Teaching Activities
Biochemistry I (BIOL 3361) – Structures and chemical properties of amino acids; protein purification and characterization; protein structure; thermodynamics of protein folding; catalytic mechanisms, kinetics and regulation of enzymes; energetic of biochemical reactions; metabolism; roles of coenzymes and prosthetic groups; redox reactions; pathways for carbohydrate oxidation; glycogen metabolism; glucose synthesis; pentose phosphate pathway; electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation.
Biochemistry II (BIOL 3362) – Structure and functional properties of biological lipids (glycerolipids, phospholipids, ceramides, glycolipids, waxes, isoprene-based compounds, and steroids); physical and chemical properties of membranes; membrane organization and dynamics; membrane proteins and transport processes across cell membrane; regulation of lipid metabolism; biosynthesis, breakdown and interconversion of fatty acids, cholesterol, isoprenoids and eucosonoids; hormone action, organ specialization; integration of metabolism, metabolic disorders, and biochemical basis of certain pathological processes; nitrogen metabolism and fixation; nucleotide metabolism; structure and properties of nucleic acids; sequencing and genetic engineering; replication, transcription, and translation; chromosome structure.
Cellular Microbiology (BIOL 4310)– A unique study of infectious diseases in the context of ecological and evolutionary significance of symbiotic associations between microorganisms and human host. Dynamic equilibrium of human microbiome and how the composition and diversity of microbial communities inhabiting human body are involved in health and diseases. Introduction to the virulence and pathogenesis of various human pathogens with up-to-date focus on molecular and cellular aspects of host responses. Topics include evolution of pathogen, invasion and subversion strategies of bacterial pathogens, toxins and secretion mechanisms, manipulation of host defenses and cell death, inflammation, sepsis, and advances in microbiome research. Particular attention is given to current trends in translational medicine that evaluate the symbiotic relationships between humans and gut microbiome and establishes new paradigms on how variations in the microbiome influence human health, metabolism and behavior.
Nutrition and Metabolism (BIOL 4325) - Nutrient utilization and requirements with an emphasis on multifaceted links between diet, health, genetics, microbiome, and diseases. Basis of nutritional physiological phenomena and metabolic hemostasis in the context of human development, aging, exercise, health and diseases. Integration of energy metabolism and physiological requirements concerning macronutrients and major vitamins and minerals as well as benefits of potentially-protective compounds in food. How unbalanced intake of nutrients contributes to the initiation, development and severity of various chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, lipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, thyroid disorders, immune dysfunction, inflammatory conditions, cancer, and dysbiosis are discussed with relevance to clinical nutrition. Nutritional characteristics of diets are examined in the context of human evolution and behavioral, societal and ecological interactions. Interconnected problems involving public health, sustainable food, nutrition security, agriculture and the food industry are discussed. The course also introduces microbiomics, nutrigenomics, nutrigenetics and chrononutrition to explore evolving concepts concerning gene-nutrient interactions, particularly the influence of diet on intestinal microbiota and the effect of sleep on metabolism.
Biotechnology Laboratory (BIOL 6384) – Applications of biotechnology methods in a laboratory setting; isolation and analysis of DNA, proteomics (theories and concepts related to research and clinical studies, 1D and 2D SDS PAGE, liquid chromatography, instrumentation basics of mass spectrometry, ionization techniques, peptide fragmentation, peptide fingerprinting, and protein identification and bioinformatics applications for protein sequence analysis and BLAST Searching), real time PCR, ELISA, FACS cell sorting, transfection of animal cells, immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy.
Eukaryotic Molecular Cell Biology (BIOL 3302) – Structural organization of eukaryotic cells; regulation of cellular activities; membranes and transport across cell membrane; cell specialization; cell signaling molecules and cell surface receptors; signal transduction pathways that control gene activity; the organization and control of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton; mechanisms of protein targeting to cellular organelles; vesicle traffic, secretion and endocytosis; the molecular regulation of the eukaryotic cell cycle, and aspects of the molecular basis of cancer.
Independent Study - Research and Advanced Writing (BIOL 4390) – Planning and conducting thematic research; strategies for scientific literature analysis, examining original research articles, communicating facts and theories by coherent writing.
Modern Biology I (BIOL 2311) – Fundamental concepts in modern biology with an emphasis on molecular and cellular basis of biological phenomena. Topics include the basic biochemistry of biological molecules; cellular metabolism, organization of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, introductory classical and molecular genetics, essentials of mammalian physiology, organizational and operation principles of endocrine, immune, and nervous systems, and selected aspects of developmental biology, as well as study of major groups of biological organisms such as bacteria, viruses and fungi.
Modern Biology II (BIOL 2312) – Fundamental aspects of mammalian physiology with an emphasis on the human body systems, physiological evolution, organ development, regulation of organ functions and physiological mechanisms regulating the internal environment (homeostasis).
Natural Science & Mathematics Freshmen Seminar (NATS1101) – An overview of approaches to basic study and learning strategies, critical thinking, problem solving, group work and other skills as well as studentship and professional ethics; inter-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary connections within the programs of the School of Natural Science and Mathematics as well as their relationship to other scientific, technology and engineering fields and interdisciplinary applications. Emphasis is given to discussions on current and emerging themes of scientific research, education and technology applications in the 21st century.
Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory (BIOL 4380)– DNA manipulation, cloning, bacterial transformation, plasmid mapping, PCR, DNA fingerprinting, mutagenesis and AMES test, centrifugation, cell fractionation, enzyme assays, mammalian cell culture techniques, transfection and ion-trapping
Body Systems (BIOL 1300) – Introductory to human physiology in relation to molecular, cellular and anatomical structures; examination of human body and organ systems with model-based lab exercises; physiological functions associated with homeostasis and integration of metabolism, basic information about diseases and disorders with special considerations to preventative and self-care approaches.
Introduction to Biotechnology (BIOL 5V00)– overview of techniques utilized in biomedical research and bioprocessing/biomanufacturing applications in the pharmaceutical, agricultural and environmental biotechnology industries; principles of common methods involving protein chemistry, molecular and cell biology; macromolecular separation, purification and analysis of biological molecules, chromatography, electrophoresis, molecular and cellular labeling, detection and assay methods, use of antibodies, DNA sequencing, recombinant DNA, protein engineering, nucleic acid primers, amplification and hybridization-based methods, PCR, RT-PCR, qPCR, gene libraries, genotyping, gene expression analysis, microarrays, bioinformatics, genomics, proteomics, DIGE, ICAT, mass spectroscopy, and systems biology-based approaches; molecular diagnostics, biomarkers and clinical trials
Biology of Aging – (under development): concepts and theories of aging; the evolution and genetics of aging; oxidative processes in aging; nutritional and physiological aspects of aging and longevity; mammalian metabolism in aging; dietary restriction, health and longevity; effect of age on gene expression; instability of the nuclear genome and alterations of the mitochondrial genome during aging; cell proliferation in mammalian aging; pathophysiology of aging and age-related diseases.