91PORN

This course is intended to provide students with the opportunity to gain a solid understanding of hydrodynamics and macromolecular transport processes, such as sedimentation and diffusion. The focus will be on hydrodynamic methods involving analytical ultracentrifugation and light scattering. Topics in sedimentation velocity, sedimentation equilibrium, buoyant density sedimentation, as well as static and dynamic light scattering and the complementarity of these approaches will be discussed. Macromolecular interactions involving mass action, concentration dependent nonideality, and reaction rates are covered. This course will also cover a range of data analysis approaches including the van Holde-Weischet method, the second moment method, direct boundary fitting by finite element modeling, the C(s) method, the 2-dimensional spectrum analysis, genetic algorithm optimization, nonlinear least squares fitting approaches to user-defined models. Statistical analysis using Monte Carlo and bootstrap methods also will be covered.

This course presents 1) the principles of gene expression, including transcription, epigenetic regulation (histone modifications and DNA methylation), mRNA processing and degradation, translation, post-translational modifications, and protein degradation, and 2) the omics approaches for collective characterization and quantification of different aspects of gene expression, including genomics, epigenomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. Two main teaching formats are used in this course: 1) Didactic lectures in which information is delivered to the class, and 2) Paper presentations and discussions, in which students present assigned papers and lead discussions by the entire class. Although one student will present each paper, all students will be expected to read each paper and to be prepared to discuss it in the form of comments and questions. Prerequisites: Permission of the Course Director and IBMS 5000 (or equivalent).

This course covers the molecular mechanisms of action of various extracellular mediators including hormones, neurotransmitters, growth factors, cytokines, etc., and cell signaling events. Several areas will be discussed including: (1) mechanisms of mediator synthesis; (2) interaction of mediators with specific receptors; (3) modulation by mediators of various second messenger systems including cyclic nucleotides, inositol phospholipids, calcium, protein phosphorylation, ion flux, etc.; and (4) intra- and intercellular mechanism for regulating mediator action. Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.

This course covers state-of-the-art approaches to the discovery and design of drugs - from small molecules to peptides - as well as drug delivery vehicles, with a strong emphasis on structure-based approaches. Topics to be covered will include the following: high-throughput screening, fragment based drug discovery, protein:protein and protein:ligand interactions, use of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR),surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and fluorescent methods in drug discovery, virtual (in silico) screening, peptides and peptidomimetics, structure based drug design, and use of macromolecular assemblies as drug delivery vehicles and as targets for drug therapy. Prerequisites: IBMS 5000 Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.

This is a course targeted at students within any of the Graduate Tracks. The objective is to provide a broad view, allowing for in depth consideration in selected areas, of the structure and diverse functions of proteins within a membrane environment. Specific topics covered will include: ion selective channels, large membrane pores, membrane transporters, membrane pumps, and membrane receptors. The format of the course will be didactic lecture followed by student presentations of relevant topics. Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.

The course provides a survey of concepts in developmental biology (induction, cell-cell interactions, morphogen gradients, morphogenetic movements, transcription regulation, organogenesis) using experimental examples from both invertebrate and vertebrate embryos. The first set of lectures will focus on gametogenesis, fertilization, and early developmental events, such as cleavage, midblastula transition, gastrulation, and axis formation. The second set of lectures will explore the fates of germ layers in the contexts of cell type-specific differentiation and cell-cell interactions during organogenesis.

This course, coupled with the course MMED 6001 RNA Biology and Genomics I, covers the classical RNA functions as well as recent discoveries, such as RNA vaccines, RNA granules, and RNA modification, which were not covered by the previous RNA Biology and Genomics course. The RNA field is expanding due to several novel discoveries, such as RNA vaccines, RNA granules, and long-noncoding RNAs. To cover novel discoveries, CSAT5024 focuses on splicing, non-coding RNA, R-loops, and CRISPR, while MMED 6001 covers mRNA translation, RNA modification, and RNA biology in neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic syndrome, and cancer biology. The contents covered will be different between the CSAT5024 and MMED 6001 courses. Another important component of this course is employing omics methods such as RNA-seq, RIP-Seq, BRIC, CLIP, Ribo-seq, and CRISPR to study these processes and regulators. Hands-on training on biological databases and classes covering examples of the use of genomics will be provided. We expect students to acquire skills that will help them visualize how genomics can be used in their own research projects. To be designated as Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.

