Office Hours: M 2:00-4:00, T 1:00-3:00 or by appointment
Text: Hartwell, et al. 2000. Genetics: From Genes to Genomes. McGraw-Hill. REQUIRED
Study Guide: Reynolds 2000. Study Guide/Solutions Manual. McGraw-Hill. RECOMMENDED
Meeting Times/Places:
Lecture, Sections C & D - T 9:35-11:00,
Th 9:30-10:50 Science Center 280
Lab, Section C - W 2:00-5:00, Science Center
263
Lab, Section D - Th 1:20-4:20, Science Center
263
Click for information on Policies & Grading
Click on the links below for information
on lecture or lab (detailed syllabus, readings, problems, downloads, etc.):
About Intermediate Genetics:
The field of genetics is one with many facets. People who call themselves "geneticists" may study the expression of individual genes, the interactions of many genes in forming a phenotype, the mutations that can cause genetic disorders, the ways genes are inherited, or the similarities and differences in the genes of diverse organisms. You will be touching on all of these topics and more this semester.The field of genetics draws from and affects many other fields. In our examination of classical transmission genetics you will use skills and ideas from statistics, and in exploring chromosome theory your knowledge of cell biology will be quite useful. Our study of DNA structure and function is peppered with biochemistry, and our examination of technological advances in genome manipulation requires knowledge in molecular biology.
Because of these intimate connections with other fields, the exposure to the material in this course will help you in your varied careers. Many of you are considering health professions, where so many are turning to the genomes of their patients and subjects for cures and therapies. Others of you may move on to graduate school in the natural sciences; a re-read of the paragraph above should suggest the importance of genetics in your academic future. Some of you may find yourselves working in industry, where diverse applications like biotechnology and pharmaceuticals benefit from the field of genetics.
Genetics is in the news. Think of some of the topics that have faced the global community recently - gene therapy, stem cell research, the human genome project, cloning, advances in assisted reproduction, embryo screening, genetically engineered products - the list goes on and on. Does the public accurately perceive the science behind the controversies? How does the media represent these topics?
Advice:
- Make a sincere effort to keep up with the course material on a daily basis. Having weekly labs as well as some quizzes and homework assignments (see "grading" section) will help somewhat with this, but there are things that you can do on your own. It will help to go over your lecture notes, text by side, regularly so you can have your questions answered as they come up. You should practice as many problems as you can - your text provides many problems and questions at the end of each chapter, and the recommended Study Guide/Solutions Manual is a good resource.
- Use each other as a resource - if you can clearly explain a concept or a solution to someone else, you must know it pretty well yourself. Form study groups and meet as a group on your own or set times with me. Practicing problem-solving and explanation of concepts in these ways means that you will be clearer and quicker on an actual exam - both very important for exam success.
- Watching someone do a problem and being able to follow it is NOT the same as understanding how to do it yourself.
- Take advantage of the laboratory portion of the course to help apply and synthesize your knowledge.
- Much of this course is by nature cumulative. Although exams and other assignments will focus most on the preceding material, you really must maintain your level of understanding as the course progresses.