Stochastic Biology: Randomness and Order in Gene Regulation
MB&B 534
Fall 2016
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
MB&B 334 |
While much of biology is discussed with assumptions of "determinism" (e.g., the cell is instructed to express a transcription factor that activates a downstream gene in a deterministic and entirely predictable way) and "homogeneity" (e.g., a population of cells all behaving synchronously in the same way), there is a growing appreciation that many biological outcomes are, in fact, statistical phenomena and stochastic in nature. In this half-credit module, we will discuss stochastic behavior in biology from the perspective of gene expression. A focus will be on emerging molecular and cellular techniques that enable observation of stochastic behavior at a single-cell resolution, thus permitting researchers to characterize molecular behavior as it actually occurs, as opposed to averaging a behavior across a population of otherwise diverse individuals. Insights on stochastic behaviors have far-reaching implications in biology, challenging long-held perspectives on transcription, replication, signal transduction, enzymatics, disease states (like cancer), stems cells, cell differentiation, aging, adaptive evolution, etc. This course will focus primarily on one of these: stochastic behavior in transcription and chromosome dynamics and its implications to understanding cell and tissue behavior. |
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| Credit: .5 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
NSM MB&B |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: GRAD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (MB&B) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 90% or above |
| SECTION 01 - 1st Quarter |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Primary literature (various select papers)
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Examinations and Assignments:
In-class presentation, research proposal, one in-class test
Student work will include in-class presenting and discussing recently published papers, as well as a final assignment to write a mini research proposal. |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Recommended prerequisite for advanced undergraduates is MB&B 208 or MB&B 333 or equivalent with solid background on the topic of transcription. |
| Instructor(s): Lane,Robert P. Times: ..T.R.. 01:20PM-02:40PM; Location: SCIE141; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 19 | | SR major: 6 | JR major: 5 | | |
| Seats Available: 10 | GRAD: 8 | SR non-major: 0 | JR non-major: 0 | SO: 0 | FR: 0 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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