MIT OpenCourseWare: New Courses in Biology

7.346 Virus-host Interactions in Infectious Diseases (MIT)

Sanyal, Sumana — 2013-05-14T13:41:37+05:00

Co-evolution and adaptation between viruses and humans are often portrayed as a zero-sum biological arms race. Viruses enter host cells equipped with an array of mechanisms to evade the host defense responses and replicate. The rapid rate of mutation of viruses permits evolution of various methodologies for infection, which in turn drive development of non-specific but highly effective host mechanisms to restrict infection. This class will discuss the varied solutions each side has developed as a means for survival. We will use examples drawn from human disease-causing pathogens that contribute seriously to the global health burden, including HIV, influenza and dengue virus. Primary research papers will be discussed to help students learn to pose scientific questions and design and conduct experiments to answer the questions and critically interpret data. This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.

7.341 Harnessing the Biosphere: Natural Products and Biotechnology (MIT)

Brigham, Christopher J. — 2013-01-17T13:16:34+05:00

What do the organisms of the biosphere, specifically microorganisms, have to offer to biotechnological endeavors? In this course we will focus on the production of biomolecules using microbial systems. We will discuss potential growth substrates (such as agricultural waste and carbon dioxide) that can be used and learn about both established and cutting-edge manipulation techniques in the field of synthetic biology. We will also cover the production of biofuels, bioplastics, amino acids (e.g. lysine), food additives (e.g. monosodium glutamate, MSG), specialty chemicals (e.g. succinate), and biopharmaceuticals (e.g. plasmids for gene therapy). This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.

7.342 To Divide or Not To Divide: Control of Cell Cycle and Growth by Extracellular Cues (MIT)

Werven, Folkert van — 2013-01-09T13:23:41+05:00

Cells, regardless of whether they are in an organ in the human body or a component of a bacterial colony, can sense the chemical composition of the environment, the presence of neighboring cells, and even the types of their neighboring cells. Depending on the identity of a cell and the information it receives from its environment, it can grow (increase in size), proliferate (make more cells), become quiescent (stop growing and dividing), differentiate (make different types of cells), or die. How cells achieve the astonishing feat of appropriately sensing and responding to their environment has been a major question in biology. In this course we will read and critically discuss the primary scientific literature with the goal of highlighting the basic principles of cell growth, adaptation, and differentiation. This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.

7.343 Network Medicine: Using Systems Biology and Signaling Networks to Create Novel Cancer Therapeutics (MIT)

Lee, Michael — 2012-12-17T10:17:52+05:00

In this course, we will survey the primary systems biology literature, particularly as it pertains to understanding and treating various forms of cancer. We will consider various computational and experimental techniques being used in the field of systems biology, focusing on how systems principles have helped advance biological understanding. We will also discuss the application of the principles of systems biology and network biology to drug development, an emerging discipline called "network medicine." This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.

7.345 Non-coding RNAs: Junk or Critical Regulators in Health and Disease? (MIT)

Dimitrova, Nadya — 2012-06-12T09:55:58+05:00

Every time we scientists think that we have dissected the precise biological nature of a process, an incidental finding, a brilliantly designed experiment, or an unexpected result can turn our world upside down. Until recently thought by many to be cellular "junk" because they do not encode proteins, non-coding RNAs are gaining a growing recognition for their roles in the regulation of a wide scope of processes, ranging from embryogenesis and development to cancer and degenerative disorders. The aim of this class is to introduce the diversity of the RNA world, inhabited by microRNAs, lincRNAs, piRNAs, and many others. This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.

7.01SC Fundamentals of Biology (MIT)

Lander, Eric — 2012-05-09T13:29:00+05:00

Fundamentals of Biology focuses on the basic principles of biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, and recombinant DNA. These principles are necessary to understanding the basic mechanisms of life and anchor the biological knowledge that is required to understand many of the challenges in everyday life, from human health and disease to loss of biodiversity and environmental quality.

7.346 Cellular Garbage Disposal: Misfolded Proteins in Normal Biology and Human Disease (MIT)

Sanyal, Sumana — 2011-12-15T16:53:53+05:00

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) orchestrates different cellular processes by which proteins are synthesized, correctly folded, modified and ultimately transported to their final destinations. As part of this crucial biosynthetic process, proteins that are not properly folded and consequently detrimental to normal cellular function are constantly generated. A common signature of many neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, is accumulation and deposition of misfolded proteins that arise when the ability of cells to deal with the burden of misfolded proteins is compromised. In this course, we will explore how the ER quality control machinery ensures that only properly assembled proteins exit the ER while distinguishing between nascent proteins en route to their biologically active folded state from those that are terminally misfolded.

