HHMI curriculum - courses offered
Biol 3700 Undergraduate Seminar: Nature of Science and Research (New Course). *Required Course for transfer students.
This course is specifically designed for new transfer students to CBS. Students will explore the nature of research with the ultimate goal of getting into a research project and experiencing the excitement of real science. Specific course goals include:
Learning about CBS and the U of M
Learning about the research enterprise
Becoming familiar with University resources (e.g., libraries, University research facilities, administrative support facilities) that support research
Learning how to read research papers
Exploring the ethics of research
Preparing for your research experience, from finding a mentor to having your safety training, and gaining skills needed to work in a lab.
Biol 2001 Career Planning for Biologists (Taken by transfer student concurrently with Biol 3700).
*Required course for transfer students.
This course leads you through the steps of career planning and decision-making. You will assess your strengths, interests and values. You will learn how to research careers. You will learn about successful strategies for setting goals and making decisions. Not only will you learn about campus resources but you will also attend and participate in campus activities.
Biol 4850 Special Topics in Biology: Introduction to Mississippi Metagenomics (New Course)
Metagenomics is the study of DNA from all microorganisms in a given environment. Using modern molecular techniques we can tell what microbes are present and what enzymatic activities they possess. All of this is accomplished without growing the microorganisms, most of which cannot be cultured. This course will combine laboratory, field and computer studies to analyze the Mississippi River metagenome. Students will learn how to obtain samples from the river, extract the DNA from microbial cells, PCR-amplify 16S ribosomal RNA genes and analyze differences among identified genes, both in the laboratory and by using bioinformatic software. Students will also carry out high throughput screening of fosmid libraries containing large pieces of microbial genes isolated from river microbes for unique enzyme activities. Part of the routine laboratory work will be done with the aid of a robotic system. Students will better understand how DNA sequence data are derived from environmental samples, how to analyze large-scale genomic sequence data, and the advantages and limitations of many of the techniques used to define the Mississippi metagenome.
