BIO200 Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics - Providence College

BIO 200: CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
SPRING 2012: TWF at 9:30 AM – 10:20 AM
Room: Albertus Magnus 106
Credit Hours: 3.00
INSTRUCTOR:
Name: Fr. Nicanor Pier Giorgio Austriaco, O.P., Ph.D.
Office: Sowa 229B
Laboratory: Hickey Labs 181
Phone: 401-865-1823 (office)
401-865-1620 (lab)
401-865-1906 (personal)
Email: naustria@providence.edu
I am generally in my office (Sowa 229B) or in my laboratory (Hickey Hall 181) from
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM daily and am easily available with a prior appointment. To make an
appointment, call me at 865-1823. You may also contact me via email. I will keep
Tuesday from 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM; and Friday from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM for drop-in
appointments. Come look for me in my office or in my lab. Please feel free to talk to me
about any issue relating either to the course or to your life as a student here at Providence
College.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
A PRAYER BEFORE STUDY
St. Thomas Aquinas, O.P.
O God, Creator of all things, true source of light and wisdom, graciously
let a ray of your light penetrate the darkness of my understanding. Give
me a keen intellect, a retentive memory, and the ability to grasp things
correctly and fundamentally. Give me the talent of being exact in my
explanations and the ability to express myself with thoroughness and
charm. Point out the beginning, direct the progress, and perfect my work.
We ask you this through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen.
BIO 200 is an important bridging course between General Biology and upper level coursework.
In this course, which is a prerequisite for many upper level BIO elective courses, we will build on
concepts covered in General Biology I. We will conduct detailed studies of topics including the
fine structure of cells, intracellular and intercellular communication, and the molecular
organization and transfer of genetic information in cells. The course includes a series of
discussions of primary scientific literature directly related to the material covered in the course.
The goal of the course is for students to synthesize knowledge of how cells function with
experimental design and experimental methodology. Significant writing exercises will also be
included in the course. Finally, I hope that this course instills into my students the love of
learning and the desire for the God who created and evolved all things, DNA included.
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REQUIRED TEXTS:
Hardin et al., Becker's World of the Cell, 8th edn. (San Francisco: Pearson Benjamin
Cummings, 2011) ISBN 978-0321716026
We will also be reading papers from the primary scientific literature to illustrate the logic
of contemporary cellular and molecular biology. The papers are listed on the syllabus and
have been posted to the class website on ANGEL.
ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS:
EXAMINATIONS: Exams are designed to thoroughly test your understanding of the
information and concepts covered in lecture. As such, you will be asked to apply your
knowledge and thinking skills to new situations, not merely memorize information. For
this class, the exams will include material from the lecture and from analysis of primary
scientific literature articles. Primary scientific literature papers will be handed out one
week in advance of the exam. You are permitted to consult the primary paper and your
notes on the paper while answering the in-class exam. Portions of exams may be given as
take-home questions.
PRIMARY SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE ASSIGNMENTS AND DISCUSSIONS: The primary
scientific literature assignments are designed to enhance the traditional lecture material
by allowing you to apply your knowledge of Cellular and Molecular Biology to classical
and current research literature. Since we will dedicate a significant amount of time to
discussing primary scientific literature, it is vital for students to prepare before coming to
the class discussion.
For each research paper assigned for discussion, students are required to annotate their
copy of each paper as described in the handouts given out prior to each paper discussion
session. Annotated papers will be submitted to the instructor at the end of the paper
discussion period. These annotations will be graded based on demonstrable due diligence
on the student’s part and will be given a grade of 0 (did not complete the assignment),
50% (incomplete effort) or 100% (complete effort).
Participation in class will also be assessed every week especially during discussions of
the primary scientific literature. Students will be able to drop the lowest three
participation grades.
INTENSIVE WRITING I PROFICIENCY: This course is being evaluated as a potential way for
Biology majors to satisfy the Intensive Writing I proficiency requirement of the new core
curriculum. The goal of this proficiency is for students to significantly improve their
scientific writing ability through practice and instructor feedback. To satisfy the Intensive
Writing I proficiency each student will 1) complete four 700-800 word written
assignments related to primary scientific literature that we discuss in class and 2) write a
2500 word final paper related to a piece of primary scientific literature. For all five of
these assignments students are required to submit a draft of the assignment for instructor
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feedback and preliminary grading. 30% of the grade for each writing assignment will
come from an assessment of the quality of the effort put into the draft. After revising the
draft and incorporating instructor feedback, students will submit a final version of the
assignment for final grading (70% of the points for the assignment).
ATTENDANCE POLICY: Regular attendance is expected. Please email the instructor in
advance if you expect to miss a class. More than two unexcused absences during the
semester may lead to a final grade reduction of a full letter grade (e.g., B+ to C+).
GRADING POLICY: Grades will be calculated as follows:
Midterm Exam I 15%
Midterm Exam II 15%
Final Exam: 25%
Primary Literature Assignments 15%
Class Participation 10%
Final Paper: 20%
Total: 100%
COLLABORATION POLICY: I believe that collaboration fosters a healthy and enjoyable
educational environment. I encourage you to talk with other students about the course
material and to form study groups. Unless otherwise instructed, you may discuss
assignments and lab problems with other students and exchange ideas about how to solve
the problems. However, there is a thin line between collaboration and plagiarizing the
work of others. You may discuss strategies for approaching the assignments with your
classmates and may receive general advice from them, but you are required to compose
your own answers.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY: Academic dishonesty, cheating, and plagiarism (“the
stealing and passing off of the ideas or words of another as one’s own without crediting
the source”) are not tolerated in the professional world of scientific and medical research
and will not be tolerated in this class. For the first offense, the student will receive a zero
for the examination or the assignment. If a student aids another student during the exam,
both parties will receive a zero. For the second offense, the student or students will
receive an F for the course. Please consult the current Providence College Undergraduate
Catalogue for its statement on “Academic Honesty.”
STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS: Students with special needs who are taking this class
and who need special accommodations (for example, for learning, attention, or physical
disabilities) are encouraged to work with Office of Academic Services (OAS) and the
instructor to arrange accommodations. Arrangements must be made first with the OAS,
who will notify and work with the instructor to make appropriate arrangements.
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WORKING SYLLABUS
Class Date Topic Reading Assignments
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
T
1/17
W
1/18
F
1/20
T
1/24
W
1/25
F
1/27
T
1/31
Introduction Chapter 1
Cell Chemistry and
Macromolecules
Cell Chemistry and
Macromolecules
Chapters 2, 3
Chapters 2, 3
Cells and Organelles Chapter 4
Membrane Structure and
Function
Membrane Structure and
Function
Membrane Structure and
Function
Chapter 7, 8
Chapter 7, 8
Chapter 7, 8
8
W
2/1
Primary Scientific Literature
Discussion 1
Tal et al. (2007)
9 F 2/3 Bioenergetics and Enzymes Chapters 5, 6
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
T
2/7
W
2/8
F
2/10
T
2/14
W
2/15
F
2/17
T
2/21
W
2/22
F
2/24
T
2/28
W
2/29
Bioenergetics and Enzymes Chapters 5, 6
The Endomembrane System Chapter 12
The Endomembrane System Chapter 12
The Endomembrane System Chapter 12
Signal Transduction Chapter 13, 14
MIDTERM EXAM I
No Class – Monday Schedule
Signal Transduction Chapter 13, 14
Signal Transduction Chapter 13, 14
Cytoskeleton Structure and
Function
Primary Scientific Literature
Discussion 2
Chapter 15, 16
Tomasovic et al.
(2012)
Draft of Writing
Assignment 1 due
Writing Assignment 1
due
4