7.342 The Biology of Aging: Age-Related Diseases and Interventions (MIT)

Lamming, Dudley W. — 2011-12-13T16:31:46+05:00

Aging involves an intrinsic and progressive decline in function that eventually will affect us all. While everyone is familiar with aging, many basic questions about aging are mysterious. Why are older people more likely to experience diseases like cancer, stroke, and neurodegenerative disorders? What changes happen at the molecular and cellular levels to cause the changes that we associate with old age? Is aging itself a disease, and can we successfully intervene in the aging process?This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.

7.347 Fueling Sustainability: Engineering Microbial Systems for Biofuel Production (MIT)

O'Malley, Michelle — 2011-09-06T17:22:27+05:00

The need to identify sustainable forms of energy as an alternative to our dependence on depleting worldwide oil reserves is one of the grand challenges of our time. The energy from the sun converted into plant biomass is the most promising renewable resource available to humanity. This seminar will examine each of the critical steps along the pathway towards the conversion of plant biomass into ethanol. This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.

7.349 Stem Cells: A Cure or Disease? (MIT)

Bilodeau, Steve — 2011-06-17T12:09:02+05:00

Have you ever considered going to a pharmacy to order some new cardiomyocytes (heart muscle cells) for your ailing heart? It might sound crazy, but recent developments in stem cell science have made this concept not so futuristic. In this course, we will explore the underlying biology behind the idea of using stem cells to treat disease, specifically analyzing the mechanisms that enable a single genome to encode multiple cell states ranging from neurons to fibroblasts to T cells. Overall, we hope to provide a comprehensive overview of this exciting new field of research and its clinical relevance. This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.

7.89J Topics in Computational and Systems Biology (MIT)

Burge, Christopher — 2011-06-17T10:39:47+05:00

This is a seminar based on research literature. Papers covered are selected to illustrate important problems and approaches in the field of computational and systems biology, and provide students a framework from which to evaluate new developments. The MIT Initiative in Computational and Systems Biology (CSBi) is a campus-wide research and education program that links biology, engineering, and computer science in a multidisciplinary approach to the systematic analysis and modeling of complex biological phenomena. This course is one of a series of core subjects offered through the CSB Ph.D. program, for students with an interest in interdisciplinary training and research in the area of computational and systems biology.

7.342 Powerhouse Rules: The Role of Mitochondria in Human Diseases (MIT)

Ferullo, Daniel — 2011-04-26T16:07:23+05:00

The primary role of mitochondria is to produce 90% of a cell's energy in the form of ATP through a process called oxidative phosphorylation. A variety of clinical disorders have been shown to include "mitochondrial dysfunction," which loosely refers to defective oxidative phosphorylation and usually coincides with the occurrence of excess Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production, placing cells under oxidative stress. A known cause and effect of oxidative stress is damage to and mutation of mitochondrial DNA. We will use this class to explore issues relating to mitochondrial DNA integrity and how it can be damaged, repaired, mutated, and compromised in human diseases. This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.

7.342 Systems and Synthetic Biology: How the Cell Solves Problems (MIT)

Youk, Hyun — 2011-03-30T16:06:59+05:00

A millennial challenge in biology is to decipher how vast arrays of molecular interactions inside the cell work in concert to produce a cellular function. Systems biology, a new interdisciplinary field of science, brings together biologists and physicists to tackle this grand challenge through quantitative experiments and models. In this course, we will discuss the unifying principles that all organisms use to perform cellular functions. We will also discuss key challenges faced by a cell in both single and multi-cellular organisms. Finally, we will discuss how researchers in the field of synthetic biology are using the new knowledge gained from studying naturally-occurring biological systems to create artificial gene networks capable of performing new functions. This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.

7.345 Survival in Extreme Conditions: The Bacterial Stress Response (MIT)

Peterson, Celeste — 2010-12-16T07:58:24+05:00

Bacteria survive in almost all environments on Earth, including some considered extremely harsh. From the steaming hot springs of Yellowstone to the frozen tundra of the arctic to the barren deserts of Chile, microbes have been found thriving. Their tenacity to survive in such extreme and varied conditions allows them to play fundamental roles in global nutrient cycling. Microbes also cause a wide range of human diseases and can survive inhospitable conditions found in the human body. In this course, we will examine the molecular systems that bacteria use to adapt to changes in their environment. We will consider stresses commonly encountered, such as starvation, oxidative stress and heat shock, and also discuss how the adaptive responses affect the evolution of the bacteria. This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.

