Lecture and recitation. Normally may not be taken for credit by any student who has previously completed any biology course numbered 2000 or above. Want to learn enough to understand the Tuesday Science Times? Be able to explain cloning to your friends? This is the course for you. What molecular biologists know, how they figured it out, and what they are likely to try next. How molecular biology and evolutionary theory influence each other. Experiments leading to current knowledge in molecular biology and evolution are discussed in detail and analyzed quantitatively. Science requirement: Partial Fulfillment. Website: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/courses/c1015/index.html

Prerequisites: A course in college chemistry or the written permission of either the instructor or the premedical adviser.

Recommended as the introductory biology course for science majors who have completed a year of college chemistry and premedical students. The fundamental principles of biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics. Website: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/courses/c2005/index.html

Corequisites: Strongly recommended prerequisite or required corequisite: BIOL C2005 or F2401.

Enrollment limited to 24 students per section. Attendance at the first class is mandatory. Fee $150. Emphasis on experimental techniques and data analysis in a variety of biological disciplines.

Lectures and discussion led by different faculty members on topics of current research activity in biology.

Prerequisites: one year of biology; a course in physics is highly recommended.

Lecture and recitation. This is an advanced course intended for majors providing an in depth survey of the cellular and molecular aspects of nerve cell function. Topics include the cell biology and biochemistry of neurons, ionic and molecular basis of electrical signals, synaptic transmission and its modulation, function of sensory receptors. Although not required, it is intended to be followed by Neurobiology II (see below). The recitation meets once per week in smaller groups and emphasizes readings from the primary literature.Discussion Section Required.

Prerequisites: BIOL C2005-C2006 or equivalent

Come discover how the union of egg and sperm triggers the complex cellular interactions that specify the diverse variety of cells present in multicellular organisms. Cellular and molecular aspects of sex determination, gametogenesis, genomic imprinting, X-chromosome inactivation, telomerase as the biological clock, stem cells, cloning, the pill and cell interactions will be explored, with an emphasis on humans. Original research articles will be discussed to further examine current research in developmental biology.

BIOL W3022_001_2007_1"> https://courseworks.columbia.edu/cms/outview/courseenter.cfm?no=BIOL W3022_001_2007_1

Prerequisites: genetics or molecular biology.

For upper-level undergraduates. The course covers techniques currently used to explore and manipulate gene function, and their potential and actual commercial applications. Part I covers key laboratory manipulations, including DNA cloning, gene characterization, association of genes with disease, and methods for studying gene regulation and activities of gene products. Part II covers commercial application, including animal cell culture, production of recombinant proteins, novel diagnostics, high throughput screening, and environmental biosensors.

Prerequisites: one year of biology, normally BIOL C2005-C2006, or the equivalent.
Corequisites: Recommended preparation or corequisite: organic chemistry and rudimentary physics.

Introduction to cell biology stressing the relations of cell structure to physiology, biochemistry, and heredity, and the experimental and observational basis of current views of the cell.

Prerequisites: one year of introductory biology and the instructor's permission.

Enrollment limited to approximately 14. Fee: $150. Project laboratory on the manipulation of nucleic acids in prokaryotes, including DNA isolation, restriction mapping, and transformation. The first part of the laboratory involves learning of techniques to be used subsequently in independent research projects suggested by the professor.

Prerequisites: Two semesters of a rigorous, molecularly-oriented introductory biology course (such as C2005), or the instructor's permission.

This course will cover the basic concepts underlying the mechanisms of innate and adaptive immunity, as well as key experimental methods currently used in the field. To keep it real, the course will include clinical correlates in such areas as infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, cancer and transplantation. Taking this course won't turn you into an immunologist, but it may make you want to become one, as was the case for several students last year. After taking the course, you should be able to read the literature intelligently in this rapidly advancing field.

Prerequisites: the instructor's permission.

This course does not carry credit as a biology course. Explores the philosophical basis and historical development of evolutionary biology as a means of inquiry into causation, explanation, and testing in biology, and the implications for human understanding. Topics include Darwinian evolutionary theory, problems of creationism, theories of inheritance, Mendelism and natural selection, species concepts, adaptation and macroevolution, and the rise of the synthetic theory of evolution, both nomological and historical.

Recommended preparation: an introductory course in college biology. Introduction to principles of general evolutionary theory, both nomological and historical; causes and processes of evolution; phylogenetic evolution; species concept and speciation; adaptation and macroevolution; concepts of phylogeny and classification.

