KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
UNDERGRADUATE PROPOSAL
New Course (Not General Education)
Course Prefix and Number: BIOL 4411
Responsible Department: Biology and Physics
Proposed Effective Date: Fall 2014
(Note: This can be no earlier than the term after approval by the UPCC.)
Signature Page
Submitted by:
Martin Hudson
Name
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Date
_____________________________
Department Curriculum Committee, Date
_____________________________
General Education Council*, Date
_____________________________
Professional Teacher Education
Unit Program Area*, Date
_____________________________
Department Chair, Date
_____________________________
College/School Curriculum Committee AND/OR
Teacher Education Council*, Date
_____________________________
College/School Dean, Date
_____________________________
Undergraduate Policies and Curriculum Committee,
Date
_____________________________
Associate VP of Academic Affairs, Date
*For curriculum proposals involving General Education courses, there should be collaboration by the
Department Curriculum Committee and the General Education Council. For Teacher Preparation
proposals, there should be collaboration by the Department Curriculum Committee, the Professional
Teacher Education Unit (PTEU) Program Area Committee, the Teacher Education Council, and the
College/School Curriculum Committee.
Form updated March 26, 2009.
KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
UNDERGRADUATE PROPOSAL
New Course (Not General Education)
I. Proposed Information
Course Prefix and Number: BIOL 4411
Course Title: Stem Cell Technology
Credit Hours (format should be # - # - #): 3 – 3 – 4
Prerequisites: Grade “C” or higher in BIOL 3300 and 3300L.
(Prerequisites are courses or requirements--such as special permissions, advanced academic standings, or
the attainment of a minimum grade in prerequisite courses --that are non-negotiable and must be
successfully completed by any student before enrolling in the course or program under consideration.
Corequisites are courses that can be taken before or in the same semester as the course under
consideration. Courses at the upper-division level will require lower-division competencies or prerequisites.)
Course Description for the Catalog:
Stem cells offer great promise for modern medicine. This course gives students hands-on
experience in handling, differentiating, analyzing and purifying stem cells in culture. Students
will also gain a broad understanding of in vivo stem cells, including the developmental
aspects of cellular self-renewal and tissue regeneration. This is a lab intensive course and will
feature in-lab lectures, a formal written component, and in-class presentations.
II. Justification for Course
A. Explain assessment findings which led to course development.
In-class polls in the BIOL 4410 Cell and Molecular Biology class revealed that 50% of the
students were interested in an advanced class that offered a lab experience in either cell biology
or stem cell biology training. This indicates that at least 20 students per year would be interested
in taking the proposed course. Practical aspects of the course were developed with the help of a
CETL CARET grant, and piloted with Masters of Science in Integrative Biology students in Fall
2012. Of note, the proposed course will be unique amongst those offered to undergraduates in
the University System of Georgia, which should help to increase enrollment in KSU Biology and
Physics summer classes. Finally, knowledge of cell culture and stem cell manipulation will make
students more competitive for employment in the biotechnology and life sciences sectors upon
graduation.
B. Explain for Prerequisites:
1. What is the substance of content in each prerequisite that commands its inclusion as a
prerequisite to the proposed course? BIOL 3300 and 3300L are co-requisite with each other and
give students a background in molecular biology and molecular genetics, including gene
transcription and translation. This information is considered a foundation for understanding stem
cells in vivo and in vitro, hence BIOL 3300 and 3300L must be completed before taking BIOL
4411.
2. What is the desired sequence of prerequisites? BIOL 3300 and BIOL 3300L are co-requisite with
each other.
3. What is the rationale for requiring the above sequence of prerequisites? BIOL 3300 and 3300L
provide the appropriate foundation knowledge and is necessary to understand the material in
BIOL 4411.
4. How often are the required prerequisites offered? At least two semesters per year.
A. Give any other justification for the course.
III. Additional Information
A. Where does this course fit sequentially and philosophically within the program of study. The proposed
course builds on the biochemistry, molecular biology, and molecular genetics covered in BIOL 1107 and
BIOL 3300, and complements the course content offered in BIOL 3390 Developmental Biology and BIOL
3410 Cell Biology. Of note, the proposed course offers an intensive practical experience in tissue culture,
an industrially relevant research technique that is not offered by any other course at KSU. The proposed
course seeks to train students in not just the practical skills of cell handling in culture, but also in the
design of experimental methodologies and in life-long learning via investigation of current articles in the
primary literature. As the course is designed as a four-week intensive class over the summer, it will best
serve rising seniors, assuming completion of the necessary pre-requisites.