7.344 Tumor Suppressor Gene p53: How the Guardian of our Genome Prevents Cancer (MIT)

Xue, Wen — 2010-12-08T09:46:51+05:00

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. Cancer involves uncontrolled cell growth, resistance to cell death, failure to differentiate into a particular cell type, and increased cellular motility. A family of gate-keeper genes, known as tumor suppressor genes, plays important roles in preventing the initiation and progression of cancer. Among these, p53 is the most famous. Because of its essential role in maintaining genomic integrity, p53 is often called the guardian of the genome. During this course, we will study how p53 serves as a pivotal tumor suppressor gene in preventing cancer.This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.

7.60 Cell Biology: Structure and Functions of the Nucleus (MIT)

Sharp, Phillip — 2010-11-05T12:23:39+05:00

The goal of this course is to teach both the fundamentals of nuclear cell biology as well as the methodological and experimental approaches upon which they are based. Lectures and class discussions will cover the background and fundamental findings in a particular area of nuclear cell biology. The assigned readings will provide concrete examples of the experimental approaches and logic used to establish these findings. Some examples of topics include genome and systems biology, transcription, and gene expression.

7.345 Vascular Development in Life, Disease and Cancer Medicine (MIT)

Naba, Alexandra — 2010-10-25T11:26:35+05:00

The growth of blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis, is one of the earliest events in mammalian development and is regulated by a sensitive interplay of growth factors and other molecules. In this course, we will discuss the key molecular regulators of blood vessel development as well as the techniques and experimental systems that have been utilized by vascular biologists. We will also examine the success of several anti-angiogenic treatments that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), that inhibit the pro-angiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor, VEGF, and that are now being used to treat age-related macular degeneration. Finally, we will explore how during the course of cancer progression, establishment of a blood supply into a tumor can lead to the growth and spread of cancer cells to secondary sites. We will discuss the caveats and potential pitfalls of targeting tumor blood vessels to starve cancer cells and prevent the spread of cancer, which remains one of the leading causes of death in the USA. This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.

7.346 RNAi: A Revolution in Biology and Therapeutics (MIT)

Gurtan, Allan — 2010-07-12T15:32:03+05:00

Despite centuries of effort, modern medicine still struggles to find the source of disease and to provide specific treatment without side effects. Both traditional small molecules and protein-based therapeutics have achieved only limited success. What is the next therapeutic frontier? The answer may be RNA interference. In this course, we will focus on the therapeutic potential of RNAi. We will discuss its discovery functions in normal biological processes, utility as an experimental tool, potential for therapeutic use, and pursuit by the biotechnology industry. This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.

7.340 Learning and Memory: Activity-Controlled Gene Expression in the Nervous System (MIT)

Loebrich, Sven — 2010-07-12T09:07:05+05:00

The mammalian brain easily outperforms any computer. It adapts and changes constantly. Most importantly, the brain enables us to continuously learn and remember. What are the molecular mechanisms that lead to learning and memory? What are the cellular roles that activity-regulated gene products play to implement changes in the brain?How do nerve cells, their connections (synapses), and brain circuits change over time to store information? We will discuss the molecular mechanisms of neuronal plasticity at the synaptic, cellular and circuit levels, especiallysynapse formation,synaptic growth and stabilization,synaptic transmission,axonal and dendritic outgrowth, andcircuit formationWe will learn about the roles of some activity-regulated genes as well as the tools and techniques employed in modern neuroscience. Our goal will be to understand molecular mechanisms the brain employs to accomplish learning and memory.This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.

7.340 Regenerative Medicine: from Bench to Bedside (MIT)

Simic, Petra — 2010-07-02T16:09:36+05:00

Regenerative medicine involves the repair and regeneration of tissues for therapeutic purposes, such as replacing bone marrow in leukemia, cartilage in osteoarthritis or cells of the heart after a heart attack. In this course, we will explore basic mechanisms of how cells differentiate into specific tissues in response to a variety of biologic signaling molecules. We will discuss the use of such factors for in vitro tissue production. We will also study the cellular mechanisms involved in the cloning of animals and how Scottish researchers produced the sheep Dolly using the nucleus of a mammary gland cell from an adult sheep. We will read papers describing organ production, such as the in vitro formation of beating heart cells. We will also consider the molecular bases of cellular tissue remodeling to correct these changes. We will discuss how studies of the developmental, cellular and molecular biology of regeneration have led to the discovery of new drugs. This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.