| CAPSULE INFORMATION
When: Fall 2009, Tues. and Thurs. from 2:00 PM- 3:30 PM.
Where: Stone Center 201
How to get there: Go to the Stone Center (it is between Coker Hall and the football stadium). Due to construction you will need to access the Stone Center from Raleigh Road. Once you enter, find stairs/elevator to the second floor and just follow the numbers. The room is an appropriate size for 10-20 students and should facilitate discussion.
Format: We will generally lecture on a topic or topics during Tues. and part of Thurs. of any given week. Part of Thurs. (or Tues.) will be devoted to a paper discussion. You will be assigned approximately one primary paper each week, and from one to several reviews to accompany the reading from the text (Gilbert 8th edition).
Exams: We will have two exams, a mid-term and a final. Both will be take home exams. Exam format will be essay type answers and problem solving.
Grading: The majority of your grade (70-80%) will be based on the two exams, but a significant portion (20-30%) will be based on your presence and participation in discussions, especially the paper discussions.
Paper Discussions: Most will be in a round robin format - that is to say, everyone is expected to read the primary paper for the week, and be present for the discussion. We will take turns describing the approach, results and interpretation of the paper, as well as how it fits into the lecture information.
EXTENDED INFORMATION:
Biology 624 is a course offered in the Fall of 2009. It was taught for the first time in Spring of 2004, again in the Fall of 2004 and 2005 (under the old course number Biology 160), and in the Fall of 2006, 2007, and 2008 with the new course number (Biology 624). This course is planned to be offered each Fall semester. It is taught by Dr. Vicki Bautch (Professor of Biology), Dr. Larysa Pevny (Associate Professor of Genetics) and Dr. Frank Conlon (Associate Professor of Genetics). Dr. Conlon is on sabbatical for the 09 class so several faculty will cover his topics, including Dr. Suk-Won Jin, Dr. Anthony LaMantia, and Dr. Bob Duronio. The goal of this course is to provide a concise and stimulating investigation of the field of Developmental Genetics. Course lectures and textbook readings explain developmental processes, discuss the current issues and questions, and provide a framework for reading the primary literature. Each topic will have one or more reviews and a primary paper from current literature to be read and discussed during class. Upon completion of this course students will understand the basic concepts and issues of the field, have an appreciation for the complexity of development at the genetic, cellular and molecular level, and be able to approach the literature with this framework.
Which model organisms will be covered in the course? Since our aim is to provide an overview we will NOT focus exclusively on one model organism. Rather we will use different models to explain processes and provide examples of networks and concepts. In fact, the emphasis will be on the conservation of signaling pathways in development of very diverse organisms. This will include the invertebrates C. elegans (worm) and Drosophila (fly), and the vertebrates Xenopus (frog), Zebrafish, Chick and Mouse.
This course is a requirement to obtain a certification in Developmental Biology upon successful completion of a PhD program. It also fulfills elective class requirements for several PhD programs including (but not restricted to) the Genetics Curriculum and the Biology Department. This course is part of a broader effort to provide high quality training in Developmental Biology to University of North Carolina PhD students from diverse departments and programs. This effort also includes a journal club and a symposium in Developmental Biology. For more information on the UNC Developmental Biology Training Program, click here.
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