Molecular and Cell Biology
College of Letters and Science
Department Office: 497 Life Sciences Addition
Chairs: Richard Harland, PhD and David Raulet, PhD
Department Website: Molecular and Cell Biology
Overview
The teaching and research activities of the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology (MCB) concern the molecular structures and processes of cellular life and their roles in the function, reproduction, and development of living organisms. This agenda covers a broad range of specialized disciplines, such as biochemistry, microbiology, biophysics, molecular biology, genetics, genomics, bioinformatics, cell biology, developmental biology, immunology, tumor biology and neurobiology. The types of living organisms from which the departmental faculty draws its working materials are as diverse as its disciplinary specializations, ranging from viruses and microbes through plants, roundworms, annelids, arthropods, and mollusks to fish, amphibia, and mammals. The faculty of the department is organized into five divisions: Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Stuctural Biology; Cell and Developmental Biology; Genetics, Genomics and Development; Immunology and Pathogenesis; and Neurobiology.
Major Requirements
The undergraduate major in molecular and cell biology is composed of five emphases that encompass the diversity of scientific interests of the department's faculty. Some students will take a curriculum that includes more molecular and structural components and others will have a more cellular and systems orientation, but the perspectives and content of all emphases overlap considerably. Students majoring in any emphasis have been highly successful in entering graduate or medical school and in other science- and health-related careers.
Details on the MCB major, its requirements and policies, as well as resources for students, are available in the MCB Undergraduate Affairs Office, 3060 Valley Life Sciences Building, or see the department's website .
Lower Division Requirements:
- For all but BMB Biological Chemistry: Math 10A-10B; Chemistry 1A/1AL (or Chemistry 4A), 3A/AL-3B/BL; Biology 1A/1AL-1B; and Physics 8A-8B (or Physics 7A-7B). Total lower division units: 39.
- For BMB Biological Chemistry: Math 10A-10B; Chemistry 1A/1AL-1B (or Chemistry 4A-4B), Biology 1A/1AL-1B; and Physics 8A-8B (or Physics 7A-7B). Total lower division units: 33. (Note: BMB Biological Chemistry majors must take Chemistry 112A-112B in place of Chemistry 3A/AL-3B/BL.)
Upper Division Requirements:
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Major (BMB)
- For Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Track: MCB C100A, 100B, 110, C110L, 140/C148, BMB elective.
- For Biological Chemistry Track: Chemistry 112A-112B, MCB C100A, Chemistry 130B, Chemistry 135, MCB C110L, MCB 130A/140.
Cell & Developmental Biology Major (CDB)
- For Medical Biology and Physiology Track: MCB 102, 104, 136, 133L, two CDB elective Bs.
- For Cell and Systems Biology Track: MCB 102, 104, 130A, 133L, two elective As.
Genetics, Genomics & Development Major (GG&D)
- For Genetics, Genomics, and Development Track: MCB C100A, 110, 140, 140L, GG&D elective A/B, elective B.
- For Developmental Genetics Track: MCB 102, 104, 141, 140L, GG&D elective A/B, GG&D elective B.
Immunology & Pathogenesis Major (IM&P)
- For Immunology and Pathogenesis Track: MCB C100A, 110, 104/140, 150, 150L, IM&P elective C
- For Infectious Disease Track: MCB 102, 104, 150, 150L; IM&P elective A, elective B.
Neurobiology Major
- MCB 102, 104, C160, 160L/163; NEURO elective A/B, elective B.
Honors Program
The MCB honors program offers exceptional senior students recognition for outstanding academic achievement and excellence in research. To graduate with honors in the major, students must:
- Complete at least two credited semesters of research including four to eight units of MCB H196
- Have a cumulative Berkeley grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.3 in all work completed at UC Berkeley
- Have at least a 3.5 GPA in the MCB major requirements, or 3.5 in MCB upper-division courses
- Present their research in an approved forum, such as an MCB symposium, the Undergraduate Poster Session, or other scientific meeting
- Write an honors thesis approved by an MCB faculty sponsor
Additional information on the honors program is available in the Undergraduate Affairs Office and on the department's website .
Graduate Program
The department offers a program of graduate study leading to the PhD in molecular and cell biology. This program provides advanced training in the research methods and concepts of the study of the molecular structures and processes of cellular life. The training is intellectually focused, but at the same time offers unusually wide opportunities for varied disciplinary specialization. Undergraduate preparation for admission to the program should correspond to one of the two plans of the departmental undergraduate major detailed above. All students working for the PhD will be required to serve as a graduate student instructor for two semesters during the first three years.
Students seeking detailed information about such matters as admission, curriculum, and sources of financial support should go to the MCB website or contact the department by mail at Graduate Affairs Office, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 299 Life Sciences Addition #3200, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200. E-mail: mcbgao@berkeley.edu .
Research Facilities
The Cancer Research Laboratory is a research institute on the Berkeley campus that carries on a research, teaching, and service program designed to foster interdepartmental participation in cancer research. Some of the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology faculty are also members of the Cancer Research Laboratory. The central research program represents a multidisciplinary approach to an understanding of the mechanism of neoplastic transformation using a variety of systems. Graduate student and postdoctoral research programs are supported in various areas of tumor biology, biochemistry, cell biology, endocrinology, genetics, immunology, molecular biology, and tumor virology. The Cancer Research Laboratory also operates five research facilities:
- Flow Cytometry Facility for fluorescence activated cell sorting and analysis
- Molecular Imaging Facility with two-photon microscopes for image analysis
- Proteomic Mass Spectrometry Facility
- Immunology DNA Microarray Consortium
- Gene Targeting Facility for construction of transgenic and chimeric mice
Instrumentation in the facilities is operated by highly trained staff, and training is offered in methods and techniques associated with each facility. For more information, go to this website .
The Functional Genomics Laboratory at Berkeley was established to allow Berkeley scientists to exploit profound technological advances in the field of genomics. These advances, which include the sequencing of entire genomes of selected model systems and the ability to survey genome-wide patterns of gene expression, now allow the dissection of biological processes at unprecedented levels of detail. In particular, this research facility provides the infrastructure, technologies, and computational resources for the performance of DNA microarray experiments, which allow the analysis of mRNA expression from tens of thousands of genes at a time. The Functional Genomics Laboratory currently possesses all the equipment necessary for conducting DNA microarray experiments, including thermal cyclers, fluidics robots, microarray printing robots, laser scanning microscopes for microarray scanning, an Affymetrix workstation and scanner, and dedicated computers for data analysis and storage of informatics databases. For more information, go to this website .
The Robert D. Ogg Electron Microscope Laboratory is an instructional and research unit of the College of Letters and Science. It houses equipment for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The staff is skilled not only in the operation and maintenance of instruments but in standard and most specialized techniques of sample preparation. Qualified undergraduates and graduate students, postdoctoral associates, faculty, and research staff in biological and physical sciences, once trained, may make arrangements for use of the instruments in research. Instruction is provided in the form of both classes and individual training. Training is provided as MCB 481B and/or 481C. Registered students and faculty are not charged for training. Nominal charges are made for use of the laboratory for individual research work. With permission from the director, non-UC personnel can be accepted for training or laboratory use. Equipment can be used outside normal hours. The laboratory provides demonstrations of the electron microscope and preparative techniques for on-campus classes and can make special arrangements for tour groups. For more information, go to this website .
