ROGER J. YOUNG
Office: TSC 207 Office hours: By Appointment
Office phone: 8737881
Cell/Text: 417 619 4862
Email: ryoung@drury.edu
Skype: DrRogerYoung
Twitter: @RogerYoungGB
Twitter hashtag: #AMG322
Flipboard: Biology 322
COURSE STRUCTURE:
Advanced Molecular Genetics: 4 hours. A study of the molecular basis of gene expression and the mechanisms by which genetic material is inherited.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
To prepare students with an advanced understanding of human genetic analysis, the techniques necessary to determine genotypes, and the ethical and social implications of determining that information. While targeted to those students entering medical or graduate school, this information is also pertinant to anyone with a genome.
Students completing this course should have mastered knowledge pertaining to mechanisms of genome analysis,
gene expression mechanisms and inheritance patterns, and have the ability to critique and discuss ethical dilemmas relating to widely available genomic information.
SCHEDULE:
Mon, Weds, Fri 2pm – 3:50pm TSC 135
MATERIALS:
1) www.23andme.com
: It has been requested that you submit your DNA for analysis to the genome sequencing company ‘23andme.com’ and have those results available for your use during class.
2) Blackboard : The majority of information for this course will be available online as web links that can be found in the course page on Blackboard.
3) Twitter : You are encouraged to submit ideas and information relevant to this course on Twitter using the hashtag #AMG322 .
4) Flipboard : You are also encouraged to share interesting and relevant news information via the Flipboard smartphone application. You will receive an email with a link enabling access to the ‘Biology 322’ Flipboard folder. ( www.flipboard.com
)
5) Textbooks : The National Center for Biotechnology Information website has a number of free genetics texts that can be searched or browsed for the material in question: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21248/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21766/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK7580/ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21128/
6) A small list of scientific journals and websites relevant to this course are given below. Some sites require a subscription for full access, but you can still view a portion of the site.
Science News
Science Daily
Center for Disease Control
Cell: sciencenews.org
sciencedaily.com
cdc.gov cell.com
PLOS journals (free access)
PeerJ (free access)
Human Genome Variation (free access)
Nature Scitable (free access)
PubMed
Nature: plos.org peerj.com
nature.com/hgv/ nature.com/scitable ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed nature.com
Science:
Biotechniques: sciencemag.org biotechniques.com
Scientific American: sciam.com
New England Journal of Medicine:
American Society of Human Genetics: nejm.org ashg.org/
Journal of the American Medical Associationjama.com
There are a myriad of other web sites that are very useful for this class. Feel free to search the web for the topic we are currently studying and share that link with the class as a different point of view may help your understanding of the subject. Especially interesting are the following podcasts:
Nature
Scientific American http://www.nature.com/nature/podcast/ http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/ http://www.sciencemag.org/site/multimedia/podcast/ Science
7) Library : Use the resources available in the library. You can search online for articles at library.drury.edu
Try the ‘JSTOR’ database or the free online Public Library Of Science (PLOS) website as given above.
8) YouTube : The video links below refer to material that was presented in the prerequisite class Biol 181. They maybe useful reference material if you feel the need to refresh your understanding of the topic of genetics. http://www.youtube.com/user/DNALearningCenter
A perspective on human genetics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mejsKbB6M
DNA discovery and replication:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG4iZ98peSY
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0kVG2MbwZ8
DNA Replication: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teV62zrm2P0
PCR http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KoLnIwoZKU&feature=channel
Transcription & Translation part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6atQjULmE0
part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH1zoV9fsgI part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_H7eczaOBhs part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XynKdzOQiko
Transcription: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMtWvDbfHLo
Translation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfYf_rPWUdY&NR=1
Protein mutations http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTDOHHmbUlQ
Mitosis and Meiosis
Part 1:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG5jrohBU
Part 2:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS42TdZwHe8
Mitosis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGV3fvuZYI&feature=watch_response
Meiosis http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqaJqLL49a0&feature=related
Mendel
Part 1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2MWk7oOif8
Part 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTAqZrEOlFU
Part 3 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaHORNrS8f8
Pedigree charts and sex chromosomes
Part 1:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI1CvmcNHts
Part 2:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g1Md_KH9yI
Part 3:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiiQDZxXvc
Sex Chromosomes & Gender http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vRQOYMmF1E
DNA mutations
Part 1:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zouTkhUq6Tk
Part 2:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9ZhDofeKEU
Gene control Operons
Lactose operon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I75FWpGz70
Tryptophan operon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7Fl81x4W0s
9) Internet Access : As might be apparent from the above links, much learning in this class is benefited by the ability to access the Internet via smartphone, tablet, laptop etc. You are encouraged to utilize such technology in class for your educational advancement. Use of such technology in class for noneducational uses will entitle them to be candidates for the ‘gravity drop’ experiment.