Prerequisites: BIOL W2001 or C2005 and one year of organic chemistry.

Lecture and recitation. Students wishing to cover the full range of modern biochemistry should take both BIOC C3501 and C3512. C3501 covers subject matters in modern biochemistry, including chemical biology and structural biology, discussing the structure and function of both proteins and small molecules in biological systems.Proteins are the primary class of biological macromolecules and serve to carry out most cellular functions. Small organic molecules function in energy production and creating building blocks for the components of cells and can also be used to perturb the functions of proteins directly. The first half of the course covers protein structure, enzyme kinetics and enzyme mechanism. The second half of the course explores how small molecules are used endogenously by living systems in metabolic and catabolic pathways; this part of the course focuses on mechanistic organic chemistry involved in metabolic pathways.

Introduction to Clinical Research in Emergency Medicine. D. Newman. 1-2 credits. This course is designed to introduce students who are interested in medical careers to the goals, nomenclature, principles, and practical reality of clinical research, with an emphasis on the emergency department (ED) setting. Understanding research as an avenue to understanding clinical studies and their implications will be emphasized. Students will be required to take part in the Academic Associates research assistant program in the St. Luke�s/Roosevelt Hospital ED's, including two 4-hour shifts per week in which students will learn how to assist in the execution of clinical research. For further program details see the web site http://www.columbia.edu/cu/aap/ . Practical sessions (after class) will also cover ongoing individual ED projects in depth, and students will be shown and instructed on basic skills in emergency medicine (lumbar puncture, endotracheal intubation, etc.) as well as shown dynamic and static invasive imaging including ultrasound, CT scans, and others.

Prerequisites: At least one lower-level full year course in biology. A background in history or philosophy is recommended

Crossroads in Bioethics. J. Loike, 1 credit. This course examines both the underlying scientific principles of biotechnologies and the ethical controversies brought about by recent advances in biology and medicine. This course is designed to engage students in difficult dialogues around the scientific, social, legal, and bioethical issues related to emerging areas of biotechnology and medicine. Topics include human stem cell research, human cloning, genetically modified organisms, reproductive medicine (IVF and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis), neuroethics, and the impact of genetics on medicine. This discussion-based course is designed is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the interrelationship between biomedical technologies and bioethics.

This course is an advanced seminar that will review current knowledge about the computations carried out by circuits present in the CNS. The class will run as a seminar discussion, where it is assumed that every student will have studied the reading material ahead of time and will be knowledgeable enough to explain it. W3004 and W3005 are ideal background for the course. To maintain a small class size and ensure the participation of all students in all the discussions, only 10 students will be admitted. Graduate students are welcome but undergraduate students in their final year majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior will have preference. Auditors will not be accepted. Instructor permission is necessary for registration. For grading, a short (maximum 5 page) essay on any of the topics discussed in the course is due on the last day of class and will be used for the final grade, together with evaluation of class participation.

Prerequisites: One year of college-level biology and one year of organic chemistry, or the instructor�s permission. Advanced undergraduate students are encouraged to enroll, and they will be given extra assistance in preparing the research proposal (no prior experience in writing proposals is needed).

In this course, we will cover subject matter in chemical biology and genomics. We will discuss approaches for discovering and optimizing chemical tools for measuring and perturbing biological systems. Topics covered will include high-throughput assay development, chemical and genomic screening, chemical library creation, high-throughput chemistry, affinity purification of target proteins and target validation, protein microarrays and the druggable genome.

The course is intended to provide a foundation needed for advanced chemical biology and genomic research, i.e. the creation and use of chemical and genomic probes of biological processes. The course will be of interest to students at the interface between chemistry and biology, and students interested in medicine, academic chemical biology and drug discovery efforts.

The program aims to provide current life sciences students with an understanding of what drives the regulatory strategies that surround the development decision making process, and how the regulatory professional may best contribute to the goals of product development and approval. To effect this we will examine operational, strategic and commercial aspects of the regulatory approval process for new drug, biologic and biotechnology products both in the United States and worldwide. The topics are designed to provide a chronological review of the requirements needed to obtain marketing approval. Regulatory strategic, operational, and marketing considerations will be addressed throughout the course. We will examine and analyze the regulatory process as a product candidates are advanced from Research and Development, through pre-clinical and clinical testing, to marketing approval, product launch and the post-marketing phase. The goal of this course is to introduce and familiarize students with the terminology, timelines and actual steps followed by Regulatory Affairs professionals employed in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry. Worked examples will be explored to illustrate complex topics and illustrate interpretation of regulations.

