Genetics and Molecular Biology BIOL 2301-01, Fall 2017

M, W, Th: 4:35 pm 5:40 pm

Science Engineering Complex 102

Professor: Dr. Anthony DOnofrio a.donofrio@neu.edu

Office: Mugar Hall 321 Hours: Monday and Wednesday: 1:30 pm 2:30 pm

Required Textbook: Essential Genetics: A Genomics Perspective, Fifth or Sixth Edition by Hartl.

Course Prerequisites:
BIOL 1101 or BIOL 1111
CHEM 1103
Course Co-requisites:
BIOL 2302

Tutoring: If you need help beyond the professors and TAs office hours, please go onto
myneu for information about tutoring.

Labs: See the lab syllabus for times and locations of lab sections. The lab is a separate course.

Student goals of the class, both lecture and lab:

Describe how the techniques of genetics and molecular biology are used in basic
research, clinical research, and biotechnology.
Solve quantitative genetics problems including the use of scientific notation and basic
statistics.
Apply analytical thinking and problem solving skills to logic puzzles in genetics.
Form hypotheses, propose experiments to test them, and interpret data.

The core curriculum: This course is an approved intermediate level course in modes of
thought that allow abstraction, application and synthesis of information in the Mathematical
and Analytical Thinking category. The course also satisfies A&S Core requirement: Analysis.

Grading:
NOTE: the lecture (BIOL 2301) and lab (BIOL 2302) now have completely separate grades, by
department policy.
The lecture is graded according to the following scheme:
Midterms 50% (There are three midterms. The lowest grade will be dropped, with
the best two exams worth 25% each)
Class response 10%
Final 40% THE FINAL IS CUMULATIVE

Note: There will be no extra credit given beyond the grade points described in this syllabus.

Class response questions: During most lectures you will be asked to answer questions or solve
problems related to concepts covered in that lecture using a remote response system. You will
receive 3/4 of a point for answering each question and another 1/4 of a point for answering
correctly. There is no make-up work for class response questions missed due to non-
emergency absences. Do not use another students response account (see Cheating Policy
below). See additional information on Blackboard to learn about the Top Hat System.

Grading Scale:
Students earn the letter grade shown for the following percentage points earned:

A 93% C 73%
A- 90% C- 70%
B+ 87% D+ 67%
B 83% D 63%
B- 80% D- 60%
C+ 77%

A note on grading policy: College of Science students (for example, Biology, BNS or Biochem
majors) only fail a Biology course with an "F". Any other grade (A to D-) is a passing grade and
students will not have to retake the course to get their degree in Biology, BNS or Biochemistry.
Students do need a 2.000 average in all their math/science courses (Biology department
requirement) as well as a 2.000 average overall (University requirement). Bouv College
requires students to retake Biology courses in which they don't get a C. I intend to use the
whole grading range.

Exam format: Each test will include standard content/concept multiple choice drawn from the
lecture material and assigned reading, and problem solving and data analysis based on the
suggested homework problems including those in the book and those posted on blackboard.
You are encouraged to bring a calculator. The final exam will be approximately 50% on the
material covered after Midterm Exam 3, with the remainder cumulative (material covered
throughout the course).

Missed Exams Policy: There will be no make-ups for missed exams. Please make every effort
not to miss exams. If you know you are going to have a conflict please let me know ASAP! If
you have an emergency, or a documented excuse, you can substitute your final exam grade for
the exam you miss.

Honor Code: Please familiarize yourself with Northeastern University's Student Handbook.
https://issuu.com/northeasternuniversity/docs/studenthandbook2015

Cheating Policy: Honesty, integrity, and ethical behavior are of utmost importance in science.
Anyone caught cheating (for example, copying or sharing answers during tests) will receive a
zero on that test, and be referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution.
Dont give someone else access to your class response account! Dont access someone elses
class response account! This is cheating! Operating more than one system will result in loss of
ALL class response points for both students! Please make sure you have read and understand
the student code of conduct: http://issuu.com/northeasternuniversity/docs/code_of_conduct_5-29?e=2831976/13566121%20

Attendance policy: Attendance at lectures is strongly recommended. Answering class

response questions will keep you on track with the material, test your comprehension, and
earn you points. Also, lectures will usually include material not covered in the book. Although
they will be available on blackboard, my power point slides tend not to have a lot of text on
them, so you will need to take notes. Please try to arrive on time for lecture. If the room is
large, please sit towards the front. If you do have to be late, please try to come in
unobtrusively.

