Course overview/description:
Biotechnology is a rapidly evolving and highly multi-disciplinary field that impacts nearly every
aspect of our daily lives from the food we eat to the medicine we take. This one-semester, 3-
credit course provides an overview and integration of several disparate disciplines that together
define the field of cellular biotechnology. Topics this year will include: (1) commercialization
strategies and technology evaluation, (2) microtechnologies, (3) fluorescence and FRET, (4)
DNA repair and control of gene expression, (5), protein engineering, (6) translational control
mechanisms and assay development, (7) stem cells, tissue engineering, and regenerative
medicine, (8) gene editing technologies, (9) immune-bioengineering, and (10) drug delivery, and
(11) regulatory affairs.
Emphasis will be placed not only on the basic scientific and engineering principles behind the
growing field of biotechnology, but also on the entrepreneurial aspects of translating innovative
solutions into new commercial products.
This course is cross-listed with the Departments of Anatomy; Biological Chemistry; Microbiology
& Immunology; and Biomedical Engineering.
Course Requirements:
Grading criteria:
Student performance will be evaluated in three ways:
- Homework: Brief homework assignments (4) based on lecture content and supplemental
readings will be given out throughout the semester. 25% of the grade
- Class Participation: Attendance, questions asked, and comments made in class will be
tallied by the instructor. 25% of the grade
- Projects: The main assignment of this course is a team-based project consisting of
formulating, writing, and presenting an innovative biotechnological solution to a problem
that is related to, or incorporates, some of the topics discussed in class.
Students will be
assigned to small groups (-5/group). Proposals must be cross-disciplinary in approach,
include both business motivation and overview as well as scientific innovation in an NIH
SBIR format. Various milestones will be met through the term to keep groups on track
(more details forthcoming). 50% of the final grade