Course content & timeline (subject to modification):
1) Introduction. Syllabus. Use of online resources. Precourse quiz.
2) Phylogeny. Examine 23andme data.
3) Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms & DNA replication errors. Clustal Omega to create phylogenetic trees.
4) Introduction to OMIM & links to GenBank.
5) Protein sequences & Clustal Omega
6) Introduction to BLAST.
7) Connecting databases for gene analysis.
8) Quiz.
9) SNPs in the news.
10) Introduction to SNPedia.
11) GMO crops as a precursor to GMO people.
12) Introduction to ELSI. ‘Do you really want to know?’
13) Prenatal testing – video & discussion.
14) Introduction to Ethical reasoning (Guest lecture).
15) Genetic counseling (Guest lecture).
16) Quiz.
17) Introduction to the Human Genome Project.
18) ELSI & the Human Genome Project.
19) Role Play ELSI scenarios.
20) ‘Genetic Literacy’ in the public.
21) Impact of 23amdme data in society.
22) Genetic data as a business.
23) Genetic data in personal medicine.
24) Genetic data in politics & social welfare.
25) Choosing your progeny based on genotype.
26) Video GATTACA & discussion.
27) Advancements in DNA forensics.
28) Your personal genome & your priorities – what do you want to know?
29) Introduction to ‘Genotation’.
30) Introduction to ‘Promethase’.
31) Outline final Project
32) Project
33) Project
34) Project
35) Project
36) Presentations
37) Presentations
38) Final Exam
IMPORTANT DATES:
Class schedule:
This course will contain the following major components:
1) Understanding the methods used to determine individual Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs)
2) Interpreting phylogeny results
3) Effects of SNPs on gene product structure and function
4) The ethical, legal and social implications of genomic data: Do you really want to know?
5) Interpreting your 23andme data
6) In depth analysis of YFG (Your Favorite Gene)
GRADING:
Daily questions:
A small number of questions will be asked at the beginning of each class period referring to the assignment given during the previous class period. Written answers will be turned in at the end of the test. These tests cannot be made up at a later date.
Exams:
There will be two major exams during the semester. Exam I will cover material from the beginning of the course to the exam date. The Final Exam will cover material from the entire course. Exam questions will be of a short answer / short essay format, and will assess your understanding of the topic, rather than memorized trivia.
Other Assessment:
While there are no separate lecture and lab periods in this class, the extended class time and relatively small class size provides opportunities for a variety of activities exploring the practical aspects of genetics, discussions over relevant topics, explanations of specific genetic mechanisms and other items. Various assessments of your understanding of class material and meaningful contributions to class discussions will also take place during this time. Due to the dynamic and collaborative nature of these assessment opportunities, no make up assessments
are available. As with any professional work, the spelling and grammar of your work is expected to be faultless, and its quality will be reflected in your grade for that assignment. Please check your work before turning it in.
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The academic weight given to exams, quizzes, labs and journals is given below:
Daily Questions
Other Assessment
Exam I
40%
20%
20%
20%
Weds 15 th
Weds 10 th
Oct
Dec 13pm Final Exam
Final exam schedule:
MAKEUP EXAMS AND QUIZZES:
You may reschedule an exam if you have a valid reason for doing so. To be eligible for this, you need to do the following:
1. Contact me AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, before the exam you will miss if you can.
2. Have an incredibly good reason. Your involuntary hospitalization or receipt of a Nobel Prize are acceptable reasons. Alien abduction, oversleeping or ‘I had a sports practice’ are not.