This course is designed to provide an overview of genetic research. Topics to be covered include: cytogenetics, mitochondrial genetics, cancer genetics, linkage analysis, complex traits, population genetics, animal models, sex determination, and epigenetics.

The purpose of the course is to provide an introduction to experimental design and statistical analysis. The emphasis of the course will be on the selection and application of proper tests of statistical significance. Practical experience will be provided in the use of both parametric and nonparametric methods of statistical evaluation. Among the topics to be covered are: data reduction, types of distributions, hypothesis testing, scales of measurement, chi square analysis, the special case of the comparison of two groups; analysis of variance; a posteriori multiple comparisons tests, tests of the assumptions of parametric analyses, advanced forms of the analysis of variance, linear regression, and correlation analysis. This course involves the use of statistical software; therefore, access to a laptop or a computer with web access for classes and examinations is required.

This course will focus on two of the cornerstones of science advancement, which are rigor in designing and performing scientific research and the ability to reproduce biomedical research findings. The course will also emphasize the application of rigor that ensures robust and unbiased experimental design, methodology, analysis, interpretation, and reporting of results. The notion that when a result can be reproduced by multiple scientists, it validates the original results and readiness to progress to the next phase of research will be covered in this course. This is especially important for preclinical studies that provide the basis for rigorous clinical trials in humans. In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the need for rigorously designed published preclinical studies, to ensure that such studies can be reproduced. The aim of this course is to help attendees acquire the skills necessary to meet the need to enhance rigor and reproducibility in preclinical scientific research. Successful completion of CSAT 5095, or an equivalent approved by the Rigor & Reproducibility course director, is a prerequisite for this course.

The relevant biology, applicability, and practical use of a number of animal models to biomedical research is covered. Invertebrate (e.g., C. elegans) and vertebrate (e.g., fish and rodents) model systems are included in the course. Strengths and weaknesses of each organism that render them particularly valuable as animal models are emphasized. Experimental approaches and tools that are utilized in conjunction with each animal model are rigorously examined. The course is taught from primary scientific literature using classic historical publications and recent publications.

Biology of Aging is the core course of the Biology of Aging Track. The course consists of two modules: Aging and Longevity Mechanisms and Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Aging. The purpose of this course is to provide students with the most up-to-date information on the current understanding of the aging process. This advanced interdisciplinary graduate course provides experimental understanding of the interrelated areas of aging and age-related diseases. Faculty from several departments will be involved in teaching this course, which will cover the molecular and cell biology of aging, model systems used for aging studies, age-related changes in organs and tissues, and age-related diseases.

The fields of stem cells and regenerative medicine are rapidly evolving and have great potential to change the way medicine is practiced. This course will encompass topics from basics of tissue specific stem cell biology to pre-clinical animal models, strategies and progress in regenerative medicine. We will discuss some of the most current research being done in regenerative medicine from stem cell transplantation to biomaterials. Prerequisite: IBMS 5000.

This core course covers the fundamentals of biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, organismal and systems biology, and microbiology and immunology. The course is designed for first-year graduate students matriculating into the Integrated Biomedical Sciences Program (IBMS).

This course provides an opportunity for students to participate in research activities in the laboratories of faculty members in different disciplines to learn laboratory skills and to gain an introduction to the research fields of faculty members.

