Science and Society
This course uses a seminar discussion format to examine the relationship between science and society from numerous perspectives, with examples from many fields of science, mostly biology and medicine, including the Covid-19 pandemic. We welcome undergraduates from all classes who are concentrating in any field: the natural and social sciences, humanities, or the arts. There are no prerequisites, other than an interest in how the scientific enterprise works and interacts with other components of our society.
The course addresses a wide array of topics, such as: why do people choose a scientific career? why do governments and other funders support scientific work? how does science fail? why is there widespread skepticism about science? how is it represented in the arts? how are results disseminated, evaluated, and legally protected? Assignments-- mainly short articles (from newspapers and journals) and book chapters, but also a few films and novels --will be provided for each class, and every student will undertake a term project of their own choosing, with oral and written presentations, after consultations with the instructor.
- TR 4:10 p.m.-5:25 p.m.
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Instructor:
Harold Varmus
Wikipedia Info - 3 points
INTRO BIO II:CELL BIO,DEV/PHYS
Prerequisites: BIOL UN2005, or the instructors permission. Lecture and recitation. Recommended second term of biology for majors in biology and related majors, and for premedical students. Cellular biology and development; physiology of cells and organisms. SPS, Barnard, and TC students may register for this course, but they must first obtain the written permission of the instructor, by filling out a paper Registration Adjustment Form (Add/Drop form). The form can be downloaded at the URL below, but must be signed by the instructor and returned to the office of the registrar.
http://registrar.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/reg-adjustment.pdf
. Students must register for a recitation section BIOL UN2016.
- TR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
- TR 4:10 p.m.-5:25 p.m.
- 4 points
CONTMP BIO II:CELL BIO,DEV,PHYS
Prerequisites: a course in college chemistry and BIOL UN2005 or BIOL UN2401, or the written permission of either the instructor or the premedical adviser. Cellular biology and development; physiology of cells and organisms. Same lectures as BIOL UN2006, but recitation is optional. For a detailed description of the differences between the two courses, see the course web site or http://www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/ug/advice/faqs/gs.html. SPS, Barnard, and TC students may register for this course, but they must first obtain the written permission of the instructor, by filling out a paper Registration Adjustment Form (Add/Drop form). The form can be downloaded at the URL below, but must be signed by the instructor and returned to the office of the registrar. http://registrar.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/reg-adjustment.pdf
- TR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
- TR 4:10 p.m.-5:25 p.m.
- 3 points
PHYSIOLOGY
In this primarily human physiology course, we will discuss how the major organ systems function, with an emphasis on cellular, molecular, and physical mechanisms. Organ systems covered include musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory, urinary, and digestive systems. Traditional lectures focus primarily on the normal functioning of organ systems, while pathophysiology is introduced through five case studies during the semester. After this course, students should be able to 1) describe the basic functioning of the major organ systems and how they contribute to homeostasis and health, 2) apply key concepts in physics and chemistry, such as flow, pressure/volume relationships, and mass action, to physiological systems, 3) use key concepts in molecular and cell biology to gain a mechanistic understanding of physiological processes, explain how organ systems work in an integrated way to achieve homeostasis and health, and 4) predict changes in organ function upon drug treatment, genetic mutation, or disease conditions.
- TR 1:10 p.m.-2:25 p.m.
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Instructor:
Ava E Brent
Info - 3 points
GENETICS
Prerequisites: BIOL UN2005 and BIOL UN2006. General genetics course focused on basic principles of transmission genetics and the application of genetic approaches to the study of biological function. Principles will be illustrated using classical and contemporary examples from prokaryote and eukaryote organisms, and the experimental discoveries at their foundation will be featured. Applications will include genetic approaches to studying animal development and human diseases. SPS and TC students must obtain the written permission from the instructor, by filling out a Registration Adjustment Form (Add/Drop form). https://www.registrar.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/reg-adjustment.pdf
- TR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
- 3 points
PROJECT LAB-MOLECULAR GENETICS
Multicellular animals contain a diverse array of cell types, yet start from a single cell. How do cells decide what kind of cell to be? In this lab course, we will use the tools of molecular biology and genetics to explore this fascinating question. We will use the nematode
Caenorhabditis elegans
, a powerful model organism used in hundreds of research labs. The course will be divided into three modules:
C. elegans
genetics, molecular cloning, and genetic screening. Laboratory techniques will include PCR, gel electrophoresis, restriction digest, ligation, transformation, RNAi, and
C. elegans
maintenance. Students will pursue original projects; emphasis will be placed on scientific thinking and scientific communication. SPS and TC students may register for this course, but they must first obtain the written permission of the instructor, by filling out a paper Registration Adjustment Form (Add/Drop form). Prerequisites: UN2005/UN2401 and UN2006/UN2402, or the equivalent at a different institution.
