This subject deals primarily with kinetic and equilibrium mathematical models of biomolecular interactions, as well as the application of these quantitative analyses to biological problems across a wide range of levels of organization, from individual molecular interactions to populations of cells.

This course will cover the origins of cancer and the genetic and cellular basis for cancer. It will examine the factors that have been implicated in triggering cancers; the intercellular interactions involved in cancer proliferation; current treatments for cancer and how these are designed; and future research and treatment directions for cancer therapy. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: explain how the perception of cancer and theories of its causes have changed throughout history because of important discoveries made by scientists, researchers, and physicians; summarize the importance of understanding cell biology in the study of cancer, its causes, it progression, and its treatment; outline the transcription and translation processes used to convert DNA into proteins and what changes occur that convert proto-oncogenes into oncogenes and lead to unchecked cell growth and cancer; compare and contrast the mechanisms by which activation of oncogenes, loss of tumor suppressors, loss of cell cycle checkpoints, and development of faulty DNA repair lead to cancer; describe the various cancer prevention mechanisms including risk assessment, screening, and lifestyle and environmental modification; list the past, current, and future cancer treatments and the mechanism by which these target cancer causing cells. (Biology 404)

This course provides an introduction to the technology and policy context of public communications networks, through critical discussion of current issues in communications policy and their historical roots. The course focuses on underlying rationales and models for government involvement and the complex dynamics introduced by co-evolving technologies, industry structure, and public policy objectives. Cases drawn from cellular, fixed-line, and Internet applications include evolution of spectrum policy and current proposals for reform; the migration to broadband and implications for universal service policies; and property rights associated with digital content. The course lays a foundation for thesis research in this domain.

" This design course targets the solution of clinical problems by use of implants and other medical devices. Topics include the systematic use of cell-matrix control volumes; the role of stress analysis in the design process; anatomic fit, shape and size of implants; selection of biomaterials; instrumentation for surgical implantation procedures; preclinical testing for safety and efficacy, including risk/benefit ratio assessment evaluation of clinical performance and design of clinical trials. Student project materials are drawn from orthopedic devices, soft tissue implants, artificial organs, and dental implants."

Treatment of electromechanical transducers, rotating and linear electric machines. Lumped-parameter electromechanics of interaction. Development of device characteristics: energy conversion density, efficiency; and of system interaction characteristics: regulation, stability, controllability, and response. Use of electric machines in drive systems. Problems taken from current research. Alternate years. 6.685 explores concepts in electromechanics, using electric machinery as examples. It teaches an understanding of principles and analysis of electromechanical systems. By the end of the course, students are capable of doing electromechanical design of the major classes of rotating and linear electric machines, and have an understanding of the principles of the energy conversion parts of Mechatronics. In addition to design, students learn how to estimate the dynamic parameters of electric machines and understand what the implications of those parameters are on the performance of systems incorporating those machines.

Financial institutions are a pillar of civilized society, supporting people in their productive ventures and managing the economic risks they take on. The workings of these institutions are important to comprehend if we are to predict their actions today and their evolution in the coming information age. The course strives to offer understanding of the theory of finance and its relation to the history, strengths and imperfections of such institutions as banking, insurance, securities, futures, and other derivatives markets, and the future of these institutions over the next century.

Provides an introduction to global tobacco control. Presents the health and economic burden of tobacco use worldwide and highlights practical approaches to tobacco prevention, control, surveillance, and evaluation. Examines transnational tobacco control issues, including the following: the interpretation and packaging of epidemiologic evidence for policy makers, the determinants of tobacco addiction, the economics of global tobacco control, tobacco industry strategies, legal foundations for regulation, and basic surveillance and evaluation methods using lectures, case-studies, and discussion.

Financial reporting is a complex issue. This unit looks at the historical development of financial regulation and reporting across Europe and the world. You will also examine how both Anglo-Saxon and 'commercial code' accounting have expanded to become the two main accounting systems used today.

15.616 is an introduction to business law which covers the fundamentals, including contracts, liability, regulation, employment, and corporations, with an in-depth treatment of the legal issues relating to breakthrough technologies, including the legal framework of R&D, the commercialization of new high-technology products in start-ups and mature companies, and the liability and regulatory implications of new products and innovative business models. There is extensive attention to national and international intellectual property protection and strategies. Examples are drawn from many industries, including information technology, communications, and life sciences.

Frameworks and Models for Technology and Policy students explore perspectives in the policy process -- agenda setting, problem definition, framing the terms of debate, formulation and analysis of options, implementation and evaluation of policy outcomes using frameworks including economics and markets, law, and business and management. Methods include cost/benefit analysis, probabilistic risk assessment, and system dynamics. Exercises for Technology and Policy students include developing skills to work on the interface between technology and societal issues; simulation exercises; case studies; and group projects that illustrate issues involving multiple stakeholders with different value structures, high levels of uncertainty, multiple levels of complexity; and value trade-offs that are characteristic of engineering systems. Emphasis on negotiation, team building and group dynamics, and management of multiple actors and leadership. This course explores perspectives in the policy process - agenda setting, problem definition, framing the terms of debate, formulation and analysis of options, implementation and evaluation of policy outcomes using frameworks including economics and markets, law, and business and management. Methods include cost/benefit analysis, probabilistic risk assessment, and system dynamics. Exercises include developing skills to work on the interface between technology and societal issues; simulation exercises; case studies; and group projects that illustrate issues involving multiple stakeholders with different value structures, high levels of uncertainty, multiple levels of complexity; and value trade-offs that are characteristic of engineering systems. Emphasis on negotiation, team building and group dynamics, and management of multiple actors and leadership.