Prerequisites: Instructor's permission

Starting with fall 2009, this course will now be offered only in the fall semester.

Open to students in M.A. in Biotechnology Program (points can be counted against laboratory requirement for that program), Ph.D. and advanced undergraduate students with background in genetics or molecular biology. Students should be comfortable with basic biotechnology laboratory techniques as well as being interested in doing computational work in a Windows environment. This course deals with the proteome: the expressed protein complement of a cell, matrix, tissue, organ or organism. The study of the proteome (proteomics) is broadly applicable to life sciences research, and is increasing important in academic, government and industrial research through extension of the impact of advances in genomics. These techniques are being applied to basic research, exploratory studies of cancer and other diseases, drug discovery and many other topics. Techniques of protein extraction, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry will be covered. Emphasis will be on mastery of practical techniques of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and database searching for identification of proteins separated by gel electrophoresis as well as background tutorials and exercises covering other techniques used in descriptive and comparative proteomics. Lab Fee: $150.

Prerequisites: Four semesters of biology with a firm foundation in molecular and cellular biology.

Introduces students to the current understanding of human diseases, novel therapeutic approaches and drug development process. Selected topics will be covered in order to give students a feeling of the field of biotechnology in health science. This course also aims to strengthen students� skills in literature comprehension and critical thinking. Website: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/courses/w4300/

Prerequisites: EEEB W2001 or BIOL C2005, or the instructor's permission.

Lecture and recitation. Recommended second term of biology for majors in biology and related majors, and for premedical students. Cellular biology and development; physiology of cells and organisms. Website: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/courses/c2006/

Corequisites: Strongly recommended prerequisite or required corequisite: BIOL C2005 or F2401.

Enrollment limited to 24 students per section. Attendance at the first class is mandatory. Fee $150. Emphasis on experimental techniques and data analysis in a variety of biological disciplines.

Prerequisites: Biology W3004, one year of biology or instructor's permission.

This course is the "capstone" course for the Neurobiology and Behavior undergraduate major at Columbia University and will be taught by the faculty of the Kavli Institute of Brain Science (http://www.kavli.columbia.edu/). It is designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. Knowledge of Cellular Neuroscience (how an action potential is generated and how a synapse works) will be assumed. It is strongly recommended that students take w3004 Neurobiology 1: Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience, or a similar course, before enrolling in w3005. Students unsure about their backgrounds should check a representative syllabus of w3004 on the w3004 website (http://www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/courses/w3004/). Website for w3005: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/courses/w3005/index.html

Prerequisites: Biol C2005 & C2006 or F2401 & F2402, or the instructor's permission.

Major physiological systems of vertebrates (circulatory, digestive, hormonal, etc.) with emphasis on cellular and molecular mechanisms and regulation. Readings include research articles from the scientific literature.

Prerequisites: One 3000 level course in Cell Biology or Biochemistry or the instructor�s permission.

This course will present a quantitative description of the cellular physiology of excitable cells (mostly nerve and muscle). While the course will focus on examining basic mechanisms in cell physiology, there will be a thread of discussion of disease mechanisms throughout. The end of each lecture will include a discussion of the molecular mechanisms of selected diseases that relate to the topics covered in the lecture. The course will consist of two lectures per week. This course will be of interest to advanced (3000-4000 level)undergraduates that aim to pursue careers in medicine as well as those that will pursue careers in biomedical research. This course will also be of interest to graduate students desiring an introduction to the cellular physiology of nerve and muscle.

Prerequisites: BIOL C2005-C2006 or the equivalent.

Students may receive credit for W3031 or C3032, but not both due to overlap in course content. General course in genetics and genomics dealing with principles of gene structure, function, regulation and transmission. Historical development, experimental basis of current knowledge, and roles of model organisms are stressed. Includes a thorough understanding of disease gene discovery, and an introduction to topics in developmental, cancer and population genetics.