B. What efforts have been made to ensure that this course does not duplicate the content of other
college courses with similar titles, purposes, or content?
No other course offers the intense focus on understanding stem cells in vivo and in vitro, or in the handson handling, manipulation, differentiation and characterization of stem cells.
C. Where will the course be located in the program (elective, required in Area F, required or elective for
the major)? Indicate and justify its placement in the curriculum.
The proposed course will be offered as an elective in the “Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology”,
and “Biotechnology” tracks of the Biology major. The course will also be appropriate for “Pre-Health”
Biology majors in addition to “Biochemistry” majors.
D. How often will this course be offered?
Once per year, in a four-week summer session.
E. All sections of the course will be taught with the understanding that the following apply:
1. Purpose of the course:
To provide students with an in depth knowledge of stem cell biology, including handling,
differentiation and characterization of stem cells, as applies to research and biotechnology settings.
2. Objectives of the course:
After completing the course, students should:
1. Describe the fundamental mechanisms of in vivo and in vitro stem cell self-renewal, and how
stem cells communicate and interact with their stem cell niche.
2. Recognize the factors involved in stem cell differentiation towards specific cell and tissue types.
3. Recognize why many cancers adopt stem cell-like properties.
4. Describe some of the experimental techniques used for handling, manipulating and
characterizing stem cells.
5. Analyze and purify stem and other cell types using flow cytometry and Fluorescence Activated
Cell Sorting.
6. Describe stem cell-based models of human diseases.
7. Develop problem-solving skills as applied to the course content.
8. Develop technical writing skills as applied to the course content.
9. Be able to critically analyze primary literature.
3. Course content: The course will cover the following content:
Introduction to stem cells
Stem cells in development
Stem cells in tissue homeostasis
Tissue regeneration
Stem cells in vitro
Stem cell differentiation, characterization and purification
Cellular reprogramming
The stem cell theory of cancer
Stem cell models of human diseases
Ethics of stem cell research
F. What instructional methodologies will be incorporated into the course to stimulate group process,
writing skills, multiculturalism, and educational outcomes?
The course will use a combined lecture-lab format, with lectures being delivered in the lab. This
will generate an immersive environment in which to conduct inquiry-based learning. Key concepts
will be tested using in-class polling methodologies in conjunction with peer-discussion. Small
group problem solving exercises will be used to develop data analysis skills and promote peerpeer debate. Students will work in small teams to design and execute stem cell experiments.
Finally, development of writing skills via writing assignments and lab notebook record keeping will
be important outcomes that are relevant to academic and industrial careers.
G. Outline the plan for continuous course assessment. What are the department, school, college, or
professional standards which will be used for the assessment? How will it be determined that the course
is current, meeting the educational needs of students and responsive to educational standards? How
often will the course assessment be done by the department?
Individual sections of the class will be evaluated each semester, following the standard university
procedures. In addition, the course will be analyzed after one year by cell biology faculty, to
assess how successful it has been in meeting the stated objectives. This analysis will include
feedback from a broader group of faculty including those teaching students who recently
completed the stem cell biology course. This will help determine how we can improve the content
to best meet the needs of our students.
H. Required Syllabus Contents (See Faculty Handbook, page 3.17-3.18 for details about KSU syllabi).
Please see the attached course syllabus draft.
IV. Resources and Funding Required
A. What resources will be redirected to accommodate this course?
The course is a 4-credit hour course, approximately 1/2 the full-time semester load of a full-time
faculty member. The course will require a lab-based classroom with adequate seating and
computer networking, and computer projection capabilities. Biosafety cabinets need to be
available to allow students to work in an aseptic environment.
B. Explain what items will cause additional cost to the department/school/college
Personnel: The course will require a student assistant to assist with the preparation of laboratory
materials. Although the students in the class will be responsible for much of the prep themselves,
a student assistant will still be required to make sure that the necessary supplies are available.