Examines both the structure of cities and ways they can be changed. Includes historical forces that have produced cities, models of urban analysis, contemporary theories of urban design, implementation strategies. Core lectures supplemented by discussion group focusing on student work. Speakers present cases involving current projects illustrating the scope and methods of urban design practice. This course introduces graduate students to ideas about the form of cities and how they are designed and developed. Part 1 explores the forces which act to shape and to change cities. Part 2 surveys models of urban design which have been invented in response to forces acting on cities.

In The Law of Corporate Finance and Financial Markets, much of the course focuses on M&A and the law-sensitive aspects of financial services and financial markets. The course is designed to be an introduction to business law which covers the fundamentals, including contracts, liability, regulation, employment, and corporations. 15.617 provides an in-depth treatment of the law of finance.

Presents an overview of major issues related to the design, function, management, regulation, and evaluation of health insurance and managed care plans. Provides a firm foundation in basic concepts pertaining to private and public sector health insurance/benefit plans, both as provided by employers and government agencies such as Medicaid and Medicare. Key topics include population care management techniques, provider payment, organizational integration, quality and accountability, cost-containment, and public policy. The course makes extensive use of outside experts Course is relevant for management- or policy-oriented students who will be working in, or interrelating with, public and private (both for-profit and not-for-profit) health insurance plans and organized delivery systems such as HMOs and hospital/physician "integrated" delivery systems. Course is also relevant to students who will be researching and analyzing these systems. Although the emphasis is placed on the US, the material is applicable to international students who are interested in financing and organization of highly developed medical care delivery systems in other nations.

After a historical introduction to molecular biology, this course describes the basic types of DNA and RNA structure and the molecular interactions that shape them. It describes how DNA is packaged within the cellular nucleus as chromosomes. It also describes the core processes of molecular biology: replication of DNA, transcription of DNA into messenger RNA, and translation of messenger RNA into a protein. These are followed by modifications of these basic processes: regulation of gene expression, DNA mutation and repair, and DNA recombination and transposition. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: discuss the experimental findings that lead to the discovery of inheritance laws; discuss the experimental findings that lead to the identification of DNA as the hereditary material; compare and contrast the structure and function of mRNA, rRNA, tRNA, and DNA; identify the characteristics of catalyzed reactions; compare and contrast enzyme and ribozyme catalyzed reactions; discuss the structure of the chromosome and the consequence of histone modifications in eukaryotes; discuss the stages of transcription, differential splicing, and RNA turnover; predict the translation product of an mRNA using the genetic code; compare and contrast transcription and translation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes; identify codon bias and variations of the standard genetic code; compare and contrast the regulation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic gene expression; predict the activation of an operon and tissue specific gene expression based on the availability of regulators; compare and contrast mutations based on their effect on the gene product; discuss DNA repair mechanisms; discuss DNA recombination, transposition, and the consequence of exon shuffling; design custom-made recombinant DNA using PCR, restriction enzymes, and site-directed mutagenesis; compare and contrast the uses of model organisms; discuss the uses of model organisms in specific molecular biology applications. (Biology 311)

Students will be guided to analyze problems and develop strategies based on real world drug management issues including regulations, manufacture, procurement, distribution, safety, policy, financing and the unique aspects of international pharmaceutical trade, the role of the World Trade Organization - Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (WTO-TRIPS), government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals/programs in the selection and use of pharmaceutical products. Course materials are drawn from both developed and developing countries so that the student will be knowledgeable about the role of Essential Medicines and the formation of a National Drug Policy. The course will use a multidisciplinary approach to provide students with an operational understanding of factors influencing access to and use of pharmaceuticals and other health commodities. Collectively, these materials and approaches are intended to stimulate critical thinking on how to improve access to and the use of pharmaceutical products.

Population ecology is the subfield of ecology that identifies those ecological factors--in the community or in the ecosystem--that regulate a population's size. The student will learn about intrinsic population growth and discover how such growth can be quantified, along with the factors that inhibit growth. Also, the student will apply his or her understanding of population ecology to determine a population's current status and construct a management plan to maintain population size. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: explain how population ecology is used to address problems in evolution, conservation, epidemiology, and resource management; describe the interactions among and between the biotic and abiotic components of a healthy ecosystem and explain how these components are interdependent; identify factors that threaten the maintenance of biodiversity in ecosystems and the population measures used to sustain ecosystem biodiversity; use mathematical models and equations to describe population growth and interaction between populations; identify density-dependent and density-independent factors that affect population growth and regulation; employ the principles and techniques of population dynamics and ecology to analyze population viability and develop a resource management plan by using data gathered from a sample population. (Biology 313)

Presents principles underlying preclinical and clinical development of new therapeutic drugs and procedures. Describes and evaluates specific examples, and discusses legal and ethical regulations that apply to drug development.

Examines alternative conceptions and theoretical underpinnings of the notion of "sustainable development." Focuses on the sustainability problems of industrial countries (i.e., aging of populations, sustainable consumption, institutional adjustments, etc.); and of developing states and economies in transition (i.e., managing growth, sustainability of production patterns, pressures of population change, etc.). Explores the sociology of knowledge around sustainability, the economic and technological dimensions and institutional imperatives. Implications for political constitution of economic performance.

This course examines alternative conceptions and theoretical underpinnings of the notion of "sustainable development." It focuses on the sustainability problems of industrial countries (i.e., aging of populations, sustainable consumption, institutional adjustments, etc.); and of developing states and economies in transition (i.e., managing growth, sustainability of production patterns, pressures of population change, etc.). It also explores the sociology of knowledge around sustainability, the economic and technological dimensions and institutional imperatives along with implications for political constitution of economic performance.