Department of
Molecular Biology at
Princeton University has all the courses offered below with Office of the Registrar
Timetable of CoursesFall SemesterMOL 101 From DNA to Human Complexity.
Bassler,
Wieschaus,
Thieringer Lecture and laboratory course will acquaint non-biology majors with the theory and practice of modern molecular
biology, with a focus on biological topics of current public interest.
1-23-06101A - This course allows students to take MOL 101 without the laboratory section, substituting a special precept and adding an additional writing requirement. The writing requirement would focus on the underlying science behind special topics in the news as well as their ethical and social ramifications.
101B - This lecture and laboratory course will acquaint non-biology majors with the theory and practice of
modern molecular biology, with a focus on biological topics of current public interest. Topics include:
structure of
DNA, RNA,
proteins,
genomes and an overview of state-of-the-art technologies including cloning, recombinant
DNA and
PCR. The course will address how recent scientific advances impact issues relevant to human biology including understanding how genes control complex patterns of cell differentiation and the origins of mutations and inherited defects. 11-1-07
MOL 211 The Biology of Organisms (see EEB 211)
An introduction to the biology of organisms and populations.
MOL 215 Quantitative Principles in Cell and Molecular Biology (also EEB215)
Cox,
FeltonCentral concepts and experiments in cellular, molecular, and developmental biology with an emphasis on underlying physical and engineering principles. Topics include the genetic code; energetics and cellular organization; communication, feeding, and signaling between cells; feedback loops and cellular organization; problems and solutions in development; the organization of large cellular systems, such as the nervous and immune systems.
Satisfies the biology requirement for entrance into medical school. Prerequisites:
AP biology, physics, and calculus. Three lectures, one three-hour laboratory.
MOL 342 Genetics Gitai,
Schupbach Prerequisite: MOL 214 or MOL 215 or permission of instructor. 5-6-08
Basic principles of genetics will be illustrated with examples from prokaryote and eukaryote organisms with emphasis on classic genetic techniques. The evolving conception of the gene and genome will be the primary focus of the course. Selected advanced topics will include
Drosophila developmental genetics, yeast cell biology and human disease.
MOL 345 Biochemistry (also CHM 345),
Flint, Rye
Prerequisites: MOL 2l4 or MOL 215 and CHM 301 or CHM 303 5-21-07
Survey course will examine the structures and functions of biological molecules (including
nucleic acids, proteins and lipids), intermediary metabolism and its regulation, and mechanisms of gene expression.
MOL 355 Introduction to Biostatistics (see EEB 355)
An applied introduction to probability and statistical methods in biology.
MOL 408 Cellular and Systems Neuroscience (also PSY 404)
Samuel S.-H. Wang. Prerequisites: MOL 214 or
215, PSY 258 and MAT 103, or instructor's permission. A basic familiarity with simple electrical circuits (as presented in PHY 104 or ELE 203) is expected. Survey of fundamental principles in neurobiology at the biophysical, cellular, and system levels. Lectures will address the basis of the
action potential, synaptic transmission, sensory physiology and motor control, development of the central nervous system, synaptic plasticity, and disease states. A central theme will be the understanding of systems phenomena in terms of cellular mechanisms. 2-20-08
MOL 410 Introduction to Biological Dynamics Wingreen, Brody Prerequisites: MAT 103 or equivalent. Designed for students in the biological sciences, this course focuses on the application of mathematical methods to biological problems. Intended to provide a basic grounding in mathematical modeling and data analysis for students who might not have pursued further study in mathematics. Topics include differential equations, linear algebra, difference equations, and probability. Each topic will have a lecture component and computer laboratory component. Students will work extensively with the computing package Matlab. No previous computing experience necessary. Two 90-minute lectures, one laboratory. 5-21-07
MOL 420 Cellular Organization and Dynamics Schwarzbauer, Gitai Prerequisites: MOL
342,
345 and 348 or permission of instructor. The organization of intracellular components contributes to cell functionality. This course will focus on how intracellular components are organized, mechanisms of reorganization during various processes, and how changes in this organization impact cell behaviors. The dynamics of forming complex multicellular tissues will also be examined. Topics include spatial-temporal changes during cell growth and division, cell motility, polarity, shape changes, and cell differentiation using examples from both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Analysis of techniques used to study cell architecture will be covered.
