Course 

Name

Research Methodology in Biotechnology

LSC 511

This course is dedicated to teaching students basic research methodologies, as applied to the biological sciences, based on a solid theoretical framework and an educationally sound learning procedure. Students will be provided with practical suggestions on various aspects of the research process to guide them from problem selection to writing a completed research report. Major topics covered in this course include recognizing good research, tools of research, selecting research problems, literature search, planning research design, design and execution of experiments, reporting research results and communicating information. Students will also learn the approaches for collecting and analyzing experimental data as well as the statistical techniques for analyzing quantitative data. Application of the principles learned in this course will be immediately applied to the students' own research projects, as each student will be required to write a research proposal for the project of their choice.   

Bioscience Communication

LSC 522

The goal of this course is to develop the students’ skills in communicating their ideas to other researchers and scientific peers. Students will be presented with effective strategies for improving their written and verbal communication skills. The course focuses on practicing scientific writing, giving oral presentations and evaluating research publications. Students will hone their expertise on the effective communication of research results in the form of written publications, oral presentations, PowerPoint presentations and scientific posters. At the end of the course, the students will give presentations of research topics that they select under the guidance of their instructor. The students must also write up their oral presentations in the form of a scientific paper.

Current Concepts and Techniques in Biotechnology

LSC 520

This Course Provides a general introduction to the field of biotechnology that will help the students develop a broad understanding of the scientific, political, ethical and legal issues that have driven the development of the biotechnology industry.  Discussion Focuses primarily on the research trends and methodologies currently exploited within the field along with the impact of these endeavors in the areas of industry, agriculture, health and environment.  Students will also be introduced to the ethical issues surrounding contemporary bio-techniques, such as genetic testing, cloning and stem cells research, which help shape policy regarding different applications of biotechnology.

Experimental Biochemistry

LSC 531

This Course focuses on providing the student with a thorough theoretical and practical exposure to current biochemical techniques as applied to the isolation, purification, a characterization of major classes of biologically important compounds.  Topics covered include, biochemical calculations, quantification of protein concentration, spectrophotometry of biomolecules, enzymatic methods of analysis, overview of protein overview of protein purification, separation and identification of biomolecules by chromatography, characterization of biomolecules by electrophoretic methods, radioisotopes in biochemistry and centrifugation.  The practical part provides students with hands-on experience in the following techniques and instruments spectrophotometry, chromatography, electrophoresis, electrochemical techniques, centrifugation, filtration, protein blotting, TLC, HPLC, GC, flame emission and atomic absorption spectroscopy.

Cell Biology and Genetics

LSC 532

The course provides the fundamentals of structural and functional organization of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, the relationship between the different organelles and their function.  The course covers cell cycle, replication, the genetic makeup of chromosomes, genes, and transferable genetic elements and their essential role in heredity.  Students will gain knowledge on the causes of gene dysfunction due to mutations, chromosomal aberrations, chromosomal disjunction and DNA repair mechanisms.   In addition, the course covers the basis of Mendelian and extranuclear inheritance, molecular and biochemical basis of heredity and population genetics.

Techniques in Molecular Biology

LSC 533

This course is designed to give students experience in recombinant DNA techniques and introduce them to principles and research methodologies of modem molecular biology.  Techniques include:  genomic DNA and plasmid isolation, restriction analysis, DNA fragments ligation, DNA labeling, and DNA electrophoresis; bacteria transformation, cloning, screening for clones and DNA sequencing; Southern and northern Blot hybridization; polymerase chain reactions (PCR), primer design, RT-PCR and microarray technology as well as DNA analysis in forensic science.

Bioinformatics I

LSC 630

The course provides the latest techniques used in information technology to access huge databases from different organisms containing DNA, RNA and protein sequences.  The students will learn how to retrieve these data from public and private data banks and identify key information regarding nucleic acids and proteins.  The course provides students with hands on experience using special software to execute reverse genetics by looking for DNA open reading frames, conserved sequences, sequence homology analysis, pair-wise and multiple sequence alignment, construction of DNA- & protein-based phylogenic relationship, design primers for research and perform restriction analysis.  The course emphasizes the integration of basic and applied knowledge on genome projects in particular, human gene mapping, molecular cloning, large-scale restriction mapping, DNA sequencing and computational analysis, and 3-dimensional structures of potential genes.