How to do well in this course: In general, students should spend roughly two hours of their
own time on review and study for every hour in class, and therefore, this course requires a
significant time commitment per week. Read and outline the assigned material BEFORE class.
Attend class and take notes on the PowerPoint slides. After class, review your notes from the
readings and from class. Memorizing factoids is not going to be sufficient. Doing well in
genetics requires the ability to integrate mathematical analysis with a firm understanding of
biological events. This is difficult! The best way to gain this skill is to work a lot of problems.
There are problems at the end of each chapter, and more practice problems will be provided
on Blackboard. Working in study groups can really be helpful in solving genetics homework
problems and mastering the material. If you are stuck, please, come to my office hours.

Cell Phones: Please silence cell phones during lecture. If you have some emergency situation
for which you must answer your cell phone on during class time, please come and discuss this
with me before the class period. Absolutely no phones/tablets/laptops/etc. during tests.

Schedule of Lectures and Exams: This schedule may change slightly during the course of the
class, as certain sections may progress at different rates.

Date Topic
Wednesday, Sept 06, 2017 Intro
Thursday, Sept 07, 2017 Mendel I

Monday, Sept 11, 2017 Mendel II / Intro to Sanger and NextGen Sequencing
Wednesday, Sept 13, 2017 Meiosis and Mitosis
Thursday, Sept 14, 2017 DNA

Monday, Sept 18, 2017 Chromosome Structure

Wednesday, Sept 19, 2017 DNA Polymorphisms
Thursday, Sept 21, 2017 Human Chromosomes and Behavior

Monday, Sept 25, 2017 DNA Structure and Replication

Wednesday, Sept 27, 2017 Bacterial Genetics
Thursday, Sept 29, 2017 Review

Monday, Oct 02, 2017 Midterm Exam I

Wednesday, Oct 04, 2017 Transcription and Splicing
Thursday, Oct 05, 2017 Transcription and Splicing / Translation

Monday, Oct 09, 2017 No Class Columbus Day

Wednesday, Oct 11, 2017 Translation and Folding
Thursday, Oct 12, 2017 Translation and Folding

Monday, Oct 16, 2017 Prokaryotic Regulation

Wednesday, Oct 18, 2017 Prokaryotic / Eukaryotic regulation
Thursday, Oct 19, 2017 Small RNA Regulation

Monday, Oct 23, 2017 Sanger Sequencing / Next Gen Intro

Wednesday, Oct 25, 2017 Review
Thursday, Oct 26, 2017 Midterm Exam II

Monday, Oct 30, 2017 Molecular Cloning Basics / Recombinant DNA Technology
Wednesday, Nov 01, 2017 Molecular Cloning Basics / Recombinant DNA Technology
Thursday, Nov 02, 2017 Genomics

Monday, Nov 06, 2017 Genomics

Wednesday, Nov 08, 2017 Synthetic Biology
Thursday, Nov 09, 2017 CRISPR

Monday, Nov 13, 2017 CRISPR

Wednesday, Nov 15, 2017 Review
Thursday, Nov 16, 2017 Midterm Exam III

Monday, Nov 20, 2017 GMO / Mutations and DNA Repair

Wednesday, Nov 22, 2017 No Class, Thanksgiving
Thursday, Nov 23, 2017 No Class, Thanksgiving

Monday, Nov 27, 2017 Next Gen Sequencing Technologies

Wednesday, Nov 29, 2017 Next Gen Sequencing Technologies
Thursday, Nov 30, 2017 Molecular Evolution

Monday, Dec 04, 2017 Population Genetics

Wednesday, Dec 06, 2017 Review

Final Exam, TBD