MOL 429 Selected Topics in Molecular Biology and Human Genetics An in-depth analysis of one area in which recent advances in molecular biology will have significant impact upon society.
MOL 431 Advanced Topics in Developmental Neurobiology Eggenschwiler Prerequisites: MOL
342 or MOL
348 or permission from the instructor. Contemporary approaches to the study of neural development, emphasizing genetic and molecular techniques. Topics include generation, patterning, differentiation, migration and survival of neurons and glia, axon growth and guidance, target selection, synapse formation/elimination, activity-dependent remodeling of connectivity, and the relationship between neural development and behavior. Reading will be mainly from the primary literature with textbook reading provided for background. Classroom participation is required. 5-21-07
MOL 440 Genome Integrity and Human Disease Seminar style course will focus on the basic science that provides the background for understanding diseases caused by defects in chromosome maintenance.
MOL 455 Introduction to Genomics and Computational Molecular Biology Mona Singh,
Saeed Tavazoie Topics include computational approaches to sequence similarity and alignment, phylogenetic inference, gene expression analysis, structure prediction, comparative genome analysis, and high-throughput technologies for mapping genetic networks. In addition to regular homework exercises, students will be asked to design and carry out projects in groups of 3-4 students. MOL455/COS455 meets with the graduate course COS/MOL551. Undergraduate students will attend regular precepts in which relevant primary literature is critically discussed. In addition to presenting their projects in an oral presentation, students will describe their findings in a final paper formatted as a journal article. Undergraduates grades will be determined independently, and they will be based on homework assignments (60%), and the final project paper/presentation (40%).
MOL 457 Computational Aspects of Molecular Biology Welsh. Prerequisites: One 300 level course in Molecular Biology, Chemistry or Biochemistry. A discussion of the field of Bioinformatics, the application of computing to research in Molecular Biology. Topics include: nucleic acid and protein sequence analysis, secondary structure prediction, microarray analysis, sequence homology, the protein folding problem, molecular computers, Perl programming, and the use of the genetic databases.
MOL 459 Viruses: Strategy and Tactics Enquist Prerequisites: MOL 342 or MOL 348 or permission of Instructor. Viruses are unique parasites of living cells and may be the most abundant, highest evolved life forms on the planet. The general strategies encoded by all known viral genomes are discussed using selected viruses as examples. The first half of the course covers the molecular biology (the tactics) inherent in these strategies. The second half introduces the biology of engagement of viruses with host defenses, what happens when viral infection leads to disease, vaccines and antiviral drugs, and the evolution of infectious agents and emergence of new viruses. 5-21-07
MOL 460 Diseases in Children: Causes, Costs, and Choices (also STC 460) Notterman. Within a broader context of historical, social, and ethical concerns, a survey of normal childhood development and selected disorders from the perspectives of the physician and the scientist. Emphasis on the complex relationship between genetic and acquired causes of disease, medical practice, social conditions and cultural values. The course features visits from children with some of the conditions discussed, site visits, and readings from the original medical and scientific literature. 6-26-06
MOL 470 Advanced Topics in Genetic Analysis Lee Silver. A survey of contemporary research on complex genotype-phenotype correlations in human populations. Topics will include mammalian genome structure and evolution, intra-species variation, and molecular tools developed for modern gene discovery projects. The analytical approaches of formal linkage analysis and Whole Genome Association Studies will be explored through primary publications on various complex traits including bipolar disorder, diabetes, and cancer susceptibility. Other topics will include comparative analysis of hominoid genomes and experimental embryological techniques of gene targeting, chimeras, and artificial chromosomes.
