BIOL 323 - Seminar in Cell and Molecular Biology

Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)

An intensive study of selected topics at the cellular and subcellular level. Topics vary, but may include organelle structure and function, advanced genetics, and mechanisms of cellular organization. Emphasis is placed on current models, issues, and research areas, and course material is drawn largely from primary literature.

Topic for 2015/16a: Epigenetics. Most cells in our bodies contain the same set of DNA, yet there are ~200 different cell types, each with unique patterns of gene expression. How do those cells establish and maintain their identities? How do environmental factors such as temperature, nutrition and social stress exert long lasting effects on organisms and their progeny? The field of epigenetics is shedding new light on these and many other interesting questions in biology. Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene expression (and hence traits) that cannot be explained by alterations in the DNA sequence. These changes instead involve chemical modifications to DNA and its associated histones. Some of these changes can be passed down through mitosis and some even through meiosis. Exploration of this topic will involve student presentations and active discussion of primary research articles and will expand upon the participants’ previous coursework in genetics and chemistry. Ms. Kennell.

Prerequisite: CHEM 244 and two 200-level Biology courses including one 200-level genetics courses (BIOL 238 , BIOL 244 or BIOL 248 ).

Two 2-hour periods.