Other specialized research facilities include those for x-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance studies, large-scale fermentation, tissue culture, and DNA sequencing.
The Berkeley Screening Center is a campus-wide facility enabling Berkeley researchers to perform high-throughput genetic and chemical screens. The BSC provides automation, including automated image-acquisition, microscopy, and high-throughput liquid handling technology; support for screen execution and analysis; bioinformatic tools; and siRNA libraries targeting Drosophila, mouse, and human genomes, kinomes, and ubiquitinomes.
MCELLBI 15 Current Topics in the Biological Sciences 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Suitable for freshmen who plan to major in a biological science.
Students in this course will critically examine modern methods of biological investigations and their social implications. Relevant literature will be used to present basic biological concepts that address the cultural, technological and health aspects of current topics in the biological sciences. Designing and evaluating scientific questions will be stressed.
Course may be repeated for credit as topic varies. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Matsui
MCELLBI C31/L & S C30X Big Ideas in Cell Biology 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Letters and Science
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
An introduction for students who do not intend to major in biology but who wish to satisfy their breadth requirement in Biological Sciences. Some major concepts of modern biology, ranging from the role of DNA and the way cells communicate, to interactions of cells and creatures with their environment, will be discussed without jargon and with attention to their relevance in contemporary life and culture.
Instructor: Wilt
MCELLBI 32 Introduction to Human Physiology 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks. 6 hours of Lecture and 2 hours of Discussion per week for 8 weeks.
Prerequisites: One year high school or college chemistry.
A comprehensive introduction to human cell biology. The course will concentrate on basic mechanisms underlying human life processes, including cells and membranes; nerve and muscle function; cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and gastrointestinal physiology; metabolism, endocrinology, and reproduction.
Instructors: Machen, Ball
MCELLBI 32L Introduction to Human Physiology Laboratory 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 1 hour of Lecture and 3 hours of Laboratory per week for 15 weeks. 2 hours of Lecture and 6 hours of Laboratory per week for 8 weeks. 2 hours of Lecture and 8 hours of Laboratory per week for 6 weeks.
Prerequisites: 32 or may be taken concurrently.
Experiments and demonstrations are designed to amplify and reinforce information presented in 32. Exercises include investigations into the structure and function of muscle, nerve, cardiovascular, renal, respiratory, endocrine, and blood systems.
Instructor: Ball
MCELLBI 41 Genetics and Society 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Spring and summer. Offered alternate years.
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks. 6 hours of Lecture and 2 hours of Discussion per week for 8 weeks. 7.5 hours of Lecture per week for 6 weeks.
Prerequisites: Primarily for students not specializing in biology.
Basic communication of inheritance; gene mapping; gene expression and genetic disease in animals and humans; social inheritance of genetics.
Students will receive no credit after taking Biology 1A, Biology 1B, or Letters and Science 18.
MCELLBI C44/L & S C30Y Biology for Voters 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Letters and Science
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
This is a Discovery Course for non-Biology majors designed to introduce lower-division college students to biology through the lens of the contemporary problems facing people, the planet and the species of the planet. Modern genetic contributions will be presented on such issues as genetic engineering of plants and animals, the emergence of new pathogens, the role of genetic variation among individuals, and the extent to which DNA is and isn’t destiny. Each week will close with the presentation and discussion of a defining biological challenge facing the world.
Student Learning Outcomes: The learning objectives will be, at one end, to understand what an experiment is, how is it controlled and what does one need to know about an experiment to be able to rely upon any conclusion. That is the fundamental issue in all science, and is frequently overlooked in many media accounts of science. A second objective is to learn enough of the language of biology to be able to ask the kind of informed questions that we would want all elected representatives to pay attention to. A third objective is for students to cultivate confidence that through non-specialized information sources they can become informed consumers of contemporary scientific thought, and to develop those habits of intellect to think about evidence in a scientific manner. A fourth objective is for students to enjoy the abundance of high quality books, articles and multimedia that will enable a lifetime of discovery outside the structure of a college course.
Instructors: Rine, Urnov
MCELLBI 50 The Immune System and Disease 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: High school chemistry or Chemistry 1A and high school biology or Biology 1A. Biology 1AL is not required.
Course will discuss how the immune system resolves, prevents, or causes disease. A general overview of the immune system will be covered in the first five weeks followed by five weeks discussing infectious diseases including anthrax, mad cow, herpes, malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV. In addition, other lectures will focus on current immunology topics including vaccines, autoimmunity, allergy, transplantation, and cancer.
Students will receive no credit for 50 after taking 102 or C100A/Chemistry C130. Instructor: Beatty
MCELLBI 55 Plagues and Pandemics 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.
Discussion of how infectious agents cause disease and impact society at large. We will examine historical and current examples of plagues and pandemics and consider the question of what we should do to ameliorate the impact of infectious disease in the future. The course is intended for non-majors and will begin by briefly providing necessary background in microbiology and immunology. The primary focus in each subsequent week, however, will be on discussing a particular infectious disease. The course will be broad in scope covering biological, historical, ethical and social implications of each disease.
Students will receive no credit for 55 after taking 100, C100A, 100B, 102, 103, C103, 150, Chemistry C130, Plant and Microbial Biology C103, and Public Health C102. Instructors: Beatty, Vance
MCELLBI C61/PSYCH C61 Brain, Mind, and Behavior 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Psychology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Introduction to human brain mechanisms of sensation, movement, perception, thinking, learning, memory, and emotion in terms of anatomy, physiology, and chemistry of the nervous system in health and disease. Intended for students in the humanities and social sciences and others not majoring in the biological sciences.
Students will receive no credit for C61 after taking 61, W61, or Psychology C61. A deficient grade in 61, W61, or Psychology C61 may be removed by taking C61. Instructor: Presti
MCELLBI W61 Brain, Mind, and Behavior 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 45 hours of web-based lecture and 14 hours of web-based discussion per summer term. This is an online course.
This course deals with the structure and function of the human nervous system, with an emphasis on how brain physiology and chemistry are related to human behavior. This is a comprehensive introduction to the exciting field of contemporary neuroscience for students of all backgrounds and interests, including those from the humanities and social sciences, as well as physical and biological sciences. The Final Examination will be administered in a proctored setting. See Schedule of Classes for meeting information. This course is web-based.
Students will receive no credit for W61 after taking 61, C61, N61, or Letters and Science C30W. A deficient grade in 61, C61, N61, or Letters and Science C30W may be removed by taking W61. Formerly known as N61. Instructor: Presti
MCELLBI C62/L & S C30T/PSYCH C19 Drugs and the Brain 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Letters and Science; Psychology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks. 4.5 hours of Lecture per week for 8 weeks.
The history, chemical nature, botanical origins, and effects on the human brain and behavior of drugs such as stimulants, depressants, psychedelics, analgesics, antidepressants, antipsychotics, steroids, and other psychoactive substances of both natural and synthetic origin. The necessary biological, chemical, and psychological background material for understanding the content of this course will be contained within the course itself.
Students will receive no credit for C62 after taking 62, C100A/Chemistry C130, 102, 104, 110, 130A, 136, C160/Neuroscience C160,<BR/>Integrative Biology 132, Letters and Science C30T, or Psychology C19 . <BR/> Instructor: Presti
MCELLBI 63 Introduction to Functional Neuroanatomy 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 6 hours of lecture per week for 8 weeks. 7.5 hours of lecture per week for 6 weeks. 12 hours of lecture per week for 4 weeks.