This course is required of all students in the IBMS program, except of those who have signed up for Final Hours. Students are required to attend a minimum of 16 seminars per semester and to complete a requirement to demonstrate their attendance and participation. To fulfill the minimum number of seminars, students may include seminars offered by disciplines other than their own in which they are enrolled. However, to enroll, students should obtain permission from the course Section Director affiliated with the appropriate discipline. The course numbers of the individual course sections are INTD 6090-1GEN, 6090-2BA, 6090-3CB, 6090-4CGM, 6090-5MIM, 6090-6MBB, 6090-7NS and 6090-8PP for the IBMS Disciplines: Biology of Aging (BA), Cancer Biology (CB), Cell Biology, Genetics & Molecular Medicine (CGM), Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry (MBB), Molecular Immunology & Microbiology (MIM), Neuroscience (NS), and Physiology & Pharmacology (PP). Some students who have not declared a discipline, and have obtained the approval of their academic advisor and the Senior Associate Dean of the GSBS, may sign up for INTD 6090-1GEN. Grading will be Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. A list of seminars from all disciplines will be posted on the Graduate School Web site. Each Section Director will determine, for the relevant IBMS-6090 section, the policy for tracking student's attendance and participation in seminars.

This course is required of all students in the IBMS program, except of those who have signed up for Final Hours. Students are required to attend a minimum of 16 seminars per semester and to complete a requirement to demonstrate their attendance and participation. To fulfill the minimum number of seminars, students may include seminars offered by disciplines other than their own in which they are enrolled. However, to enroll, students should obtain permission from the course Section Director affiliated with the appropriate discipline. The course numbers of the individual course sections are INTD 6090-1GEN, 6090-2BA, 6090-3CB, 6090-4CGM, 6090-5MIM, 6090-6MBB, 6090-7NS and 6090-8PP for the IBMS Disciplines: Biology of Aging (BA), Cancer Biology (CB), Cell Biology, Genetics & Molecular Medicine (CGM), Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry (MBB), Molecular Immunology & Microbiology (MIM), Neuroscience (NS), and Physiology & Pharmacology (PP). Some students who have not declared a discipline, and have obtained the approval of their academic advisor and the Senior Associate Dean of the GSBS, may sign up for INTD 6090-1GEN. Grading will be Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. A list of seminars from all disciplines will be posted on the Graduate School Web site. Each Section Director will determine, for the relevant IBMS-6090 section, the policy for tracking student's attendance and participation in seminars.

The objective of the Qualifying Examination (QE) is to determine if a student has met programmatic expectations with regard to: i) Acquiring a level of scientific reasoning and a knowledge base in his/her field of study appropriate for a graduate student at the current stage of training; ii) Demonstrating skills of problem-solving and development of experimental strategies designed to test hypotheses associated with a specific scientific problem; and iii) Demonstrating the ability to defend experimental strategies proposed for solving scientific problems. Successful completion of the QE is required for Advancement to Candidacy and continuation in the IBMS Ph.D. program. During the Spring semester of Year 2 (4th semester overall) of the student's program, the QE will be administered by a faculty committee approved by a student's Discipline leadership. Each IBMS discipline will administer the QE process for its students so as to achieve the goals of the discipline while satisfying the expectations of the IBMS graduate program. In general, the QE requires the solving of a relevant unsolved problem in the biomedical sciences by writing a research proposal based on an idea conceived and developed by the student, followed by an oral defense-of-proposal to explore the student's problem-solving process, and the soundness of the student's experimental design. Following the QE, a report will be submitted by the chair of the examination committee to the student's discipline leadership indicating the outcome of the exam and any recommendations that may be required to foster further academic progress by the student. IBMS 7001 is divided into 7 modules overseen by the 7 IBMS Disciplines, each that is responsible for providing its students with a detailed description of the examination process, and for ensuring that the programmatic expectations and goals of the QE are met.