- MW 12:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
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Instructor:
Michelle Attner
Info - 5 points
Biochemistry
Prerequisites: 1 year of Introductory Biology, 1 year General Chemistry, and 1st semester Organic Chemistry. Biochemistry is the study of the chemical processes within organisms that give rise to the immense complexity of life. This complexity emerges from a highly regulated and coordinated flow of chemical energy from one biomolecule to another. This course serves to familiarize students with the spectrum of biomolecules (carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, nucleic acids, etc.) as well as the fundamental chemical processes (glycolysis, citric acid cycle, fatty acid metabolism, etc.) that allow life to happen. The course will end with a discussion of diseases that have biochemical etiologies. In particular, this course will employ active learning techniques and critical thinking problem-solving to engage students in answering the question: how is the complexity of life possible? NOTE: While only the 1st semester of Organic Chemistry is listed as a pre-requisite, it is highly recommended that you take all of Organic Chemistry beforehand.
- T 7 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
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Instructor:
Danny N Ho
CULPA: 7 Info - 3 points
INDEP BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
Prerequisites: Concurrent with registering for this course, a student must register with the department and provide a written invitation from a mentor; details of this procedure are available at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/courses/w3500/index.htm. Students must register for recitations UN3510 or consult the instructor. Corequisites: BIOL UN3510 The course involves independent study, faculty-supervised laboratory projects in contemporary biology. Concurrent with registering for this course, a student must register with the department, provide a written invitation from a mentor and submit a research proposal; details of this procedure are available at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/biology/courses/w3500/index.htm. A paper summarizing results of the work is required by the last day of finals for a letter grade; no late papers will be accepted. See the course web site (above) for more details. Students can take anywhere from 2-4 points for this course.
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Instructor:
Ron M Prywes
CULPA: 2 Info - 2-4 points
INDEP BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH - REC
- T 5:40 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
- W 5:40 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
- T 4:10 p.m.-5 p.m.
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Instructor:
Ron M Prywes
CULPA: 2 Info - 0 points
ADVANCED GENETIC ANALYSIS
Prerequisites: for undergraduates: Introductory Genetics (W3031) and the instructors permission. This seminar course provides a detailed presentation of areas in classical and molecular genetics for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students. Topics include transmission genetics, gain and loss of function mutations, genetic redundancy, suppressors, enhancers, epistasis, expression patterns, using transposons, and genome analysis. The course is a mixture of lectures, student presentations, seminar discussions, and readings from the original literature.
- M 1:10 p.m.-4 p.m.
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Instructor:
Martin Chalfie
CULPA: 6 Wikipedia Info - 3 points
ANCIENT AND MODERN RNA WORLDS
Ancient and Modern RNA Wo
RNA has recently taken center stage with the discovery that RNA molecules sculpt the landscape and information contained within our genomes. Furthermore, some ancient RNA molecules combine the roles of both genotype and phenotype into a single molecule. These multi-tasking RNAs offering a possible solution to the paradox of which came first: DNA or proteins. This seminar explores the link between modern RNA, metabolism, and insights into a prebiotic RNA world that existed some 3.8 billion years ago. Topics include the origin of life, replication, and the origin of the genetic code; conventional, new, and bizarre forms of RNA processing; structure, function and evolution of key RNA molecules, including the ribosome, and RNA therapeutics including vaccines. The format will be weekly seminar discussions with presentations. Readings will be taken from the primary literature, emphasizing seminal and recent literature. Requirements will be student presentations, class participation, and a final paper.
- W 10:10 a.m.-noon
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Instructor:
Laura Landweber
Wikipedia Info - 3 points
ETHICS IN BIOPHARM PAT/REG LAW
This course – the first of its kind at Columbia – introduces students to a vital subfield of ethics focusing on patent and regulatory law in the biotech and pharmaceutical sectors. The course combines lectures, structured debate, and research to best present this fascinating and nuanced subject. Properly exploring this branch of bioethics requires an in-depth understanding of biotech and pharmaceutical patent and regulatory law. Students can gain this understanding by first completing Biotechnology Law (BIOT GU4160), formerly the prerequisite for this course. Now, they can also gain it by reading the appropriate chapters of
Biotechnology Law: A Primer for Scientists
(the textbook for BIOT GU4160 published earlier this year) prior to each class. A number of students in the biotechnology fields (such as those in biotechnology, biomedical engineering, and bioethics programs) have shown a keen interest over the years in taking this course, yet were unable to do so because they hadn’t taken BIOT GU4160. Given the recent publication of
Biotechnology Law
and the desirability of making BIOT GU4161 accessible to more students having the appropriate science background, BIOT GU4160 has been removed as a prerequisite.
- W 6:10 p.m.-8 p.m.
