Research in progress, including current and potential projects involving graduate students and undergraduate students. The fundamentals of molecular and cellular biology, genetics, current biotechnology, for biology and biomedical majors. This is an undergraduate class concentrating on classical genetics, gene interactions, gene mapping techniques including some statistical analysis, whole genome analysis, and population genetics, using humans, as well as other animals and plants, as examples. We discuss viral infection, host response, cancer causing viruses, new and emergent viruses, and viruses as tools for gene therapy.
Students read both a text, review articles, and original research papers.
Discussion and presentations are emphasized. In lab both bacterial and mammalian cell viruses are grown and titered. Viral DNA is isolated and recombinant viruses made. Mammalian cells are observed through the infection and replication process and viral proteins are analyzed by immunofluorescence. My interest in Biology does not stop with academics.