Genome Biology for Computational and Physical Scientists

BIOL L504 Fall 2014

Time & Location:    Tues, Thur 9:30a - 10:45a (Credits: 3.0); Myers Hall (MY) 209
Instructors:    Taylor Raborn (Brendel Group, 205B Simon Hall)
Email:     TR, rtraborn@indiana.edu
WWW:     https://brendelgroup.org/
Office Hours:     Tues, Thur after class and by appointment.
Grades:    will be determined as described below.
Schedule:     https://brendelgroup.org/teaching/2014/GBPS14Fschedule.php

version of this syllabus

Synopsis

Fueled by the development of Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technolo- gies just over half a decade ago, the amount of sequence information being generated has increased exponentially. The scale and complexity of genomic data has drawn in scientists with computational and quantitative capabilities to work on outstanding problems within the field of genomics. In the coming decade, scientists with backgrounds outside biology will play an increasingly large role within genomics. However, in order to make best use of their talents, scientists outside the field will need to develop a solid foundation of major concepts within biology. This course intends to provide this background to those in the physical sciences. The course is structured to fulfill the following objectives: i) to introduce students to the topics in biology that underpin genome science, ii) to relate the biological principles and topics with current genomics technologies, and finally, iii) to learn how to read and understand articles from the current genomics literature. This course is structured to provide an initial background in biology and an exposure to current topics in genomics for those with backgrounds in the physical sciences. My intention is that stu- dents who complete the course will possess a knowledge base that enables them to interact and collaborate with biologists on genomics projects. In addition, L504 will also serve as a useful and current introduction to genomics for students seeking to gauge their interest in genomics.

Prerequisites

This course is open to all IU Graduate Students in the Sciences; there are no formal pre-requisite courses. A background in biology is neither expected nor required. Auditing from motivated students or staff is an option provided space is available, but first please come talk to me if you are planning to do this. IU is committed to Creating a Positive Environment for teaching and learning. If you have any concerns or suggestions, please contact me without hesitation.

Grading

Quizzes 20%; Final Exam: 40%; Project: 30%; Class Attendance and Participation: 10%

Attendance Policy

This course will be interactive, and wherever possible I will encourage class discussion so that the class is engaging with the material. Because of this, attendance will count toward a small part (up to 5%) of a student’s final grade.

Textbook

Required: We will use A Primer of Genome Science (Third Edition) ISBN: 0878932364 by Greg Gibson and Spencer V. Muse. Recommended: For part of the course we will use material from Molecular Biology of the Cell (Fifth Edition), by Bruce Alberts et al.. You are welcome to use the previous (4th) edition, which is freely available online on the web at NCBI Bookshelf. Copies of both texts are available on course reserve at the IU Life Science Library, which is located in A304 Jordan Hall