This course emphasizes beginning anatomy of the brain and spinal cord to individuals interested in understanding the dynamics of motor and sensory functions in the human body. Students in the Departments of Education, Psychology, and Integrative Biology, as well as students interested in medicine and the life sciences, are especially encouraged to attend.
Instructor: Reyes
MCELLBI C64/PSYCH C64 Exploring the Brain: Introduction to Neuroscience 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Psychology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 2 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week.
Prerequisites: High school chemistry or Chemistry 1A; high school biology or Biology 1A. Biology 1AL is not required.
This course will introduce lower division undergraduates to the fundamentals of neuroscience. The first part of the course covers basic membrane properties, synapses, action potentials, chemical and electrical synaptic interactions, receptor potentials, and receptor proteins. The second part of the course covers networks in invertebrates, memory and learning behavior, modulation, vertebrate brain and spinal cord, retina, visual cortex architecture, hierarchy, development, and higher cortical centers.
Students will receive no credit for Molecular and Cell Biology/Psychology C64 after taking Molecular and Cell Biology C61/Letters and Science C30W, 104, 100A/Chemistry C130, Molecular and Cell Biology 110, 130A, 136, 160, C160/Neuroscience C160, or Integrative Biology 132. Students may remove a deficient grade in Molecular and Cell Biology C64/Psychology C64 after Molecular and Cell Biology 64. Instructor: Caporale
MCELLBI 84B Sophomore Seminar 1 or 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: unit(s):1 hour of seminar per week; 2 unit(s):2 hours of seminar per week. unit(s):3 hours of seminar per week; 2 unit(s):4 hours of seminar per week for 8 weeks. unit(s):4 hours of seminar per week; 2 unit(s):6 hours of seminar per week for 6 weeks.
Prerequisites: At discretion of instructor.
Sophomore seminars are small interactive courses offered by faculty members in departments all across the campus. Sophomore seminars offer opportunity for close, regular intellectual contact between faculty members and students in the crucial second year. The topics vary from department to department and semester to semester. Enrollment limited to 15 sophomores.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
MCELLBI 90A Freshman Seminars: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 1 Unit
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Open to freshmen only.
The Berkeley Seminar Program has been designed to provide new students with the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member in a small-seminar setting. Berkeley Seminars are offered in all campus departments, and topics vary from department to department and semester to semester.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
MCELLBI 90B Freshman Seminars: Cell and Developmental Biology 1 Unit
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Open to freshmen only.
The Berkeley Seminar Program has been designed to provide new students with the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member in a small-seminar setting. Berkeley Seminars are offered in all campus departments, and topics vary from department to department and semester to semester.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
MCELLBI 90C Freshman Seminars: Genetics and Development 1 Unit
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Open to freshmen only.
The Berkeley Seminar Program has been designed to provide new students with the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member in a small-seminar setting. Berkeley Seminars are offered in all campus departments, and topics vary from department to department and semester to semester.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
MCELLBI 90D Freshman Seminars: Immunology 1 Unit
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Open to freshmen only.
The Berkeley Seminar Program has been designed to provide new students with the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member in a small-seminar setting. Berkeley Seminars are offered in all campus departments, and topics vary from department to department and semester to semester.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
MCELLBI 90E Freshman Seminars: Neurobiology 1 Unit
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 1 hour of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Open to freshmen only.
The Berkeley Seminar Program has been designed to provide new students with the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member in a small-seminar setting. Berkeley Seminars are offered in all campus departments, and topics vary from department to department and semester to semester.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
MCELLBI 91D Immunology 2 - 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
Hours and format: 2 to 4 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Open to freshmen and sophomores only.
Freshman and sophomore seminars offer lower division students the opportunity to explore an intellectual topic with a faculty member and a group of peers in a small-seminar setting. These seminars are offered in all campus departments; topics vary from department to department and from semester to semester.
MCELLBI C96/INTEGBI C96/PLANTBI C96 Studying the Biological Sciences 1 Unit
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Integrative Biology; Plant and Microbial Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Offered for pass/not pass grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Freshmen will be introduced to the "culture" of the biological sciences, along with an in-depth orientation to the academic life and the culture of the university as they relate to majoring in biology. Students will learn concepts, skills, and information that they can use in their major course, and as future science professionals. Restricted to freshmen in the biology scholars program.
Instructor: Matsui
MCELLBI 98 Directed Group Study 1 - 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for pass/not pass grade only.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Prerequisites: Freshmen and sophomores only.
Lectures and small group discussions focusing on topics of interest, varying from semester to semester.
Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
MCELLBI 99 Supervised Independent Study 1 - 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Offered for pass/not pass grade only.
Hours and format: Supervised research.
Prerequisites: 3.3 GPA and consent of instructor.
Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. One unit of credit is given for every three hours of work in the lab per week to a maximum of 4 units.
MCELLBI 100B Biochemistry: Pathways, Mechanisms, and Regulation 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week.
Prerequisites: C100A/Chemistry C130.
We survey cellular metabolic pathways, with focus on the underlying chemistry, bioenergetics, and mechanisms. We discuss signaling in the context of a physical chemical understanding of diffusion, transport and molecular interactions. We will highlight the intertwining of signaling and dysregulation with metabolic disorders and cancer, and the production of renewable chemicals such as biofuels. The course is designed for majors in the biochemistry and molecular biology, genetics and development, or immunology emphases.
Students will receive 3 units for Molecular and Cell Biology 100B after taking Molecular and Cell Biology 102 and no credit after taking Chemistry 135. Instructors: Kuriyan, Savage, Alper
MCELLBI C100A/CHEM C130 Biophysical Chemistry: Physical Principles and the Molecules of Life 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Chemistry
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks. 5.5 hours of Lecture and 2 hours of Discussion per week for 8 weeks.
Prerequisites: Chemistry 3A or 112A, Mathematics 1A, Biology 1A and 1AL; Chemistry 3B or 112B recommended.
Thermodynamic and kinetic concepts applied to understanding the chemistry and structure of biomolecules (proteins, DNA, and RNA). Molecular distributions, reaction kinetics, enzyme kinetics. Bioenergetics, energy transduction, and motor proteins. Electrochemical potential, membranes, and ion channels.
MCELLBI 102 Survey of the Principles of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks. 4 hours of Lecture and 2 hours of Discussion per week for 10 weeks. 6 hours of Lecture and 2 hours of Discussion per week for 8 weeks.
Prerequisites: Biology 1A, 1AL, and Chemistry 3B (or equivalent courses). Recommended: a course in physical chemistry.
A comprehensive survey of the fundamentals of biological chemistry, including the properties of intermediary metabolites, the structure and function of biological macromolecules, the logic of metabolic pathways (both degradative and biosynthetic) and the molecular basis of genetics and gene expression.
Students will receive 2 units of credit for 102 after taking 100B or C100A/Chemistry C130. Students will receive no credit for 102 after taking 110 and any of 100B or C100A/Chemistry C130. No credit for 102 after taking Chemistry 135.
MCELLBI C103/PB HLTH C102/PLANTBI C103 Bacterial Pathogenesis 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Plant and Microbial Biology; Public Health
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: 100, 102 or consent of instructor.
