Instructor: Dr. Janet Daniel

Office: Burruss 215

Phone: 568-2322

Office Hours: TBA

Email: danie2jc@jmu.edu

Meeting time & place:

Thursday 9:30-10:45 am (Section 29)

Thursday 11:00-12:15 pm (Section 30)

Friday 9:05-10:20 am (Section 31)

Friday 10:50-12:05 pm (Section 33)

Burruss 243A

Text: Required: Coursepack for GSCI 104A, Dr. Daniel, available at JMU Bookstore.

 Voucher: Required: purchase at JMU Bookstore.

Course description:

Recent innovations in molecular technologies have made possible applications previously relegated to the world of science fiction. Scientific advances have become media events and laboratory breakthroughs now routinely enter the public consciousness. However, because of the fantastic and oftentimes difficult nature of some of these discoveries, reporting has left many confused and even misled as to the true impact these advances will have in our modern lives. To begin to clear up some of this confusion and misunderstanding, the objectives of the course are: 1) to introduce the vocabulary and technologies of molecular biology, 2) to understand how these new concepts are used in practice, and 3) to develop preliminary evaluative skills to help deal with sensationalized press accounts.

The course will proceed from the simple to more complex, developing a toolbox of concepts and terminology along the way. The historic 50th anniversary of the discovery of the double helix (1993) is our starting point for this course because in a sense, this time point marks the beginning of the golden age of "DNA science" in the public realm &endash;The Human Genome Project. With the background in place, the topics will expand in scale and begin to conceive of the molecular within a larger organismal framework through a study of cloning and the search for genetic-based human diseases. From here, more complex scientific concepts will be explored through discussions of the use of DNA knowledge in paternity and forensic testing.

Interestingly enough, just as we find ourselves at the pole position of the future frontier, looming is the legacy of our evolutionary past, which may yet expose our vulnerability. We will begin to understand how spontaneous DNA mutations affect a species' fitness for survival. Finally, we will end the course with an introduction to the manipulation of species development using molecular techniques which manipulate the sequence of the genome.

Grading:

This is a seminar course; it is imperative that everyone actively engages the material. At each class I will play the role of the discussant, to give quick explanations of the science in the article, but I expect the bulk of class time to be devoted to class discussion. The readings have been selected for just this purpose. Attendance and completion of all readings is mandatory

Evaluation: Class attendance: Attendance is mandatory, two unexcused absences will result in the lowering of one letter grade. An excused absence is one that is accompanied by documentation.

Quizzes/Quickwrites/Class assignments 80 pts

Due at the beginning of class, no make-ups

Lab Write-up 20 pts

Final 20 pts

Grades are assigned: 90-100% A

80-89% B

70-79% C

60-69% D

below 60% F

Honor Code: All students are expected to abide by the JMU Honor code

Seminar schedule:

Week of	Topic	Reading (by author)/Class activities
August 27	Course intro: syllabus &requirements
September 3	Molecular Biology:Basic concepts and definition of terms	Quick write: What is molecular biology?
September 10	Happy Birthday DNA	Nash, Jaroff, Jegalian/Worksheet: Molecular biology basics
September 17	Human Genome Project, I	Lewontin "The Dream of the Human Genome", Collins "Shattuck Lecture"/Quiz: Goals of the Human Genome Project
September 24	Human Genome Project, II	Class Assignment: Public access to the Human Genome Project
October 1	Gene therapy: a case study: Cystic Fibrosis	Toltstoi/Quickwrite: How did the cloning of the CF gene advance the human genome project?
October 8	CLONING: Hello Dolly! Mechanism	Lapham, Wills, Stewart, Solter
October 15	Fall Break - No class
October 22	DNA fingerprinting, forensic science	Class handout/Class Assignment: The case of the Lemba, immigrants to Africa?
October 29	"The Last Romanov Mystery"	Massie /Quiz: DNA fingerprinting
November 5	DNA fingerprinting lab
November 12	DNA fingerprinting lab, part II	Lab Write-up: DNA fingerprinting lab
November 19	Thanksgiving break
November 26	Viruses, Bacteria & Disease (OH MY!) Ebola Virus	Preston Distribute take home final
December 3	Genetically engineered foods "Frankenfoods"	Kluger, "Controversy 14" & Specter Take home final due