This course is designed to provide graduate students with experience in critical reading of the primary literature, seminar preparation and presentation, data analysis and interpretation, and group-based learning as they relate to the graduate program in Integrated Biomedical Sciences. This course is required of all students in the IBMS program starting in their second year except of those who have signed up for Final Hours. Students are required to attend a minimum of 16 total presentations per semester (journal club or research presentations) and to complete a requirement to demonstrate their attendance and participation. Students are also required to present one journal club presentation per semester until they are Advanced to Candidacy. Once Advanced to Candidacy, the student will present one journal club presentation per academic year and one research presentation per academic year such that the student is giving at least one presentation in each semester. To enroll, students should obtain permission from the course Section Director affiliated with the appropriate discipline. The course numbers of the individual course sections are INTD 7010-1GEN, 7010-2BA, 7010-3CB, 7010-4CGM, 7010-5MIM, 7010-6MBB, 7010-7NS and 7010-8PP for the IBMS Disciplines: Biology of Aging (BA), Cancer Biology (CB), Cell Biology, Genetics & Molecular Medicine (CGM), Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry (MBB), Molecular Immunology & Microbiology (MIM), Neuroscience (NS), and Physiology & Pharmacology (PP). Some students who have not declared a discipline, and have obtained the approval of their academic advisor and the Senior Associate Dean of the GSBS, may sign up for INTD 7010-1GEN. Grading will be by letter grade (A, B, C, etc). A list of journal clubs from all disciplines will be posted on the Graduate School Web site. Each Section Director will determine, for the relevant IBMS 7010 section, the policy for tracking student's attendance and participation and will be responsible for assigning a final grade.

This course is required of all students in the IBMS program, except of those who have signed up for Final Hours. Students are required to attend a minimum of 16 seminars per semester and to complete a requirement to demonstrate their attendance and participation. To fulfill the minimum number of seminars, students may include seminars offered by disciplines other than their own in which they are enrolled. However, to enroll, students should obtain permission from the course Section Director affiliated with the appropriate discipline. The course numbers of the individual course sections are INTD 6090-1GEN, 6090-2BA, 6090-3CB, 6090-4CGM, 6090-5MIM, 6090-6MBB, 6090-7NS and 6090-8PP for the IBMS Disciplines: Biology of Aging (BA), Cancer Biology (CB), Cell Biology, Genetics & Molecular Medicine (CGM), Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry (MBB), Molecular Immunology & Microbiology (MIM), Neuroscience (NS), and Physiology & Pharmacology (PP). Some students who have not declared a discipline, and have obtained the approval of their academic advisor and the Senior Associate Dean of the GSBS, may sign up for INTD 6090-1GEN. Grading will be Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. A list of seminars from all disciplines will be posted on the Graduate School Web site. Each Section Director will determine, for the relevant IBMS-6090 section, the policy for tracking student's attendance and participation in seminars. Registration is only permitted following a student's admission to candidacy for the PhD degree, approval of the dissertation research proposal and approval of the membership of the candidate's Supervising Committee.

This course is intended to introduce students to a broad survey of the basics of molecular, cellular and developmental neuroscience. The course is organized into a series of three modules: biochemical and cellular properties of nervous system cells, development of neuronal systems, and neutrotransmission and neuromodulation, which covers the fundamentals of these three areas. Current topics and concepts are discussed in discussion sessions that include student participation. Two components; Neuroscience students register for both PHYL 5041 and INTD 5040.

This course, the second component of our broad survey of the basics of neuroscience, begins at the level of the neural circuit, and guides the students through an understanding of increasingly complex levels of organization and function in the brain. Topics include neurotransmitter systems, sensory and motor function, motivated behavior, regulation and integration of autonomic, behavioral, and emotional responses in the limbic system, higher order cognitive processes, and the neurobiological basis underlying some important psychiatric disorders and their treatment.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with a practical working knowledge of the structure of both the peripheral and central nervous system. The emphasis will be on the organization of the human brain, although the brains of other species may also be included if appropriate for a specific brain region. The course will look at each of the individual components of the central nervous system in some depth but will also emphasize the complex integration of these various components into a functional brain. The topics covered in the course are specifically designed to mesh in time with those covered in Fundamentals of Neuroscience 2 describing the function of these areas. For this reason, it would be best if these two courses were taken concomitantly. The course will be didactic with digital images, models, and wet specimens included in the course.

