Despite decades of research on lipid homeostasis and its relationship to heart health, the role of lipids in the development and progression of neurological diseases has not been thoroughly explored. Patients with neurodegenerative diseases often present with dyslipidemia, and a recent study in mice suggests that dietary manipulation of serum cholesterol concentrations can dramatically affect the degree of myelination in the brain and progression of neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of our research is to understand how lipid profiles predict the development and progression of MS. We hypothesize that elevated systemic cholesterol may play a role in determining the rate of central nervous system demyelination that occurs in MS and aim to identify novel mechanisms of disease progression.
MCDB 1171 - Antibiotics Discovery Through Hands-on Screens I
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018 / Fall 2019 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022 / Spring 2023
Provides introductory research and laboratory experience. Students will work in teams to screen small molecule libraries for novel antibiotics using the bacterium Salmonella as a model system. Topics covered include the basic biology of the model system, genetics, approaches to screening for new therapeutics, statistical analysis of the data, compound verification and lead compound development. Recommended prerequisite or corequisite: MCBD 1150 or EBIO 1210.
MCDB 2171 - Drug Discovery Through Hands-On Screens 2
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2018 / Spring 2019 / Spring 2020 / Spring 2021 / Spring 2022
Provides introductory research and laboratory experience. Students will work in teams to screen molecule libraries using fruit flies as a model system. Topics covered include the basic biology of the model system, genetics, approaches to screening for new therapeutics, statistical analysis of the data, compound verification and lead compound development. Recommended prerequisite or corequisite: MCBD 1150 or EBIO 1210.
MCDB 3010 - Undergraduate Teaching in Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2018 / Fall 2018 / Spring 2019 / Fall 2019 / Spring 2020 / Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 / Fall 2021 / Spring 2022 / Fall 2022 / Spring 2023
To address the need for more advanced and continued participation in course-based research, MCDB 3010 is designed to train students who have taken MCDB 1171 or MCDB 2171 or MCDB 4202 as teaching assistants. The aim is to enhance the students' experience and responsibilities in course-based research and to prepare them for research and mentorship in a departmental or graduate laboratory. May be repeated up to 4 total credit hours.
MCDB 4202 - The Python Project
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2018 / Fall 2018 / Spring 2019 / Fall 2019 / Spring 2021
Studies how python hearts grow after they consume a meal. Understanding the molecular processes of growth and regression in the python heart could lead to development of therapeutics for heart disease. Students work in groups in the laboratory and generate novel data by using modern molecular biology and bioinformatic techniques to clone and sequence candidate molecules of the python genome. May be repeated once. Recommended prerequisites: MCDB 3135 and MCDB 3145 (minimum grade C-).
MCDB 4777 - Molecular Neurobiology
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2020 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Spring 2022 / Fall 2022 / Spring 2023 / Fall 2023 / Spring 2024
Introduces the functional anatomy of the nervous system and explores current knowledge regarding the molecular and genetic basis of the development and function of the nervous system. Studies recent insights into the molecular basis of neurodegenerative diseases, in the last portion of the course. Same as MCDB 5777.
MCDB 5777 - Molecular Neurobiology
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2020 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Spring 2022 / Fall 2022 / Fall 2023 / Spring 2024
Introduces the functional anatomy of the nervous system and explores current knowledge regarding the molecular and genetic basis of the development and function of the nervous system. Studies recent insights into the molecular basis of neurodegenerative diseases, in the last portion of the course. Same as MCDB 4777.
