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Publications in VIVO
 

Sawyer, Sara

Professor

Positions

Research Areas research areas

Research

research overview

  • The Sawyer lab studies viral immunity, viral evolution, and the transmission of viruses from animals to people.

keywords

  • virology and evolution

Publications

selected publications

Teaching

courses taught

  • BCHM 6901 - Research in Biochemistry
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2022 / Spring 2023
    May be repeated up to 15 total credit hours.
  • MCDB 3160 - Infectious Disease
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2018 / Fall 2019 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022 / Fall 2023
    Illustrate how cutting edge tools in genomics can be used to study, monitor and cure disease caused by new and re-emerging human pathogens such as SARS/MERS, Ebola virus, Neisseria meningitides, influenza virus and malaria parasites. Technologies covered will include genome sequencing, annotation, transcriptomics, phylogenetics and genotyping of microbial populations. An integrated approach to this topic will be presented, with these concepts threaded throughout: natural history and evolution of pathogens, molecular biology, immunology, epidemiology, public health and clinical diagnosis. There may be some overlap with material covered in MCDB 1030 and MCDB 4750.
  • MCDB 5201 - Graduate Lab in Molecular Evolution
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2018
    Ever wonder what functional clues might reside in the DNA sequence of your favorite gene? In this course, graduate students will learn the fundamentals of phylogenetics with an emphasis on evolutionary models that infer selective pressures in protein-coding DNA sequences (genes). During the course, students will be working on their favorite gene and using it as a case study for applying all of the concepts that we will cover. By the end of the course they will have generated a publication-quality summary figure, along with appropriate supplemental figures, of the selective pressures shaping their favorite gene. Additionally, they will learn how to design and execute an experimental approach based off of findings from the evolutionary analysis.
  • MCDB 6000 - Introduction to Laboratory Methods
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2019 / Spring 2020 / Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 / Fall 2021 / Spring 2022 / Spring 2023 / Spring 2024 / Fall 2024
    Introduces methodology and techniques used in biological research. Designed as a tutorial between a few students and one faculty member. Students are expected to read original research papers, discuss findings, and to plan and execute experiments in selected areas. May be repeated up to 15 total credit hours.

Background

awards and honors

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