This is an interdisciplinary advanced elective in which students attend 20 lectures, selected from the full offering of daily one-hour lectures comprising the Neurology Residents' Basic Sciences lecture series. These lectures cover a range of topics, such as Epilepsy, Movement Disorders, the Thalamus, Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, Stroke, Sleep, etc., all given from a clinical perspective. In addition, graduate students will have the opportunity to observe or participate in at least two enrichment activities related topically to the lectures they attend, which may include such settings as case presentations, diagnostic training sessions, or clinical observations, again selected from the list of offerings included in the "Neurology Residents" series.

This course will provide students with a brief, but intense and very focused exposure to clinical practice in a relevant area of their choosing, designed and coordinated to best match their interests in close individual collaboration with a clinical mentor in one of the participating components: Neurosurgery, Neurology, Psychiatry, or Endodontics. Representative activities could include participation in case presentation and treatment planning, attending rounds with physicians and residents, direct observation of clinical procedures, patient interviews, follow-up care and outcome review. Potential venues may include inpatient psychiatric ward, sleep clinic, epilepsy clinic, stroke clinic, neurosurgical theater and surgical ICU. In consultation with the course director, students will first select one of the following sub-sections, then design their individually tailored clinical practicum experience with the coordinator for that section.

It is crucial to understand the intricate process of translating basic research into market driven products, navigate the complex pathways of intellectual property management and the regulatory affairs of agencies such as the FDA. This course will offer students in biomedical sciences the opportunity to integrate industry-relevant training and experience with their basic science education. The course will explore the marketing and regulatory process by which a biomedical product is developed and brought to commercialization.

Topics include principles of drug action; receptor classification and quantitation; dose response relationships; cellular mechanisms of drug action; fundamental concepts of drug receptor interactions; voltage gated and ion channels; drug actions mediate by transduction and non-transduction enzymes; time course of drug action; absorption, distribution, biotransformation and elimination of drugs; pharmacokinetics; and experimental approaches to drug action.

This course aims at teaching first-year graduate students fundamentals of research design and analysis of scientific literature to orient them with setting up scientific experiments and writing grant proposals. The course is divided into three sections: research design, communicating scientific data, and getting scientific ideas funded.

Micro-electives are courses that can be of any type (tutorial or original literature review, short [2-week] didactic, technique, etc.). In general, since they are short, they are often offered at any time of convenience between the student(s) and the faculty. Various topics include but not limited to: (1) New Views on Monoaminergic Neurotransmission: Are Transporters Important?; (2) Drug Discovery: Nuts and Bolts; (3) Historical Perspectives of Receptor Theory; (4) Cell Membrane Microdomains and Signaling; (5) Neuropeptide Metabolism; (6) Serotonin: From Soup (Transmission) to Nuts (Behavior); (7) Central-Cardio-Respiratory Systems; (8) Neural Substrates of Regulatory Behaviors: Peptides and Monoamines; (9) Current Issues in Basic Research on Mechanisms of Epilepsy; (10) Appetite Control: Adiposity Hormones and Neuropeptides; (11)Fundamentals of Behavioral Pharmacology; (12) Therapeutics: Autonomic Pharmacology; (13) Therapeutics: Cardiovascular-Renal Pharmacology (Prerequisite - PHAR 5091.012); (14) Therapeutics: Central Nervous System Pharmacotherapeutics; (15) Therapeutics: Chemotherapy: (16) Therapeutics: Endocrine Pharmacology: (17) Therapeutics: Pharmacological Management of Pain; and (18) G protein-coupled receptor heteromers.

