Instructor:       Scott Provan
       office:        Smith 204
       telephone:  962-3836
       e-mail:       Scott_Provan@UNC.edu

Office Hours:   Tuesday 1-3PM

Texts:      Genome by Matt Ridley
           The Double Helix by James Watson

webpage: http://stat-or.unc.edu/webspace/courses/provan/STOR072_web

Instructional software:  IDEAS -- This includes instructions for accessing from your laptop.
Web-based software:    BLAST
 

Description

Course structure:  The course will be comprised of four activities:

1. Class discussion, based on the material from the two texts.  The list of reading assignments can be obtained by clicking on Discussion Topics.  The discussion topics will be based on chapters or groups of chapters of both texts (I will announce these in advance), augmented by any relevant news items that might come up.
2. Lectures and assignments on some of the biological, technical, and computational issues associated with unlocking the human genome.  Notes will be provided where needed.
3. Hands on classes, including experiments, web sites, and use of bioinformatics software.
4. Each student should keep a scrapbook of news items relevant to the human genome, genetic research, and related issues.  I expect 10-15 articles about events, discussions, or other news that occurred in 2007, along with a  short paragraph giving your comments on each article.

• Class discussions
• Homework assignments
• Scrapbook
• Occasional quizzes
• Final Exam (Monday, December 10, 4PM)

1. Course introduction
2. Darwin, Mendel, and Genetics
3. The Discovery, Structure and Function of DNA
4. The Battle of the Sexes
5. Computers, Information, and DNA
   
6. Sequencing the Human Genome
7. Searching for Gene Sequences
8. Creating Ancestral Trees from DNA

A Glossary of Biochemical Terms
The structure of DNA
The structure of chromosomes
The Scientific Method
Evolution and Religion
A Debate on Intelligent Design
The Algebra of Mating
Mating Experiments
X-ray diffraction photo of DNA
Description of meiosis
Animation of meiosis
Animation of recombination
The Central Dogma
The Central Dogma animation
Mystery Protein
The 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
The 2006 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: UNC!!
Lawrence Summers: "Diversifying the Science and Engineering Work Force"
Description of complete sequencing process
Fragile X Overview
The History of Computers
The Growth of Computers
Shotgun example
Using BLAST
BLAST sequences
Output from BLAST
Introduction to the mechanics of cancer
Protein folding