MOL 475 Workshop on Biological Imaging Jason Puchalla. New optical imaging techniques are revolutionizing the study of living cells. In this course, students will construct research grade microscopes and use them both to demonstrate physical aspects of imaging and to explore the capability of the microscope as a tool for biological discovery. Toward the end of the course, students will design and implement at least one original experiment to answer a biological question of current interest. Students will also be introduced to cutting-edge commercial instruments used at the frontiers of cell biology, developmental biology, and neurobiology. 3-10-08
Spring SemesterMOL 205 Genes, Health and Society.
Rosenberg. What should students know about their
genes (and
genomes)? Today, the field of
Human Genetics is explored and debated like no other. To understand the medical applications and ethical implications of Human Genetics, one must grasp its scientific foundations. We will approach these topics using: lectures, textbook, journal and newspaper readings, precept discussions, and patient interviews. We will consider the following subjects: gene structure and function; the genetics and genomics of populations and of selected human disorders (cancer, mental illness, metabolic diseases); and clinical genetics (inheritance patterns, diagnosis, treatment).
MOL 210 Evolutionary Ecology (see EEB 210)
An introduction to the mechanisms and processes of population biology.
MOL 214 Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology.
Thomas Shenk,
Shirley M.
Tilghman, Thieringer. Important concepts and elements of molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, and cell biology, are examined in the context of classic experiments. During the last four weeks of the semester, the class will split into topic-based sections taught by different faculty members in the following areas: cell biology, biochemistry, genomics, neurobiology, microbiology, and development. Students will choose to concentrate in 2 of the 6 sections. This course is strongly recommended for students intending to major in the biological sciences and satisfies the biology requirement for entrance into medical school. 2-15-08
MOL 320 Human Genetics, Reproduction, and Public Policy (see WWS 320)
Advances in genetic and reproductive technologies
MOL328/WWS399 Medical Research and Researchers: Preeminence, Problems, Policies
How the U.S. copes with these challenges will influence the future of world health.
MOL340 Molecular and Cellular Immunology
A broad survey of the field of immunology and the mammalian immune system.
MOL 348 Cell and Developmental Biology
The mechanisms that underlie development of multicellular organisms, from C. elegans to humans, will be examined using biochemical, genetic and cell biological approaches.
MOL 350 Laboratory in Molecular Biology
The major objective of the course is to introduce students to a variety of tools required to conduct independent research in the field of molecular biology.
MOL 380A Modern Microbiology and Disease
This course examines the modern field of molecular biology through the lens of bacteria and parasites,
emphasizing the impact of microbes on everyday life.
MOL 380B Modern Microbiology and Disease
This course examines the modern field of molecular biology through the lens of bacteria and parasites, emphasizing the impact of microbes on everyday life.
MOL 422 Evolutionary Developmental Biology (see EEB 422)
Exploring how the genetic mechanisms that control development have evolved to generate the diversity of life on earth.
MOL425/WWS474 Infection: Biology, Burden, Policy
This course will examine fundamental determinants of human microbe interaction at the biological and ecological aspects.
MOL 427 Biotechnology and Its Social Impact (also WWS 427)
This course aims to create an awareness of the social consequences of basic and applied research in the life sciences.
MOL430 Power and Peril of Cycling Cells
This class will focus on two central issues in cell biology: cell cycle and cell death.
MOL 434 Macromolecular Structure and Mechanism in Disease
This course will examine structure-function relationships for a number of proteins involved in human diseases.
MOL 435 Pathogenesis and Bacterial Diversity
An examination of current topics exploring the microbial world with emphasis on signal transduction, and the molecular basis for bacterial diversity and their roles in bacterial pathogenesis.
MOL 437 Computational Neurobiology and Computing Networks
Introduction to the biophysics of nerve cells and synapses, and the mathematical descriptions of neurons and neural networks.
MOL 448 Chemistry, Structure, and Structure-Function Relations of Nucleic Acids
The chemistry and structure of mononucleotides, oligonucleotides, and polynucleotides and their helical complexes as a basis for understanding and predicting the structures and structure-function relations of naturally occurring DNAs and RNAs.
See Also Embryonic Stem Cells,
Molecular Cell,
Reprogramming Cells
