The course will introduce to the students most commonly used biophysical methods for
studying the molecular mechanism of complex diseases and therapy development. The emphasis will
be on protein misfolding diseases (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and prion), but diseases like cancer, viral
(HIV) and bacterial infections will be also discussed. Classical biophysical methods like x-ray
crystallography, NMR and cryoEM will be discussed, as well as, the most recent developments of the
cutting-edge methods. Some lectures will be presented by invited speakers who will talk about their
disease studies for which they apply a combination of biophysical, biochemical and molecular
techniques.
Course Requirements:
For Fall 2020: testing for the course will be synchronous and will consist of multiple choice, short answer, and assay questions that will be submitted via Canvas.
Biweekly problem-solving homework assignments, assigned readings, weekly quizzes, two exams (20 pts each), one final paper (5-7 pages)that critically explores the biophysical basis for a student-chosen human disease and discusses how an in-depth biophysical understanding of the disease process can help in the rational design of therapeutics. Students will also present their final papers in class (30 pts ).Intended Audience:
Upper-level undergraduates and graduate students in the biological, biophysical, and biochemical sciences.
Class Format:
This course welcomes students who choose to participate entirely online but will be offered in a hybrid format with some in-person instruction. The weekly lectures will be synchronous through Bluejeans/Zoom. The lectures will be also recorded and made available asynchronously. The classes will also be archived with Kultura video.