Course Announcement
Spring 2013
BNFO 591 Genome Biology
This course provides a survey of genome biology, including genome sequencing, genome evolution, genomic medicine, proteomics etc. The focus will be more on integrative aspects of genome and proteome function rather than genome analysis and single genes (or proteins). You will learn why humans are different from each other (and from space aliens), how a linear genome sequence translates into a 3-dimensional organism, why genomes cause cancer, and how we can re-engineer our genome to reach immortality (without cancer, of course).
The practictal part of the course will develop textbook level entries on phages in Wikipedia, supplemented b bioinformatics exercises.
Time: Tuesdays, from 3:30-5:10
Place: Harris Hall (3112) computer lab.
Students: Undergraduates + graduate students
Prerequisite: undergraduate course in cell biology, molecular biology, genetics or microbiology."
For bioinformatics students, it will count as a bioinformatics elective. Undergraduates in the Computational or Quantitative/Statistics tracks should confirm with Dr. Herschell Emery how the course would apply to your electives requirements.
Materials required: none.
However, the course will be guided to some extent by Campbell & Heyer (2007) Discovering Genomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics, Pearson, but we will write our own textbook in Wikipedia, using current research articles.