This course addresses the fascinating science behind the technology, and also some of the social, legal and ethical issues arising from application of biotechnology. This course comprises the third and last quarter of the biology Core series. This upper division course examines the biology of microorganisms, particularly bacteria. Bacteria have a profound impact on the biosphere and on human life, an have played a central role in the evolution of all life on Earth. In the lab, students learn to cultivate microorganisms, examine them microscopically, and characterize their growth and metabolism.
All cells depend on nucleic acids and proteins for survival, growth, and replication.
Appreciating the structure and functions of these macromolecules is critical to understanding living systems. This class examines the basis of information storage and replication in DNA, the mechanics and regulation of gene expression, and the synthesis and function of proteins. This is an intensive laboratory course in which students learn techniques for creating, analyzing, and manipulating recombinant plasmids. The lab work is oriented around one or two major projects per quarter. As part of the Biotechnology Minor, this course is designed to prepare students for working in a real world biotechnology lab, or for graduate work in molecular biology.