This course for upper division and graduate students will explore the molecular and cellular basis of microbial pathogenesis. The course will focus on model microbial systems which illustrate mechanisms of pathogenesis. Most of the emphasis will be on bacterial pathogens of mammals, but there will be some discussion of viral and protozoan pathogens. There will be an emphasis on experimental approaches. The course will also include some aspects of bacterial genetics and physiology, immune response to infection, and the cell biology of host-parasite interactions.
Instructor: Portnoy
MCELLBI 104 Genetics, Genomics, and Cell Biology 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: 102.
This course will introduce students to key concepts in genetic analysis, eukaryotic cell biology, and state-of-the-art approaches in genomic medicine. Lectures will highlight basic knowledge of cellular processes with the basis for human diseases, particularly cancer. Prerequisite courses will have introduced students to the concepts of cells, the central dogma of molecular biology, and gene regulation. Emphasis in this course will be on eukaryotic cell processes, including cellular organization, dynamics, and signaling.
Students will receive 1 unit for Molecular and Cell Biology 104 after completing Molecular and Cell Biology 140 or C142/Integrative Biology C163, or 3 units after completing Molecular and Cell Biology 110 or 130.
MCELLBI 110 Molecular Biology: Macromolecular Synthesis and Cellular Function 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: C100A (may not be taken concurrently); Plan 1 Emphasis 1 (BMB) majors should take 100B prior to 110.
Molecular biology of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and their viruses. Mechanisms of DNA replication, transcription, translation. Structure of genes and chromosomes. Regulation of gene expression. Biochemical processes and principles in membrane structure and function, intracellular trafficking and subcellular compartmentation, cytoskeletal architecture, nucleocytoplasmic transport, signal transduction mechanisms, and cell cycle control.
Students will receive 3 units of credit for 110 after taking 104.
MCELLBI C110L/CHEM C110L General Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Laboratory 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Chemistry
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Lecture and 6 to 8 hours of Laboratory per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: 110 (may be taken concurrently).
Experimental techniques of biochemistry and molecular biology, designed to accompany the lectures in Molecular and Cell Biology 100B and 110.
MCELLBI C112/PLANTBI C112 General Microbiology 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Plant and Microbial Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks. 4.5 hours of Lecture and 1.5 hours of Discussion per week for 10 weeks.
Prerequisites: Biology 1A and 1B.
This course will explore the molecular bases for physiological and biochemical diversity among members of the two major domains, Bacteria and Archaea. The ecological significance and evolutionary origins of this diversity will be discussed. Molecular, genetic, and structure-function analyses of microbial cell cycles, adaptive responses, metabolic capability, and macromolecular syntheses will be emphasized.
Instructor: Ryan
MCELLBI C112L/PLANTBI C112L General Microbiology Laboratory 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Plant and Microbial Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 4 hours of laboratory and 1 hour of discussion per week.
Prerequisites: C112 (may be taken concurrently).
Experimental techniques of microbiology designed to accompany the lecture in C112 and C148. The primary emphasis in the laboratory will be on the cultivation and physiological and genetic characterization of bacteria. Laboratory exercises will include the observation, enrichment, and isolation of bacteria from selected environments.
Instructors: Komeili, Taga
MCELLBI C114/ESPM C138/PLANTBI C114 Introduction to Comparative Virology 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Environ Sci, Policy, and Management; Plant and Microbial Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Introductory chemistry (Chemistry 1A or 3A-3B or equivalent) and introductory biology (Biology 1A, 1AL, and 1B or equivalent) and general biochemistry (Molecular and Cell Biology C100A or equivalent--preferably completed but may be taken concurrently).
This course will provide a comparative overview of virus life cycles and strategies viruses use to infect and replicate in hosts. We will discuss virus structure and classification and the molecular basis of viral reproduction, evolution, assembly, and virus-host interactions. Common features used during virus replication and host cellular responses to infection will be covered. Topics also included are common and emerging virus diseases, their control, and factors affecting their spread.
Instructors: Glaunsinger, Jackson
MCELLBI C116/PLANTBI C116 Microbial Diversity 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Plant and Microbial Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Upper-division standing. C112 or consent of instructor and organic chemistry (may be taken concurrently).
This course for upper-division and graduate students will broadly survey myriad types of microbial organisms, both procaryote and eucaryote, using a phylogenetic framework to organize the concept of "biodiversity." Emphasis will be on the evolutionary development of the many biochemical themes, how they mold our biosphere, and the organisms that affect the global biochemistry. Molecular mechanisms that occur in different lineages will be compared and contrasted to illustrate fundamental biological strategies. Graduate students additionally should enroll in C216, Microbial Diversity Workshop.
Formerly known as 116. Instructor: Coates
MCELLBI 118 The Cancer Karyotype: What it is and What it Does 1 Unit
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 1 hour of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: 102. 104 recommended.
Mutational cancer theories do not explain why cancers: 1) have clonal individual karyotypes; 2) have polygenic transcriptomes and phenotypes; 3) have flexible karyotypes, which evolve progressive malignancy and drug resistance, but maintain autonomy and even immortality; and 4) Why carcinogens induce cancer only after conspicuously long latent periods of years to decades. To answer these questions, this course tests a new karyotypic theory, which postulates that cancers evolve much like new species.
Instructor: Duesberg
MCELLBI 130A Cell and Systems Biology 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: 102 and 104. Instructors may waive 104 prerequisite for non-Molecular and Cell Biology majors.
This course will provide a detailed discussion of a wide range of topics in cell biology emphasizing experimental approaches and key experiments that have provided important insights. The course is aimed at conveying an understanding of how cellular structure and function arise as a result of the properties of cellular macromolecules. An emphasis will be placed on the dynamic nature of cellular organization and will include a description of physical properties of cells (dimensions, concepts of free energy, diffusion, biophysical properties). Students will be introduced to quantitative aspects of cell biology and a view of cellular function that is based on integrating multiple pathways and modes of regulation (systems biology).
Students will receive no credit for 130A after taking 130.
MCELLBI 132 Biology of Human Cancer 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: 102 or 110 (may be taken concurrently); Biology 1A, 1AL, 1B.
The course is designed for students interested in learning about the molecular and cell biology of cancer and how this knowledge is being applied to the prevention, diagnosis and therapy of cancer. Topics covered include tumor pathology and epidemiology; tumor viruses and oncogenes; intracellular signaling; tumor suppressors; multi-step carcinogenesis and tumor progression; genetic instability in cancer; tumor-host interactions; invasion and metastasis; tumor immunology; cancer therapy.
Formerly known as 135G.
MCELLBI 133L Physiology and Cell Biology Laboratory 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 1 hour of Lecture and 7 hours of Laboratory per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: 104.
Experimental analyses of central problems in cell biology and physiology using modern techniques, including DNA cloning and protein biochemistry, fluorescence microscopy of the cytoskeleton and organelles, DNA transfection and cell cycle analysis of cultured mammalian cells, RNA interference and drug treatments to analyze ion channel function in cell contractility and intracellular signaling, and somatosensation.
Students will receive no credit for 133L after taking 130L.
MCELLBI C134/PLANTBI C134 Chromosome Biology/Cytogenetics 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Plant and Microbial Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Survey of behavior, structure, and function of chromosomes with emphasis on behavior in model organisms. Topics include mitosis, meiosis, chromosome aberrations, genome function, dosage compensation, transposons, repetitive DNA, and modern cytological imaging.
Instructors: Cande, Karpen
MCELLBI 135A Topics in Cell and Developmental Biology: Molecular Endocrinology 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Fall. Offered every fall.
