BIOL454W

This course focuses on elucidating how microbes survive, evolve, and thrive in their environments. Using a combination of classic and contemporary techniques in bacteriology, genetics, biochemistry, microscopy and molecular biology, students will conduct an original research project aimed at understanding physiology, ecology, and/or evolution in a bacterial model organism. Students will delve deeply into the published primary scientific literature and continue to develop scientific communication skills (oral, written, visual). The specific topics and techniques on which we focus will be molded by student interest and project selection, but may include methods in bacterial genetics: mutant screens, site directed mutagenesis, homologous recombination, gene expression analysis, DNA manipulation and cloning, etc.; methods in microbiology: survival analysis, microscopy, growth rate analysis, biochemical analysis, etc.; methods in genomics: using DNA databases, gene and genome sequencing, quantitative PCR, etc.

All Years

Spring Semester