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Instructor:
Alan J Morrison
Info - 3 points
Molecular Biology
Prerequisites: one year of biology. This is a lecture course designed for advanced undergraduates and graduate students. The focus is on understanding at the molecular/biochemical level how genetic information is stored within the cell, how it is replicated and expressed, and how it is regulated. Topics covered include genome organization, DNA replication and repair, transcription, RNA processing, and translation. This course will also emphasize the critical analysis of the scientific literature and help students understand how to identify important biological problems and how to address them experimentally. SPS and TC students may register for this course, but they must first obtain the written permission of the instructor, by filling out a paper Registration Adjustment Form (Add/Drop form). The form can be downloaded at the URL below, but must be signed by the instructor and returned to the office of the registrar.
http://registrar.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/reg-adjustment.pdf
- MW 2:40 p.m.-3:55 p.m.
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Instructor:
Alice Heicklen
CULPA: 15 Info - 3 points
A Structural View of Biology
The course covers a general introduction to the theory and experimental techniques of structural biology (protein expression and purification, protein crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance) and then how to use the structural information to understand biochemical and biological processes. The first part of the course will cover the general introduction to structural biology. The second part of the course will involve discussions and explorations of various structures, led by the instructor but with substantial participation from the students, to understand the molecular mechanisms of selected biochemical and biological processes. In the final part of the course, each student will select and lead discussions on a primary structural biology paper. The overall goal of the course is to increase the understanding of how protein structures are determined, what protein structures look like, and how to use the structures to understand biology.
- TR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
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Instructor:
Liang Tong
CULPA: 8 Wikipedia h-index: 85 Info - 3 points
From Curiosity to Cure Case Studies
Case Studies in Cool Bioc
Course overview: The goal of this course is to engage upper-level undergraduates and beginning graduate students in an immersive intellectual experience at the intersection of rigorous scientific inquiry and the history of innovation in molecular biology. The central theme will be curiosity and critical thinking as the twin drivers of both technological innovation and scientific discovery. The course will be divided into a series of modules focused on analysis and presentation of original research papers related to one important breakthrough in molecular biology that occurred during the past century. A prominent theme of the course will be the persistently unpredictable trajectory linking technical research and methodological developments to breakthrough science. Approximately six-to-eight original research papers will be covered in each module, spanning topics from the development of the methods that made the breakthrough possible through practical application of the resulting knowledge.
Three or four of the following breakthroughs will likely be covered in 2023:
Discovery and clinical application of insulin by Banting & Best.
Development of the Trikafta triple drug treatment for cystic fibrosis.
Development of CRISPR for human genetic engineering.
Genetics and pharmacological treatment of human hyperlipidemia.
Development of the Gleevec tyrosine kinase inhibitor to cure Ph+ leukemias.
Development of “next-generation” nucleic acid sequencing methods.
Genetics
Prerequisites: BIOL UN2005 and BIOL UN2006 or the equivalent. General genetics course focused on basic principles of transmission genetics and the application of genetic approaches to the study of biological function. Principles will be illustrated using classical and contemporary examples from prokaryote and eukaryote organisms, and the experimental discoveries at their foundation will be featured. Applications will include genetic approaches to studying animal development and human diseases. All students must get permission from the instructor to be added from the waitlist.
- TR 10:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m.
- 3 points
Intro to Management Principles - Applica
Intro Biopharma Mgmt Prin
Students in the MA in Biotechnology Program at Columbia commonly go on to pursue careers in the biopharmaceutical industry. The departmental training focus is technical. However, a basic understanding of management principles can be highly beneficial for optimizing job performance as well as for job advancement, and is commonly a challenging new skill to be mastered by new technical hires in the biopharmaceutical industry.
This course has two components: 1) a survey of the basic elements of management education and 2) a series of actual cases taken from the biopharmaceutical industry which will allow students to see how the basic management principles they have learned are applied.
The cases cover a range of business areas with an emphasis on the effects of business decisions on R&D operations and productivity. Cases will involve strategies for R&D management, strategies for business operation/expansion, issues of licensing /acquisition versus in house discovery of new products, generics versus brand name proprietary drug businesses, managing mergers and acquisitions and entrepreneurship.
Cases will be rigorously discussed and debated in class. There is no single route to good management practice or corporate success, so in many instances diametrically opposed opinions will both have merit. As some students will have had workplace exposure, students should bring such experience and knowledge to case discussions. The course will thus be in good part taught using the Socratic Method.
- F 12:10 p.m.-2 p.m.
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Instructor:
Donald Kirsch
Info - 3 points
WRITING FOR THE BIOLOGICAL SCI
This is a required science writing course for the PhD in Biological Sciences, open only to second year PhD. candidates in Biological Sciences. In this course, we will read examples of science writing from the recent literature, consider the strategies used by successful writers, and workshop student writing. The course will emphasize techniques for achieving clarity of thought and clear prose style while communicating science to other scientists. Students will write three short papers and two longer papers culminating in a Proposed Research Plan.
- W 4:10 p.m.-5:25 p.m.
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Instructor:
Meehan J Crist
Info - 2 points