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week.
Prerequisites: Molecular and Cell Biology 102, Biology 1A, 1AL, 1B, Chemistry 3A-3B or equivalent, or consent of instructor.
Molecular mechanisms by which hormones elicit specific responses and regulate gene expression; hormone-receptor interaction; synthesis, transport and targeting of hormones, growth factors and receptors.
Students will receive no credit for Molecular and Cell Biology 135A after taking Physiology 142. Instructor: Firestone
MCELLBI 136 Physiology 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Biology 1A, 1AL, 1B, Physics 8A. Physics 8B recommended.
Principles of mammalian (primarily human) physiology emphasizing physical, chemical, molecular and cellular bases of functional biology. The following topics will be covered: cellular and membrane ion and nonelectrolyte transport; cell and endocrine regulation; autonomic nervous system regulation; skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscle; cardiovascular physiology; respiration; renal physiology; gastrointestinal physiology. Discussion section led by Graduate Student Instructor will review material covered in lecture.
Students will receive no credit for 136 after Integrative Biology 132.
MCELLBI 137 Computer Simulation in Biology 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.
Modeling and computer simulation of dynamic biological processes using special graphical interfaces requiring very little mathematical or computer experience. Models are drawn from the current literature to teach concepts and technique. The later part of the course is a workshop for student-selected individual projects. Computer work may be done at home or in the university laboratory.
Formerly known as 136L. Instructors: Macey, Oster
MCELLBI 140 General Genetics 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week.
Prerequisites: Biology 1A
In-depth introduction to genetics, including mechanisms of inheritance; gene transmission and recombination; transposable DNA elements; gene structure, function, and regulation; and developmental genetics. Some exams may be given in the evening.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Students will receive 1 unit of credit for Molecular and Cell Biology 140 after completing Molecular and Cell Biology 104, C142, or Integrative Biology C163.
MCELLBI 140L Genetics Laboratory 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Lecture and 6 hours of Laboratory per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Molecular and Cell Biology 104 or 140. May be taken concurrently.
Experimental techniques in classical and molecular genetics.
MCELLBI 141 Developmental Biology 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: 102 or C100A; Biology 1A, 1AL, and 1B; 110 or 130 recommended.
An introduction to principles and processes of embryonic and post-embryonic development, stressing mechanisms of cell and tissue interactions, morphogenesis and regulation of gene expression.
Formerly known as 131.
MCELLBI 143 Evolution of Genomes, Cells, and Development 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Biology 1A-1B and Molecular and Cell Biology C100A or 102; 104 or 140 recommended.
This course is intended for upper-division undergraduates seeking an interactive course based on modern concepts in evolution and comparative genomics. The course will emphasize the contribution of molecular evolution to a series of seminal events in life's history: origin of life; origin of cells; origin of eukaryotes; origin of multicellularity; evolution of animal development; human origins.
Student will receive no credit for 143 after taking Integrative Biology 163. Instructor: King
MCELLBI C148/PLANTBI C148 Microbial Genomics and Genetics 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Plant and Microbial Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Molecular and Cell Biology C100A/Chemistry C130 or Molecular and Cell Biology 102.
Course emphasizes bacterial and archaeal genetics and comparative genomics. Genetics and genomic methods used to dissect metabolic and development processes in bacteria, archaea, and selected microbial eukaryotes. Genetic mechanisms integrated with genomic information to address integration and diversity of microbial processes. Introduction to the use of computational tools for a comparative analysis of microbial genomes and determining relationships among bacteria, archaea, and microbial eukaryotes.
Formerly known as Plant and Microbial Biology 118. Instructors: Brenner, Glass
MCELLBI 149 The Human Genome 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week.
Prerequisites: MCB 140, MCB 104 or equivalent.
This is an upper division course for majors in MCB with an interest in an in-depth exploration of the forces that shape the human genome and the human population, as well as the ways that human genetic information can be used in medicine, ancestry and forensics. The course will combine lectures and discussion of research papers.
Students will receive 2 units for Molecular and Cell Biology 149 after taking Integrative Biology 164. Instructors: Eisen, Meyer, Rokhsar
MCELLBI 150 Molecular Immunology 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: C100A/Chemistry C130, or 102.
Fundamentals of immunology with emphasis on biochemical and molecular approaches to study of the immune system and its application in medicine and biotechnology. Topics covered include description of the immune system, antibody and T-cell receptor structure and function, genes of the immunoglobulin superfamily, cells and molecular mediators that regulate the immune response, allergy, autoimmunity, immunodeficiency, tissue and organ transplants, and tumor immunology.
MCELLBI 150L Immunology Laboratory 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 8 hours of Laboratory and 1 hour of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: 150 (may be taken concurrently); consent of instructor.
Experimental techniques in mammalian molecular biology and cellular immunology. Molecular techniques covered include PCR and recombinant DNA procedures such as gene cloning, gene transfer, DNA sequencing, Southern blot, and restriction mapping. Immunological techniques covered include cell culture and monoclonal antibody production, flow cytometry, ELISA, immunoprecipitation, and western blot.
Formerly known as Microbiology 103L.
MCELLBI C160/NEUROSC C160 Introduction to Neurobiology 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Neuroscience
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: 102 or 100, Biology 1A and 1AL, Physics 8A-8B.
An introductory course designed to provide a general understanding of the nervous system including how it functions, how it develops, and how it changes with learning and memory. Analysis from the level of molecules to cells to simple circuits to complex networks to higher brain functions.
MCELLBI 160L Neurobiology Laboratory 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 1 hour of Lecture and 8 hours of Laboratory per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Biology 1A, 1AL; Physics 8A-8B, Molecular and Cell Biology C100A/Chemistry C130 or 102; Molecular and Cell Biology C160/Neurobiology C160; or equivalent.
Experimental analyses of properties and interactions of nerve cells and systems, illustrating principal features and current methods. Techniques employed include computer simulation of neuron properties, electrophysiological recording and stimulation of nerves and cells, digitally enhanced video imaging of outgrowth, fluorescence immunocytochemistry, analysis of sensory: CNS mapping, human-evoked potential recording, sensory psychophysics.
MCELLBI 163 Mammalian Neuroanatomy 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 2 hours of Laboratory per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Biology 1A. Biology 1AL is not required.
Development, structure (gross and microscopic), and functional relationships of the mammalian nervous system.
MCELLBI 165 Molecular Neurobiology 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: 102 or 110, 160.
The molecular and biochemical aspects of the structure and function of the nervous system, including ion channels, neurotransmitters and their receptors, second messenger systems, and molecular mechanisms of development and plasticity.
Instructor: Presti
MCELLBI 166 Biophysical Neurobiology 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week.
Prerequisites: Biology 1A, 1AL, Physics 8A-8B, Chemistry 1A, 3A/3AL-3B, or consent of instructor.
Electrochemistry and ion transport phenomena, equivalent circuits, excitability, action potentials, voltage clamp and the Hodgkin-Huxley model. Biophysical properties of ion channels. Statistical and electrophysiological models of synaptic transmission, Quantitative models for dendritic structure and neuronal morphogenesis. Sensory transduction, cellular networks as computational devices, information processing and transfer.
Course Objectives: 1) Derive equations for Nernst and GHK membrane potential from fundamental physics concepts.
2) Describe the experiments and theory underlying the Hodgkin-Huxley model.
3) Understand biophysical properties of gating particles called ion channels.