If you miss a scheduled exam, there will be a written or verbal makeup at the end of the next class period that you attend. You will be given a relevant topic and asked to elaborate on that subject. The instructor will then determine your level of expertise and the appropriate grade.
Question / Grading Challenges
If you believe that a question was unfair, you may state your case in writing within 24 hours of taking the exam.
COURSE GRADES:
Course grades will be based on the description given on page 33 of the 2013 Drury Academic Catalog, such that;
A grade of F indicates an unacceptable level of performance.
A grade of D indicates belowstandard performance; it is acceptable toward graduation only if offset by superior work in other courses.
A grade of C represents a satisfactory level of performance that can be expected of any Drury student who gives a reasonable amount of time, effort and attention to the work of the course. Such satisfactory performance should include familiarity with the content of the course as shown by an acceptable mastery of the information, concepts or skills involved, as well as regular participation in the work of the class.
A grade of B indicates a higher level of performance than the satisfactory standard defined for a grade of C. It
involves excellence in some aspect of the work, such as completeness, accuracy, and detail of knowledge or effective independent work.
A grade of A involves a level of performance that is conspicuously excellent in the factors indicated in the definition of B.
Please note that to obtain the very best grade, you need to perform to the very best standard as defined above.
Anything less than this will, by definition, obtain a lesser grade, so please do not expect a top grade if your work has been anything less than excellent. To truly excel at anything, you need to develop a real passion for your interest. The same holds true for your chosen career, and those courses you take to further that career.
Contacting the Instructor
You may schedule an appointment to meet in my office. You can also email or text or send a twitter message any time, or you may call my cell phone number or Skype address during daylight hours. (Contact information is above).
‘Extra Credit’
There are many ways by which you can indirectly enhance your grade. An ‘A’ grade student is not someone who simply knows the class material (that is a ‘C’ grade). An ‘A’ student incorporates knowledge from other aspects of their academic and professional lives into solving the problem at hand. For example, simply attending convocations, seminars, or other activities, is not in itself worthy of ‘extra credit’. However, the use of the material learned during that attendance will display an integrated knowledge of the topic and will receive appropriate acknowledgement. A similar benefit can be gained by displaying your knowledge of other academic areas and their connection to this classes’ area of study.
Community Service: Participation in a documented, uncompensated activity that benefits the community, in the academic area in which you intend to continue your studies, will also enhance your standing within this class.
Examples might include volunteering at hospitals, elderly care centers or other care facilities, giving presentations at libraries, schools etc., and generally giving of your time to benefit others. Make sure that you provide evidence of this so that it can be acknowledged.
Cell phones etc.
Smartphones, tablets and laptops are valuable resources for researching a relevant topic and their use for this
purpose in class is encouraged. Updating your Facebook status or Snapchatting your friends is not. It is your responsibility to use your class time wisely. Unwise use of such technology will be dealt with as mentioned above.
Attendance
Please do not disturb the class by arriving late. Similarly, packing your bags early will only ensure that you miss the last five minutes of notes. If you cannot stay awake in class, I suggest that you go home and get some rest.
YOU are responsible for your education. If you have a scheduling conflict whereby an appointment, sports event or other activity causes you to miss a class, then you must make a decision which to miss and you need to accept the consequences of your decision. Sometimes it will be a nowin situation.
STATEMENT ON DISABILITIES:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal antidiscrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation for their disabilities.
If you have a disability and require accommodations, please contact me early in the semester so that your learning needs may be appropriately met. All requests are entirely confidential. The Disability Services Office is located in the lower level of Findlay Student Center, room 114. Contact Ed Derr, Director of Counseling, Testing and
Disability Services. Office: (417) 8737457. Email: ederr@drury.edu
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