Mon Apr 14 24 Wed Apr 16 25 Mon Apr 21 26 Wed Apr 23 27 Mon Apr 28 Presentation 428 Wed Apr 30 29 Mon May 5 Exam 4 GRADING: Individual Points Total points Exams (E) 10 40 Presentation 6 6 Comprehensive Exam (CE) 7 7 Proposal (P) 7 7 ASSESSMENT: A. Knowledge/Concepts 20% (4 E) B. Application/Problem Solving 20% (4 E) C. Information Integration/ Synthesis/Critical thinking Communication Cooperative learning/working 20% (CE & P) COURSE OUTCOMES: The outcomes are: (a) Knowledge of the central concept for cellular functioning, DNA to RNA to Protein, by integrating biomolecules, biotechnology, regulating mechanisms, signals, signaling pathways and cancer. (b) Reinforcement of scientific process as comprehensive exam and proposal (c) Online learning and testing (d) Integration of information, synthesis, and critical thinking (e) Oral and written communication; (f) Co-operative