4) Apply and solve equivalent circuit models to describe resting and excitable cells, synaptic transmission and sensory transduction.
5) Use Poisson, Gaussian and binomial distributions to analyze the gating of ion channels, synaptic transmission, and absolute sensitivity of vision.
6) Model dendritic structure based on quantitative descriptors of shape and energy minimization theory.
7) Explain experiments and models of sensory transduction, neuronal integration and lateral inhibition.
Instructors: Elul, Miller, Isacoff
MCELLBI 167 Physiological and Genetic Basis of Behavior 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Lecture and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: C160 and 102 or 110, or consent of instructor.
Genetic, cellular, and circuit-level analysis of how the nervous system generates behavior. Includes sensory processing, movement, and learning. Focus is on model systems for animal behavior. Principles, cellular and circuit specializations, and neural computations for behavior will be presented.
MCELLBI 180 Undergraduate Teaching of Biology 1A Laboratory 1 or 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Offered for pass/not pass grade only.
Hours and format: Conference with instructor and teaching hours as assigned per week. Conference with instructor and teaching hours as assigned per week.
Prerequisites: Biology 1A, 1AL with a minimum grade of B. Appointment as a UGSI in biology by consent of instructor. Restricted to undergraduate students.
Course consists of a weekly three-hour training session that focuses on laboratory techniques, instructional aids, and problem solving, plus an additional three hour weekly laboratory where the UGSI is required to assist a GSI in the instruction of laboratory (answering questions, providing demonstrations, etc.).
Course may be repeated for a maximum of 4 units.Course may be repeated for a maximum of 4 units.
MCELLBI 180C Undergraduate Teaching of Molecular and Cell Biology 32 Laboratory 1 - 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and summer
Grading: Offered for pass/not pass grade only.
Hours and format: Conference with instructor and teaching hours as assigned per week. Conference with instructor and teaching hours as assigned per week.
Prerequisites: 32, 136, or Integrative Biology 132 and Molecular and Cell Biology 32L or Integrative Biology 132L laboratory courses in physiology with minimum grades of B. Appointment as a UGSI in physiology by consent of instructor.
Course consists of a weekly three-hour training session that focuses on laboratory techniques, instructional aids, and problem solving, plus an additional three-hour weekly laboratory where the UGSI is required to assist a GSI in the instruction of laboratory (answering questions, providing demonstrations, etc.). Students will be graded on lecture and laboratory attendance and preparation of one quiz.
Course may be repeated for a maximum of 4 units.Course may be repeated for a maximum of 4 units.
MCELLBI H196A Honors Research 1 - 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Offered for pass/not pass grade only.
Hours and format: Individual laboratory research and conferences. Laboratory research and conferences. Individual laboratory research and conferences. Laboratory research and conferences.
Prerequisites: Senior honors status and consent of instructor.
Individual research and thesis preparation under the supervision of a faculty member. Acceptance to the Molecular and Cell Biology Honors Program is required. Contact the MCB Undergraduate Affairs Office, 2083 Valley Life Sciences Building, for application and details. Honor students must complete at least two semesters of research, taking a minimum of 4 units and a maximum of 8 units of H196A-196B. If desired, one semester of 199 can be used to replace H196A.
Course may be repeated for a maximum of 4 units.
MCELLBI H196B Honors Research 1 - 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: Individual laboratory research and conferences. Individual laboratory research and conferences. Individual laboratory research and conferences. Individual laboratory research and conferences.
Prerequisites: Senior honors status and consent of instructor.
Individual research and completion of thesis under the supervision of a faculty member. This course satisfies the thesis requirement for the Molecular and Cell Biology Department Honors Program. Contact the MCB Undergraduate Affairs Office, 2083 Valley Life Sciences Building, for program details and an application. Honor students must complete at least two semesters of research, taking a minimum of 4 units and a maximum of 8 units of H196A-196B. One semester of H196B is required.
Course may be repeated for a maximum of 4 units.
MCELLBI 197 Supervised Internship 1 Unit
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Offered for pass/not pass grade only.
Hours and format: 3 hours of internship per week. 6 hours of internship per week for 8 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of MCB Faculty, restricted to MCB majors and prospective majors only. Certification from supervisor that credit is required.
Supervised experience relevant to specific topics of biology in off-campus organizations. Written report and evaluation from internship supervisor required.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
MCELLBI 198 Directed Group Study 1 - 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for pass/not pass grade only.
Hours and format: 1 hour of lecture per week per unit.
Prerequisites: Upper division standing.
Lectures and small group discussions focusing on topics of interest, varying from semester to semester.
Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
MCELLBI 199 Supervised Independent Study and Research 1 - 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Undergraduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall, spring and summer
Grading: Offered for pass/not pass grade only.
Hours and format: Research.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Enrollment restrictions apply; see the Introduction to Courses and Curricula section of this catalog.
Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
MCELLBI 200A Fundamentals of Molecular and Cell Biology 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 6 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: 200A and 200B must be taken concurrently. Combined course required and restricted to all MCB first-year graduate students.
The goal of this course is to provide graduate-level instruction on molecular and cellular biosciences from a highly-integrated systems perspective, rather than using a more classic, techniques-oriented format. A collection of approaches, and a focus on critical thinking and problem solving, will be used to show how fundamental, highly-significant biological problems are "cracked open." Reading will be assigned from a mix of classic and current peer-reviewed papers selected by the instructors.
Instructors: Marqusee, Rio, Drubin, Rine, Vance, Feller
MCELLBI 200B Fundamentals of Molecular and Cell Biology 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 6 hours of Lecture per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Must be taken concurrently. Combined course required for all MCB first-year graduate students.
The goal of this course is to provide graduate-level instruction on molecular and cellular biosciences from a highly-integrated systems perspective, rather than using a more classic, techniques-oriented format. A collection of approaches, and a focus on critical thinking and problem solving, will be used to show how fundamental, highly-significant biological problems are "cracked open." Reading will be assigned from a mix of classic and current peer-reviewed papers selected by the instructors.
Instructors: Marqusee, Rio, Drubin, Rine, Vance, Feller
MCELLBI 206 Physical Biochemistry 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of lecture per week.
Prerequisites: Year courses in organic chemistry and physical chemistry. 100 recommended.
Application of modern physical concepts and experimental methods to the analysis of the structure, function, and interaction of large molecules of biological interest.
MCELLBI 210 Macromolecular Reactions and the Cell 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 2 1.5 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week.
Prerequisites: 110 or equivalent. Admission to the course requires formal consent of instructors, except for MCB graduate students and graduate students in the laboratories of MCB faculty.
General course for first-year graduate students. Covers our current understanding of, methodological approaches for analyzing, and recent advances in the function of cellular macromolecules and macromolecular complexes in DNA replication, recombination, transposition and repair, gene expression and its regulation, mRNA splicing, genome organization, noncoding RNAs, signal transduction, protein synthesis, folding and degradation, growth control, and other life processes.
Formerly known as 200.
MCELLBI C212A/CHEM C271A Chemical Biology I - Structure, Synthesis and Function of Biomolecules 1 Unit
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Chemistry
Course level: Graduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture per week for 5 weeks.
This course will present the structure of proteins, nucleic acids, and oligosaccharides from the perspective of organic chemistry. Modern methods for the synthesis and purification of these molecules will also be presented.