The assistant will work approximately 4 – 6 hr per week prepping this lab.
Computer Technology: No additional computer technology is required.
Library resources:
No additional library resources are required.
Equipment:
.
No additional equipment is required.
Space:
No new space is needed beyond existing classroom space.
V. COURSE MASTER FORM
This form will be completed by the requesting department and will be sent to the Office of the Registrar
once the course has been approved by the Office of the President. The form is required for all new
courses.
DISCIPLINE: Biology
COURSE NUMBER: BIOL 4411
COURSE TITLE FOR LABEL: Stem Cell Technology
(Note: Limit 30 spaces)
CLASS-LAB-CREDIT HOURS: 3– 3– 4
PREREQUISITES: BIOL 3300, BIOL 3300L
Approval, Effective Semester: Fall 2014
(Note: This can be no earlier than the term after approval by the UPCC.)
Grades Allowed (Regular or S/U): Regular
Is this course repeatable? If so, how many times may it be taken for credit: No
If course used to satisfy CPC, what areas? N/A
Are Special fees or tuition required for this course? Yes
If yes, the academic department must submit the Request for New or Change in Course Fee form
to the Office of Budget and Planning for approval. Special fees will not be assessed at the section
if the request has not been approved. Special course fees are not retroactive. Please follow-up
with each special course fee request in a timely manner.
Learning Support Programs courses which are
required as prerequisites:None
APPROVED:
_______________________________________________________________________
Vice President for Academic Affairs or Designee
BIOL 4411 Stem Cell Technology
Draft Syllabus
Lecture: time/date/location tbc
Lab: time/date/location tbc
Instructor: Dr. Martin Hudson
Contact Information:
Office - SL 4002
Lab – SL 4080
Phone - 770-794-7558
Email – mhudso28@kennesaw.edu (I will endeavor to answer emails within 48 hours)
Office hours: By appointment.
Prerequisite courses: “C” or better grade in BIOL 3300 and 3300L.
Course Materials
Desire2Learn: Grades, announcements, and assignments will be given out on D2L.
Textbook:
StemBook (free online e-book; http://www.stembook.org/). Additional material
will be drawn from book chapters, review articles and the primary literature as necessary.
i>clicker: Students are required to purchase an i>clicker 2 remote for in-class participation.
i>clicker 2 is a response system that allows you to respond to questions I pose during class,
and you may be graded on that feedback and/or your in-class participation. In order to
receive this credit, you will need to register your i>clicker 2 remote by the end of drop-add
week. To register your i>clicker 2, log into D2L and go to the BIOL 4411 Stem Cell
Technology home page. Module 1 contains the syllabus and a web link that will allow you
to register your i>clicker remote ID. The remote ID is the series of numbers and sometimes
letters found on the bottom of the back of your i>clicker 2 remote. i>clicker will be used
every day in class, and you are responsible for bringing your i>clicker 2 remote daily. If you
have more questions, please visit www.iclicker.com for FAQs and other resources.
This material builds on the content of BIOL 1107 and BIOL 3300. As such, I expect you
to retain this information as you enter this course. Knowledge of BIOL 3390
Developmental Biology and/or BIOL3410 Cell Biology, while not required, should
improve your performance in this class.
Background: Stem cells offer great promise for modern medicine. This course gives students
hands-on experience in handling, manipulating, differentiating, analyzing and purifying stem
cells in culture. Students will also gain a broad understanding of stem cells in vivo, including
factors that maintain stem cell niches, and the cell and developmental biology of cellular
self-renewal and tissue regeneration. This is a lab intensive course and will feature in-lab
lectures, a formal written component, and in-class presentations.
Course content:
Introduction to stem cells
Stem cells in development
Stem cells in tissue homeostasis
Tissue regeneration
Stem cells in vitro
Stem cell differentiation, characterization and purification
Cellular reprogramming
The stem cell theory of cancer
Stem cell models of human diseases
Ethics of stem cell research
Learning Objectives
After completing the course, students should:
1. Describe the fundamental mechanisms of in vivo and in vitro stem cell self-renewal,
and how stem cells communicate and interact with their stem cell niche.