This is a full-semester research experience for the principal investigator to evaluate if a student demonstrates the potential for productive and independent investigation during the summer following the first year. The course concludes with a 15 minute oral presentation given by the student and a written report in a journal style.

This course will provide an overview of the basic neuropharmacology, preclinical pharmacology, epidemiology, as well as legal and social issues associated with alcohol and the major classes of abused drugs. The course will be team taught by several faculty members from the Departments of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Psychiatry. The format will include lectures, videos, and group discussion. The major drug classes that will be discussed include the following: 1) alcohol, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates; 2) nicotine (tobacco and other delivery systems); 3) marijuana and other cannabinoids; 4) opioids; 5) stimulant drugs including cathinones; 6) ketamine and related drugs; 7) hallucinogens; and 8) dietary supplements and over the counter medications. Readings will include scientific original and review articles, selected chapters in books (e.g., Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior, McGraw-Hill), as well as blogs and recent government and news agency publications as they become available and are relevant.

This course will be presented in a journal club/paper discussion format and will focus on the molecular aspects of pharmacology, with emphasis on molecular biology, biochemistry, and cell biology of a variety of physiological systems subjected to pharmacological manipulation. The topics to be discussed will include molecular mechanisms of drug action, signal transduction and regulation, molecular approaches, and recent advances in areas of molecular pharmacology.

Recent advances in neuroscience have considerably improved our understanding of brain function. However, the fascinating examination of brain's mysteries often intersects with the concerns of ethics and public policy. This course aims at presenting and discussing philosophical and scientific perspectives on major bioethical issues pertinent to neuroscience research. Several subjects will be covered in the course, including the effects of pharmacological and surgical interventions on the brain/min binomial, therapy versus enhancement, brain imaging and mental privacy, neurobiology of decision making, consciousness, unconsciousness, and death.

This course addresses fundamental mechanisms of cell excitability in neurons and other excitable tissues. The format is a combination of lectures, readings, discussions, a laboratory demonstration, and online simulations (where available). Examples of the latter include activities to simulate the resting membrane potential and action potentials. The module will emphasize contemporary issues in the scientific literature as well as translational science where dysfunction in ion channels underlie common disorders such as Alzheimer's Disease, Myasthenia Gravis, Cystic Fibrosis, Long QT Syndrome, and Epilepsy to name just a few. PHYL 5041 is a co-requisite for Fundamentals of Neuroscience I as it is the first module of that course, but it also can be taken as a standalone one-hour course.

Students must take a least two courses selected from among the offerings in:(1) Cardiovascular; (2) Cell Biology in Neural Science; (3) Endocrine and Metabolism; (4) Molecular Physiology; and (5) Ion Channels in Disease. Courses that may be substituted for one of these selections: (1) INTD 5040 - Fundamentals of Neuroscience I: Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Neuroscience; (2) INTD 5043 - Fundamentals of Neuroscience II: Systems Neuroscience; (3) CSBL 6048 - Biology of Aging; and (4) CSBL 6058 - Neurobiology of Aging. Not all selected topics are offered each semester. Please discuss this with the Academic Coordinator for more details. Substituted courses in conflict with Physiology course schedule will require approval from COGS.

This foundational course introduces students to core ethical content necessary for responsible research conduct. Through interactive seminars, students will learn about (1) scientists as responsible members of society (contemporary ethical issues in biomedical research and environmental/social impacts of research), (2) policies for research with human subjects and vertebrate animals, (3) collaborative research, (4) conflicts of interest (personal, professional, financial), (5) data acquisition and laboratory tools (management, sharing, ownership), (6) responsible authorship and publication, (7) mentor/trainee responsibilities and relationships, (8) peer review (9) research misconduct (forms of misconduct and management policies) (10) informed consent, privacy regulations, good clinical practice, and special populations in clinical investigations.