Prerequisites: 1 year of biology (C2005-C2006)

This lab will explore various molecular biology techniques frequently utilized in modern molecular biology laboratories. The lab will consist of three modules:

1. PCR isolation, cloning and analysis of the GAPDH gene

2. Plasmid cloning

3. Yeast two hybrid.

(Lab Fee: $150)

Prerequisites: One year of biology (C2005-C2006) plus 1 upper-level course recommended.Enrollment is not restricted as long as total is no more than 14. Seniors will be given preference in the unlikely event that restriction is necessary. Students with specific questions should e-mail the instructor (jfh21@columbia.edu).

This course provides an intensive introduction to professional biomedical laboratory research. Students conduct a portion of an ongoing biochemical research project and write-up their results in a format suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific research journal. Techniques in molecular biology and protein biochemistry are used to address a problem in mechanistic biochemistry or molecular pharmacology. Students are exposed to the full spectrum of techniques used in contemporary protein biochemistry including molecular sequence analysis of genomic databases, molecular cloning and manipulation of recombinant DNA, protein expression in E. coli, protein purification, and biophysical characterization (typically including crystallization for x-ray structure determination). The couse emphasizes the use of critical thinking skills in scientific research while giving students the opportunity to apply the basic knowlegde learned in a wide variety of biology and chemistry lecture courses to a real research project. Examples of past projects can be found on the course website: https://www1.columbia.edu/sec/cu/biology/courses/w3050/class/index.html (cunix account required to login).

Prerequisites: One year of biology. Recommended but not required: BIOC C3501

Nucleic acid structure and enzymology; DNA replication, DNA repair, and transcription; RNA processing and translation; biochemical approach to the study of gene expression and regulation, with emphasis on the role og gene regulatory pathways in cell growth, differentiation and disease.

Corequisites: BIOL C3500.

This is a companion course to BIOL C3500 Independent Research. Students will present their research plans and results in order to gain experience in communicating about science and to get feedback (from the instructor and other students) to improve their presentation and research skills. This is a pass/fail course.

Introduction to Clinical Research in Emergency Medicine. D. Newman. 1-2 credits. This course is designed to introduce students who are interested in medical careers to the goals, nomenclature, principles, and practical reality of clinical research, with an emphasis on the emergency department (ED) setting. Understanding research as an avenue to understanding clinical studies and their implications will be emphasized. Students will be required to take part in the Academic Associates research assistant program in the St. Luke�s/Roosevelt Hospital ED's, including two 4-hour shifts per week in which students will learn how to assist in the execution of clinical research. For further program details see the web site http://www.columbia.edu/cu/aap/ . Practical sessions (after class) will also cover ongoing individual ED projects in depth, and students will be shown and instructed on basic skills in emergency medicine (lumbar puncture, endotracheal intubation, etc.) as well as shown dynamic and static invasive imaging including ultrasound, CT scans, and others.

Prerequisites: At least one lower-level full year course in biology. A background in history or philosophy is recommended

Crossroads in Bioethics. J. Loike, 1 credit. This course examines both the underlying scientific principles of biotechnologies and the ethical controversies brought about by recent advances in biology and medicine. This course is designed to engage students in difficult dialogues around the scientific, social, legal, and bioethical issues related to emerging areas of biotechnology and medicine. Topics include human stem cell research, human cloning, genetically modified organisms, reproductive medicine (IVF and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis), neuroethics, and the impact of genetics on medicine. This discussion-based course is designed is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the interrelationship between biomedical technologies and bioethics.

Prerequisites: W4300 or instructor�s permission.

A weekly seminar and discussion course focusing on the most recent development in biotechnology. Professionals of the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and related industries will be invited to present and lead discussions.

The course will start with an introduction to types of biological networks and many of the new high throughput and quantitative technologies now available. We will start with the mathematical and computational analysis of small networks in order to understand some of the basic principles in biological networks including network motifs, modularity, robustness and stochasticity. The course will then scale up to much larger networks teaching the computation techniques needed to address these including Hidden Markov Models, Bayesian networks, FDR, Bootstrapping, Expectation Maximization, Inference, Gibbs Sampling, Monte Carlo and Belief Propagation. We cover many of the pitfalls of high throughput data and how to over come these, proper modeling choices when building large scale models of molecular networks and how to apply the techniques learned to real data. We will learn how to reconstruct regulatory networks from such data and understand how these networks compute, dynamically change and the connections between genetic sequence and these molecular regulatory networks. Finally will demonstrate how the Bayesian techniques learned in the course can be applied to other biological networks such as a network of interacting neurons.