2. Recognize the factors involved in stem cell differentiation towards specific cell and
tissue types.
3. Recognize why many cancers adopt stem cell-like properties.
4. Describe some of the experimental techniques used for handling, manipulating and
characterizing stem cells.
5. Analyze and purify stem and other cell types using flow cytometry and Fluorescence
Activated Cell Sorting.
6. Describe stem cell-based models of human diseases.
7. Develop problem-solving skills as applied to the course content.
8. Develop technical writing skills as applied to the course content.
9. Be able to critically analyze primary literature.
Grading
Lecture Grading: There will be one midterm exam and a final exam, both of which will be
open book. In addition there will be quizzes, an in-class presentation, a written assignment
and a written technical report. As this is a lab intensive course, lab notebooks will be
maintained and graded. There will also be points awarded for participation during class
discussions.
Midterm exam
20% of final grade
Final exam
20% of final grade
Quizzes (4 to count)
5% of final grade
Participation
5% of final grade
Oral presentation
10% of final grade
Lab notebook
Technical report
Written assignment
Total
10% of final grade
10% of final grade
20% of final grade
100%
Grade Evaluation:
A 90-100%; B 80-89%; C 70-79%; D 60-69%; F 0-59%
Extra Credit: Extra-credit points of up to 5% will be awarded for students who volunteer to
help maintain cells outside of regular class hours, or who contribute over and above what is
required in the course description.
Grade Information: Grades are given out in class, by Desire2Learn, or by a visit to the
instructor’s office. No grade information will be given out by telephone or e-mail.
Electronic Devices: All cellular phones, pagers, lap top computers, tablets or similar should
be on quiet mode when the class is in session.
Exam and quiz format: Exam and quiz format may consist of multiple choice, true/false,
short answer, and/or essay questions.
Missed exams:

Make up exam must be taken at the end of the semester and may be a harder,
cumulative essay exam or a cumulative oral exam (instructor’s choice).

Only the following are accepted for making up a missed lecture exam: illness, death in
the family, family emergency or absence required by government (e.g. jury duty or
military orders). Work conflicts or lack of babysitters are not accepted.

You must contact the instructor within 48 hours of the original exam date to be
considered for a makeup exam.

All absences must be supported by documentation (physician’s note, death certificate,
police report).

If false or fabricated documentation is discovered, it will result in a zero on the
corresponding exam.
i>clicker use policies:
Using someone else’s i>clicker in class on their behalf is cheating and a violation of the
University Honor Code. If you are caught with a remote other than your own or have votes
in a class that you did not attend, you will forfeit all clicker points and may face additional
disciplinary action.
We will be using i>clicker in almost every class and clicker points will contribute up to 10%
of your final grade. Please remember that it is your responsibility to come prepared to
participate with a functioning remote everyday. However, I do realize that difficult
circumstances do arise, and for this reason, only the best 4 results from graded i>clicker
sessions (generally quizzes) will count.
If you have lost or broken your i>clicker remote, you will have to purchase another one.
Please email me with your new Remote ID so that I can manually register your new remote.
LAB
Attendance: MANDATORY. You will receive an automatic F for the course if more than two
lab sessions are missed. This is a lab-intensive course and your progress in the class will not
be satisfactory unless you do the experiments. You are expected to have read appropriate
background material BEFORE coming to lab each day.
Maximizing your Chances for Success
1. Learning is the responsibility of the student. The instructor’s role is to facilitate learning
(by lecturing, answering questions, etc.) and to evaluate learning (by quizzes, exams, and
other graded assignments). Remember that you are doing this work for yourself (to prepare
for future endeavors), not for the instructor.
2. Success in this class will require a time commitment outside of class time. Each student
should schedule specific blocks of study time devoted exclusively for this class. Ideally there
should be scheduled time between each lecture period for review and preparation. The
amount of study time required will vary with individual students.
3. You should study assigned reading before the lecture in which they are discussed.
Miscellaneous
General Policies: Please be considerate of your fellow student and the instructor. If there is
any disruption due to inappropriate conduct during exams or lectures, you may receive an
administrative withdrawal with a “WF” and an annotation on your permanent record as to
the reason for this action.