20 F 3/2
21
22
T
3/6
W
3/7
23 F 3/9
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
T
3/13
W
3/14
F
3/16
T
3/20
W
3/21
F
3/23
T
3/27
W
3/28
F
3/30
T
4/3
W
4/4
F 4/6
T
4/10
W
4/11
F
4/13
T
4/17
W
4/18
F
4/20
T
4/24
Cytoskeleton Structure and
Function
Cytoskeleton Structure and
Function
Cell Junctions and the
Extracellular Matrix
Cell Junctions and the
Extracellular Matrix
No Class – Spring Break
No Class – Spring Break
No Class – Spring Break
Chapter 15, 16
Chapter 15, 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 17
DNA and the Nucleus Chapter 18
Primary Scientific Literature
Discussion 3
Tikhmyanova
& Golemis (2011)
DNA and the Nucleus Chapter 18
DNA and the Nucleus Chapter 18
MIDTERM EXAM II
DNA Replication and Mitosis Chapter 19
DNA Replication and Mitosis Chapter 19
DNA Replication and Mitosis Chapter 19
No Class – Easter Recess
Meiosis and Recombination Chapter 20
No Class – Monday Schedule
Meiosis and Recombination Chapter 20
Primary Scientific Literature
Discussion 4
Kitamura et al.
(2006)
Gene Expression Chapters 21, 22
Gene Expression Chapters 21, 22
Regulation of Gene Expression Chapter 23
Draft of Writing
Assignment 2 due
Writing Assignment 2
due
Draft of Writing
Assignment 3 due
Writing Assignment 3
due
Outline of Final Paper
Due
Draft of Writing
Assignment 4 due
Draft of Final Paper
Due
5

38
39
40
41
W
4/25
F
4/27
T
5/1
W
5/2
Regulation of Gene Expression Chapter 23
Regulation of Gene Expression Chapter 23
Cancer Chapter 24
Cancer Chapter 24
Writing Assignment 4
due
42 F 5/4 Summary and Wrap-Up Final Paper Due
R
5/14
FINAL EXAM (Course Series
“F”)
8:30AM -- 10:30AM
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