This course is offered to undergraduates and addresses several algorithmic challenges in computational biology. The principles of algorithmic design for biological datasets are studied and existing algorithms analyzed for application to real datasets. Topics covered include: biological sequence analysis, gene identification, regulatory motif discovery, genome assembly, genome duplication and rearrangements, evolutionary theory, clustering algorithms, and scale-free networks.

The goal of this course is to teach both the fundamentals of nuclear cell biology as well as the methodological and experimental approaches upon which they are based. Lectures and class discussions will cover the background and fundamental findings in a particular area of nuclear cell biology. The assigned readings will provide concrete examples of the experimental approaches and logic used to establish these findings. Some examples of topics include genome and systems biology, transcription, and gene expression.

Study and discussion of computational approaches and algorithms for contemporary problems in functional genomics. Topics include DNA chip design, experimental data normalization, expression data representation standards, proteomics, gene clustering, self-organizing maps, Boolean networks, statistical graph models, Bayesian network models, continuous dynamic models, statistical metrics for model validation, model elaboration, experiment planning, and the computational complexity of functional genomics problems.

DNA microarray analysis is one of the fastest-growing new technologies in the field of genetic research. Scientists are using DNA microarrays to investigate everything from cancer to pest control. Now you can do your own DNA microarray experiment! Here you will use a DNA microarray to investigate the differences between a healthy cell and a cancer cell.

7.02 and 7.021 require simultaneous registration. Application of experimental techniques in biochemistry, microbiology, and cell biology. Emphasizes integrating factual knowledge with understanding the design of experiments and data analysis to prepare the students for research projects. Instruction and practice in written communication provided.

Subject uses molecular genetics to examine how Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria can be used in novel and relevant bioconversion processes, for example, to synthesize precursors to the drug Crixivan, a potent inhibitor of HIV replication, or to synthesize metabolites as food supplements. Students engage in independent research projects to address questions relating to these processess. Techniques used include plasmid manipulation, genetic complementation, mutagenesis, PCR, and DNA sequencing, enzyme assays, and gene expression studies. Instruction and practice in written and oral communication provided. Also referred to as the Microbial Genetics Project Lab, this is a hands-on research course designed to introduce the student to the strategies and challenges associated with microbiology research. Students take on independent and original research projects that are designed to be instructive with the goal of advancing a specific field of research in microbiology.

" In this class, students engage in independent research projects to probe various aspects of the physiology of the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14, an opportunistic pathogen isolated from the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients. Students use molecular genetics to examine survival in stationary phase, antibiotic resistance, phase variation, toxin production, and secondary metabolite production. Projects aim to discover the molecular basis for these processes using both classical and cutting-edge techniques. These include plasmid manipulation, genetic complementation, mutagenesis, PCR, DNA sequencing, enzyme assays, and gene expression studies. Instruction and practice in written and oral communication are also emphasized. WARNING NOTICE The experiments described in these materials are potentially hazardous and require a high level of safety training, special facilities and equipment, and supervision by appropriate individuals. You bear the sole responsibility, liability, and risk for the implementation of such safety procedures and measures. MIT shall have no responsibility, liability, or risk for the content or implementation of any of the material presented. Legal Notice "

The module describes the gene expression process. It presents as well such techniques as: southern or northern blotting

This is introductory module to the innovative research-oriented course of Bioinfomatics at the advanced undergraduate or beginnig graduate level. The course concerns computational and statistical methods for problems which are coming to the forefront of b

This module is designed to familiarize the student with the basic principals behind microarray experiments and microarray data analysis.

Detailed analysis of the biochemical mechanisms that control the maintenance, expression, and evolution of prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes. Topics covered in lecture and readings of relevant literature include: gene regulation, DNA replication, genetic recombination, and translation. Logic of experimental design and data analysis emphasized. Presentations include both lectures and group discussions of representative papers from the literature.

Subject assesses the relationships between sequence, structure, and function in complex biological networks as well as progress in realistic modeling of quantitative, comprehensive functional-genomics analyses. Topics include: algorithmic, statistical, database, and simulation approaches; and practical applications to biotechnology, drug discovery, and genetic engineering. Future opportunities and current limitations critically assessed. Problem sets and project emphasize creative, hands-on analyses using these concepts.

Seminar covering topics of current interest in biology. Includes reading and analysis of research papers and student presentations. Contact Biology Education Office for topics. This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. To understand and treat any disease with a genetic basis or predisposition, scientists and clinicians need effective ways of manipulating the levels of genes and gene products. Conventional methods for the genetic modification of many experimental organisms are technically demanding and time consuming. Just over 5 years ago, a new mechanism of gene-silencing, termed RNA interference (RNAi), was discovered. In addition to being a fascinating biological process, RNAi provides a revolutionary technology that has already changed the way biomedical research is done and that may even prove useful for genetic interventions in a clinical context. In this course, students learn how RNAi was discovered, how it works, and what its physiological relevance might be. How RNAi can be harnessed to modulate gene expression and perform genetic screens, both in cells and in various organisms is also covered. Finally, this course examines the first attempts to use RNAi for the treatment of models of human diseases in experimental animals.

This site introduces us to RNAi, a mechanism by which biologists down-regulate gene expression and observe the physiological consequences. A series of experiments demonstrate the power of RNAi in a model organism (roundworm C. elegans). Videos, animations, interviews with experts, and other materials are provided.

In this seminar, we will discuss some of the main themes that have arisen in the field of systems biology, including the concepts of robustness, stochastic cell-to-cell variability, and the evolution of molecular interactions within complex networks.

A millennial challenge in biology is to decipher how vast arrays of molecular interactions inside the cell work in concert to produce a cellular function. Systems biology, a new interdisciplinary field of science, brings together biologists and physicists to tackle this grand challenge through quantitative experiments and models. In this course, we will discuss the unifying principles that all organisms use to perform cellular functions. We will also discuss key challenges faced by a cell in both single and multi-cellular organisms. Finally, we will discuss how researchers in the field of synthetic biology are using the new knowledge gained from studying naturally-occurring biological systems to create artificial gene networks capable of performing new functions. This course is one of many Advanced Undergraduate Seminars offered by the Biology Department at MIT. These seminars are tailored for students with an interest in using primary research literature to discuss and learn about current biological research in a highly interactive setting. Many instructors of the Advanced Undergraduate Seminars are postdoctoral scientists with a strong interest in teaching.