Walther's Courses

Dr. Walther's Courses

BIO 345 Advanced Recombinant DNA Techniques (Fall 2010)
This course will cover advanced techniques in molecular biology with a special focus on molecular genetic and recombinant DNA techniques. We will discuss the mechanisms of manipulating the genomes of scientifically important model organisms. We will also cover the multiple “omics” including genomics and proteomics. There will be an emphasis on current topics from the primary literature. Prerequisites: BIO 335, 336.

BIO 360 The Biology of Cancer (Fall 2010)
This course covers the genetics, molecular biology, and cellular biology of cancer from DNA mutagenesis to cellular transformation. We will try to answer the following questions: What is cancer? What causes cancer? How can cancer be treated? Specific Topics to be covered include maintenance of genomic integrity, cell-cycle control, oncogenes and tumor suppressors, metastasis, and anti-cancer treatment strategies. The course will rely heavily on the primary literature with a special focus on current topics in Cancer Biology. Lecture three hours. Prerequisites: Biology 236 (lecture and lab, C- or better)

BIO 360 Cell Culture and Microscopy (Fall 2010)
A 7-week laboratory-intensive course on animal cell culture and associated microscopy techniques. Students will learn how to grow and maintain animal cell cultures, work with immortalized cell lines, and how to transfect cells wil exogenous DNA. There will also be a focus on the theory and application of advanced techniques in microcopy, including fluorescence and laser scanning confocal microscopy of animal cells. Prerequisites: BIO236 and junior or senior standing

BIO236 : Cell and Molecular Biology (Spring 2011)
This course expands on fundamental concepts in the areas of cell and molecular biology with special emphasis on the molecular reactions and cellular structures found inside of eukaryotic cells. Topics will include microscopy; cell structure and function; cell cycle and reproduction; gene expression and its control; molecular mechanisms of inheritance, inter- and intracellular signaling and interactions. In conjunction with the lecture course, the laboratory sections will provide the students with firsthand experience in commonly used experimental techniques in cell and molecular biology. Lecture three hours, laboratory three hours. Prerequisites: BIO 121 and 122, CHE 111 and 112 (lecture and lab, C- or better).

BIO 343 Polymerase Chain Reaction – PCR (Fall 2011)
A 7-week laboratory-intensive course on polymerase chain reaction (PCR), one of the most important tools of molecular biology. Techniques will include Short Tandem Repeat Genotyping, High Resolution Melt Analysis with Real-time PCR, Quantitatvie Reverse-Transcriptase PCR, and PCR-based mutagenesis. Prerequisites: BIO 236 and junior or senior standing.