Attendance: Attendance of lectures is compulsory. Reading the relevant chapter sections in
the textbook prior to lecture is strongly advised. While lecture slides will be posted on
Desire2Learn, there will be blank spaces for notes and calculations. Students are responsible
for all assignments, announcements and materials covered in class, whether presented orally
or in assigned readings or handouts. No exceptions are made for non-attending students.
University Policy on Academic Honesty: (Published in the Undergraduate and Graduate
catalogs). Section II of the Student Code of conduct addresses the University’s policy
on academic honesty, including provisions regarding plagiarism and cheating,
unauthorized access to University materials, misrepresentation/falsification of University
records or academic work, malicious removal, retention, or destruction of library
materials, malicious/intentional misuse of computer facilities and/or services, and
misuse of student ID cards. All members of the university are responsible for abiding
by its tenets. Lack of knowledge of this policy is not an acceptable defense to any
charge of academic dishonesty. All members of the academic community are expected
to report violations of these standards of academic conduct to the appropriate
authorities. Incidents of alleged academic misconduct will be handled through the
established procedures of the University Judiciary Program.
Accommodation for Students with Disabilities: Kennesaw State University provides program
accessibility and reasonable accommodations for persons defined as disabled under Section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. A
number of services are available to help disabled students with their academic work. In
order to make arrangements for special services, students must visit the Office of Disabled
Student Support Services and arrange an individual assistance plan. Certification of disability
is required. Please contact the Office of Disabled Student Support Services for more
information.
The web page may be accessed at: http://www.kennesaw.edu/stu_dev/dsss/dsss.html
Dept. Of Biology and Physics Inclement Weather Policy:
If the University is CLOSED, there are no classes or labs.
If the University is CLOSED sometime after classes begin, and if faculty and staff are being
released at that time, then all classes are cancelled effective at that time. This means that
labs in progress must stop.
If classes are CANCELLED beginning at a certain time, but faculty and staff are not released
to leave early, then labs that are in progress may continue.
Tentative syllabus and exam schedule (the instructor reserves the right to change the
syllabus, schedule and exam schedule as necessary throughout the semester)
Week
1
Day
Important!
1
drop/add opens
2
drop/add closes
3
2
Course overview. Introduction to stem cells.
Introduction to cell culture techniques.
Stem cells in development.
Discussion paper 1.
Stem cells in tissue homeostasis (continued).
Tissue regeneration in model systems.
Start neural
differentiation 2.
Stem cells in tissue homeostasis.
Discussion paper 2.
Last Day to Withdraw
Without Academic
Penalty
Guest lecture: tissue regeneration. Exam 1
4
Stem cells in vitro.
Discussion paper 3.
In class presentation group 1.
Stem cell differentiation and characterization.
In class presentation group 2.
Cellular reprogramming.
In class presentation group 3.
The stem cell theory of cancer.
In class presentation group 4.
1
Stem cell models of human diseases.
Discussion paper 4.
1
Deadline: written
assignment.
2
3
2
Stem cell models of human diseases (cont.)
3
Deadline: technical
writing.
4
Grade lab notebooks.
1
FINAL
Final Grades Due: 5:00
p.m.
2
Lab component
Split cells. Start
cardiomyocyte
differentiation.
Maintain cells
Start
reprogramming
experiment. Start
neural
differentiation.
Maintain cells.
Flow cytometry.
Split cells.
Replate
neuroblasts onto
laminin
Maintain cells.
Replate
cardiomyocyte
differentiation.
1
4
5
Reading
4
3
4
Topic
Stem cells in development (cont).
Flow cytometry and FACS analysis of stem
cells.
2
3
Date
Stem cells in regenerative medicine.
Ethics of stem cell research.
Final
Maintain cells.
Split cells.
Replate
neuroblasts onto
laminin
Maintain cells.
Cell sorting.
Split cells.
Cell sorting.
Immunostaining of
neurons.
Freeze cells.
Immunostaining of
neurons.
Test thaw cells.
Immunostaining of
neurons.
Assay viability of
thawed cells.
Characterize
cardiomyocytes.