MCELLBI C212B/CHEM C271B Chemical Biology II - Enzyme Reaction Mechanisms 1 Unit
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Chemistry
Course level: Graduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture per week for 5 weeks.
This course will focus on the principles of enzyme catalysis. The course will begin with an introduction of the general concepts of enzyme catalysis which will be followed by detailed examples that will examine the chemistry behind the reactions and the three-dimensional structures that carry out the transformations.
MCELLBI C212C/CHEM C271C Chemical Biology III - Contemporary Topics in Chemical Biology 1 Unit
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Chemistry
Course level: Graduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture per week for 5 weeks.
This course will build on the principles discussed in Chemical Biology I and II. The focus will consist of case studies where rigorous chemical approaches have been brought to bear on biological questions. Potential subject areas will include signal transduction, photosynthesis, immunology, virology, and cancer. For each topic, the appropriate bioanalytical techniques will be emphasized.
MCELLBI C214/CHEM C230 Protein Chemistry, Enzymology, and Bio-organic Chemistry 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Chemistry
Course level: Graduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: At the instructor's discretion, this course may be taught over a 10 week period with 3 hours of lecture per week or over a 15 week period with 2 hours of lecture per week.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.
The topics covered will be chosen from the following: protein structure; protein-protein interactions; enzyme kinetics and mechanism; enzyme design. Intended for graduate students in chemistry, biochemistry, and molecular and cell biology.
MCELLBI C216/PLANTBI C216 Microbial Diversity Workshop 1 Unit
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Plant and Microbial Biology
Course level: Graduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 1 hour of Workshop and 1 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Graduate standing; C112 or consent of instructor and organic chemistry (may be taken concurrently).
This workshop for graduate students will parallel C116, Microbial Diversity, which should be taken concurrently. Emphasis in the workshop will be on review of research literature and formulation of paper pertinent to research in microbial diversity.
Instructor: Coates
MCELLBI 217A Selected Topics in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 1 Unit
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of lecture per week for 5 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Recent advances. Topics changed each year. 217A, 217B, 217C are three sections of five weeks each. The sections are taught in tandem and may be taken individually.
Course may be repeated for credit with change in contents. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes.
MCELLBI 217B Selected Topics in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 1 Unit
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of lectures per week for 5 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Recent advances. Topics changed each year. 217A, 217B, 217C are three sections of five weeks each. The sections are taught in tandem and may be taken individually.
Course may be repeated with change in content. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as 217.
MCELLBI 217C Selected Topics in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 1 Unit
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of lecture per week for 5 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Recent advances. Topics changed each year. 217A, 217B, 217C are three sections of five weeks each. The sections are taught in tandem and may be taken individually.
Course may be repeated for credit with change in content. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Formerly known as 217.
MCELLBI 218B Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Molecular and Cellular Engineering Approaches to Investigate Biomedical Problems 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Enrollment is restricted to students conducting research in the laboratory of the instructor or consent of instructor.
The related areas of stem cell bioengineering, gene delivery systems, and molecular virology, with applications in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Schaffer
MCELLBI 218C Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Synthetic Biology and Cellular Enzymology 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, systems biology, enzyme mechanism, and gene discovery.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Chang
MCELLBI 218D Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Gene Regulation at the RNA Level 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
RNA elements involved in alternative splicing and other co-transcriptional mechanisms of regulation. Specific areas of interest include riboswitches and other structured RNA elements involved in gene regulation.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Hammond
MCELLBI 218E Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Viruses as Models for Eukaryote Gene Expression and Replication 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Recent developments in eukaryote viral and cellular regulation. New concepts in transcription and RNA replication, with particular emphasis on virus-cell interactions.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Botchan
MCELLBI 218F Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Energy-dependent Proteases and Molecular Machines 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Enrollment is restricted to students conducting research in the laboratory of the instructor or consent of instructor.
Our goals are to decipher the fundamental principles that govern substrate engagement, de-ubiquitylation, unfolding, and translocation by the proteasome.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Martin
MCELLBI 218G Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Myxobacterial Development 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Review of current literature and discussion of original research.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Zusman
MCELLBI 218H Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Protein Synthesis in Bacteria and Mammals 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
The mechanism of protein synthesis in bacteria and human cells. Specific areas of interest include the structure and function of the ribosome and the regulation of protein synthesis.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Cate
MCELLBI 218I Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Chemical Biology and Inorganic Chemistry 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Research and literature topics in chemical biology and inorganic chemistry relevant to human health and disease and energy science will be discussed.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Chris Chang
MCELLBI 218J Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Advanced 20th Century Perspectives on Cancer Cell Genetics 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Transduction of cellular sequences and genetic regulation of transformation by oncogenic retroviruses as models for natural carcinogenesis, including a critical review of the current research.
Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Duesberg
MCELLBI 218O Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Chemical Biology and Enzymology 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Topics at the interface of chemistry and biology with a particular focus on mechanisms of enzyme catalysis.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Marletta
MCELLBI 218P Chemical Biology and Neuroscience 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
Molecular approaches to designing and deploying tools for voltage imaging and brain mapping.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructors: Miller, Evan
MCELLBI 218Q Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Single Molecular Imaging of Macromolecular Enzymes 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Yildiz laboratory combines molecular biology and single molecule biophysical techniques to understand mechanisms that underlie cellular organization and motility. Specific focuses of the lab are to dissect 1) the mechanism of cytoplasmic dynein motility, 2) the regulation of intraflagellar transport, and 3) the protection and maintenance of mammalian telomeres.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Yildiz
MCELLBI 218R Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: The Protein Folding Problem 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Protein structure, stability, design, and the pathway of protein folding.
Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Marqusee
MCELLBI 218S Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Cryo-Electron Microscopy of Macromolecules 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Structure-function studies of the cytoskeleton and large molecular machines by cryo-electron microscopy and image reconstruction.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Nogales
MCELLBI 218U Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Protein Folding and Stability 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
The connection between the sequence of a protein and its three-dimensional structure.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Alber
MCELLBI 218V Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Biophysics of Macromolecule Transport Across Membranes 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Review of current literature and discussion of original research.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Krantz
MCELLBI 218W Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Enzyme Catalysis 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Fundamental aspects of enzyme catalysis, as probed by kinetic, spectroscopic, and molecular biological approaches.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Klinman
MCELLBI 218X Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Chemical Reactions of Metabolism 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Define how metabolic reactions function in the context of the cellular system in order to elucidate the so-called design principles of metabolic function.
Course may be repeated for credit. Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Savage
MCELLBI 218Z Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Nutrient Sensing 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Prerequisites: Enrollment is restricted to students conducting research in the laboratory of the instructor, or requires consent of instructor.
In our laboratory, we study the molecular mechanisms of nutrient sensing and growth control. Specific areas of interest include the mTOR pathway, energy sensing, lysosomal biology and translational control.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Zoncu
MCELLBI 219A Structural Membrane Biology 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of seminar per week.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor
The mechanisms by which protein complexes use their structures to bud, bend, and sever membranes will be covered in research reports and reviews of the current literature and in discussion of current experiments in the field.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Hurley
MCELLBI 219B Regulation of Translation 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of seminar per week.
Prerequisites: Enrollment is restricted to students conducting research in the laboratory of the instructor, or requires consent of instructor.
