BIO 404 - Nuclear Structure and Function

Semester Hours: 4

The study of the cell nucleus provides an amazing bridge between the architectural aspects of cell biology and the functional/molecular understanding of gene expression and genomes. This course uses these links to apply the fundamental knowledge students learned in 300 level courses in cell biology or genetics to the microcosm of the nucleus, in order to build on the concepts and skills covered in the pre-requisite courses. Specifically, the course uses current primary and secondary literature to broaden student’s scientific knowledge and skill set across four main topics, the nuclear periphery, nuclear transport, chromatin, and nuclear bodies. Beyond the specific content, this course emphasizes the building of skills in content comprehension, productive scientific discussion, refined oral presentation, and scientific writing. Furthermore, the accompanying lab applies basic cellular and molecular laboratory techniques to the study of the nucleus, with an emphasis on experimental design, interpretation of results and presentation of new research.

Prerequisite: C- or better in BIO 302 or BIO 303.
Lab Included: LB
When Offered: Offered every other Spring Semester.