Understanding the molecular basis and physiological role of translational regulation in gene expression with an emphasis on global profiling and functional genomics.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Ingolia
MCELLBI 219F Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Eukaryotic Gene Expression 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Protein-DNA interactions and the control of gene expression in eukaryotes.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Tjian
MCELLBI 219H Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Molecular and Cell Biology of Listeria monocytogenes Pathogenesis 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Discussion of recent research on the genetics, cell biology, and immunology of the model facultative intracellular bacterical pathogen,
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Portnoy
MCELLBI 219J Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Structure and Function of RNA 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
RNA structure, folding, and function. Specific topics include ribozyme mechanisms, RNA-mediated translation initiation, and protein targeting and secretion.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Doudna
MCELLBI 219Q Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Structural Biology of Molecular Machines 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Crystallographic and biochemical studies of protein machines, focused on protein-nucleic acid interactions; analysis of chemomechanical function within multiprotein complexes will be covered in research reports and reviews of the current literature and in discussion of current experiments in the field.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Berger
MCELLBI 219S Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Structural Biology of Signaling and Replication 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Mechanisms and structure in DNA replication and eukaryotic cell signaling.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Kuriyan
MCELLBI 219T Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Signal Transduction Mechanisms 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Discussion of recent research on various aspects of signal transduction mechanisms in eukaryotic cells, including G protein-coupled receptors, protein kinase cascades, synthesis and mobilization of lipid mediators, calcium sensing and response pathways, activation and inhibition of gene expression, and the biochemical basis of signal desensitization and physiological adaptation, with strong emphasis on genetic and molecular analysis of these systems, especially in the yeast
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Thorner
MCELLBI 219U Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Single Molecule Biophysics 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Methods of single molecule manipulation and visualization that are used to characterize the structure and mechanochemical properties of translocating DNA binding protein such as RNA polymerase and to investigate the mechanical denaturation of single protein molecules will be covered in research reports and reviews of the current literature and in discussion of current experiments in the field.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Bustamante
MCELLBI 219X Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Cell Surface Glycoconjugate Interactions 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Investigations of cell surface glycoproteins as mediators of cell-cell interactions. Development of new methods for engineering cell surface structures.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Bertozzi
MCELLBI 219Y Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Regulation of HIV Gene Expression 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Regulation of HIV gene expression by viral proteins and cellular cofactors will be covered in research reports and reviews of the current literature and in discussion of current experiments in the field.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Zhou
MCELLBI 219Z Research Review in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: Telomere Synthesis and Dynamics 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Emphasizes a study of the replication of eukaryotic telomeric DNA. Special focus on techniques in protein biochemistry and molecular biology.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Collins
MCELLBI 230 Advanced Cell Biology 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of lecture and 1 hour of discussion per week.
Prerequisites: 130. Formal consent of instructors required, except for MCB graduate students and graduate students in the laboratories of MCB faculty.
Advanced treatment of topics in cell biology.
MCELLBI 231 Advanced Developmental and Stem Cell Biology 4 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 1 to 2 hour of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Previous course in development (131 or equivalent) or consent of instructor.
Principles of animal development will be set forth from the classical and recent experimental analysis of induction, localization, patterning mutants, axis formation, regional gene expression, and cell interactions. Early development of selected vertebrates and invertebrates will be examined, and emerging topics in microRNA and stem cell biology will be highlighted. A weekly discussion section with readings from the research literature is required.
MCELLBI 236 Advanced Mammalian Physiology 5 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Term course may be offered: Fall
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of Lecture and 2 hours of Discussion per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Principles of mammalian (primarily human) physiology emphasizing physical, chemical, molecular, and cellular bases of functional biology. The following topics will be covered: cellular and membrane ion and nonelectrolyte transport; cell and endocrine regulation; autonomic nervous system regulation; skeletal, smooth, and cardiac muscle; cardiovascular physiology; respiration; renal physiology; gastrointestinal physiology. Discussion section will study advanced physiological topics, including: presentations by the faculty; problem sets; discussion of the primary literature and of reviews; two presentations by each student on topics in current physiological research.
MCELLBI C237/BIO ENG C218 Stem Cells and Directed Organogenesis 3 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology; Bioengineering
Course level: Graduate
Term course may be offered: Spring
Grading: Letter grade.
Hours and format: 3 hours of lecture/laboratory per week.
This course will provide an overview of basic and applied embryonic stem cell (ESC) biology. Topics will include early embryonic development, ESC laboratory methods, biomaterials for directed differentiation and other stem cell manipulations, and clinical uses of stem cells.
Instructor: Conboy
MCELLBI 239B Research Review in Cell and Developmental Biology: Regulation of the Cell Cycle 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Review of current literature and discussion of original research.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Rape
MCELLBI 239BB Research Review in Cell and Developmental Biology: Mechanics and Dynamics of Cell Movements 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Research in our laboratory is focused on the mechanics and dynamics of cell movements on the purified protein, single cell, and tissue levels. For these studies, we are developing new instruments to quantify cell and molecular mechanics bases on optical microscopy, force microscopy, and microfabrication.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Fletcher
MCELLBI 239C The Regulation of Meiotic Gene Expression and Cellular Morphogenesis 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Prerequisites: Enrollment is restricted to students conducting research in the laboratory of the instructor, or requires consent of instructor.
The mechanisms that link cellular differentiation programs and dynamic gene regulation in complex eukaryotic systems remain mysterious. Such programs drive diverse and central biological processes including organismal development, immune function, disease progression, and meiosis. This course is focused on the molecular basis for the cellular remodeling accompanying meiosis, the highly conserved process by which gametes are produced.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Brar
MCELLBI 239CC Research Review in Cell and Developmental Biology: Biological Spatial Organization and Normal and Dysplastic Cells and Tissues 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Our biophysics laboratory is focused on two intersecting research directions: (I) exploration of biological spatial organization on the mesoscale (10nm-10microns) and (II) characterization of the mechanics of normal and dysplastic cells and tissues. We also invent and refine tools for precision control and characterization of cells and tissues.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Liphardt
MCELLBI 239D Research Review in Cell and Developmental Biology: Epithelial Function, Structure, and Regulations 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Review of current literature and discussion of original research.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Machen
MCELLBI 239EE Research Review in Cell and Developmental Biology: Cell Morphogenesis 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Review of current literature and discussion of original research.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Heald
MCELLBI 239F Research Review in Cell and Developmental Biology: Nucleocytoplasmic Transport 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Review of current literature and discussion of original research.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Weis
MCELLBI 239FF Research Review in Cell and Developmental Biology: Signal Transduction and Tumor Suppressor Genes 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Review of current literature and discussion of original research.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Luo
MCELLBI 239H Research Review in Cell and Developmental Biology: Cell Division 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Review of current literature and discussion of original research.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Cande
MCELLBI 239HH Research Review in Cell and Developmental Biology: Mechanisms of Control of Growth and Cell Proliferation 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Identifying pathways that restrict growth and cell proliferation in vivo.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Hariharan
MCELLBI 239I Research Review in Cell and Developmental Biology: Cytoskeleton and Cell Motility 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Review of current literature and discussion of original research.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Welch
MCELLBI 239J Research Review in Cell and Developmental Biology: Steroid Hormone and Growth Factor Action 2 Units
Department: Molecular and Cell Biology
Course level: Graduate
Terms course may be offered: Fall and spring
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Hours and format: 2 hours of Seminar per week for 15 weeks.
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
Review of current literature and discussion of original research.
Course may be repeated for credit when topic changes. Instructor: Firestone
MCELLBI 239K Secretion and Cell Membrane Assembly 2 Units