Health Biotechnology

Immunology

LSC HB 630

The course provides students with the concepts of basic and clinical immunology as well as immunological techniques.   The course covers mechanisms of innate immunity, the inflammatory response, and specific immunity.  In addition, the course covers antigen antibody structure and function, cells, tissues and organs of the immune system, antigen presentation, B & T cell receptors, cytokines and their receptors and immunological tolerance.  The course covers immunity to different pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites, the concepts of vaccination, tumor immunology, Immunogenetics, congenital and acquired immunodeficiencies, types of hypersensitivity, transplantation and rejection and autoimmunity.  Additionally, the students will gain experience with various immunologic techniques used in research and biotechnology laboratories.   Students will be introduced to antibody generation, antibody generation, antibody purification, affinity purification, different formats of immunoassays, immunofluoresence, immunocytochemistry, flowcytometry, western blot analysis, and cytokine assays.   Additional topics including hybridoma technology, phage antibody libraries, and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies will be covered in this course. 

Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

LSC HB 631

This course covers an overview of pathogenic microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, and fungi.  Students are introduced to the general concepts concerning the morphology, genetics, and reproduction of these microbial agents.   Lectures focus on microbial pathogenesis in a system-by-system format.  The course covers molecular and biochemical characteristics of these organisms, and modern molecular and serological identification methods.   Students will be introduced to issues of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, newly emerging pathogens, and the current efforts in development of vaccines and powerful antibiotics and treatment and preventative measures.

Molecular Diagnostics

LSC HB 632

This course covers basic concepts and practical applications of modern laboratory diagnostic techniques.  The course introduces current techniques in molecular biology used to identify the molecular defects implicated in inherited diseases.  The course explores the advantages and drawbacks of techniques including:   RFLP, hybridization, cytogenetics, different versions of PCR including Real Time PCR technology,   Allele-Specific oligonucleotide (SSO), protein analysis, Microarray technology, DNA sequencing, Pre-implantation and pre-natal diagnosis methods, laboratory safety, diagnostic laboratory accreditation, and quality control and quality assurance in diagnostic labs 

Modern Therapeutics

LSC HB 633

This course focuses on the latest advances in medical treatment using gene delivery systems (viral and non-viral), applications of gene therapy in disease states such as monogenic deficiencies.  The students will gain knowledge on the progress in this field, types of gene therapy for human genetic diseases, their advantages and drawbacks and the lessons learned since since its clinical trials started fifteen years ago.   In addition, the course will cover methods of isolation of stem cells, stem cell plasticity, the creation of human adult and embryonic stem cells, and the potential of having universal stem cells.  In addition, the course provides students with the latest on targeted therapies such as immunotherapy, humanized antibodies, and xeno-transplantation.

Tissue Culture and Hybridoma Technology

LSC HB 634

This course covers the basic principles and techniques in cell isolation from different sources, culturing and maintaining cells, studying the Characteristics and the requirements to grow cell lines for research and industrial applications.  The students are introduced to sterile media Preparation, safety levels in cultivation of Primary cells and cell lines, detection of contamination, cryopreservation, and cell manipulation such as transfection, and introduction to bioassays.  Also the course covers cell fusion and hybridoma technology including genetic complementation and the production of monoclonal antibodies

Genetics in Medicine

LSC HB 635

The course integrates advances in human genetics to major development in molecular medicine and biotechnology.   The course provides the student with basics on inheritance patterns in genetic diseases, establishing pedigrees, biochemical and molecular basis of inheritance, relevance of cell division to genetic disorders, analysis of predisposition factors, immunogenetics, cancer genetics and animal models.  Prevalent genetic diseases in our area will be discussed and ways to minimize it as well as genetic counseling, ethics, risk assessment and current approaches to treatment and prevention of genetic disorders.

Signal Transduction Pathways

LSC HB 636

The course is intended to explore common switches in cells such as phosphorylation, dephosphorylation, proteolysis and the signal transduction pathways that coordinate cellular activities and their control by diffusible chemicals such as peptide growth factors, hormones and cytokines.  The course provides an overview of the classical pathways during activation by tyrosine kinases and G protein-linked receptors, steroid hormone action, calcium sensing, integrin signaling, chemotaxis, and cytoplasmic and unclear communication.  Students will gain knowledge on the molecular mechanisms involved in cell response, changes in gene expression, and subsequent events; both in normal conditions and in disease. 

Biosensors and Rapid Diagnostic Technology

LSC HB 637

The course is an overview of the current and latest knowledge on principles of biologically based sensing elements, interfacing techniques and rapid diagnostics.  The course covers the basics of commonly used biosensors in laboratory medicine and the ways in which they can be connected to a variety of transducers to create complete biosensors for biomedical applications.   Focus will be on optical, electrochemical and fiber optics biosensors, sensor sensitivity, selectivity, reusability, stability and response.  Students will be exposed to non-invasive diagnostic technologies, point of care rapid diagnostics, biochips, Microarray technology, and Real Time PCR technology usage in diagnosis.

Medical Virology

LSC HB 638

The course provides a comprehensive overview of the cellular, molecular, clinical and biotechnological aspects of viruses.   Viral interaction with host cells starting with attachment, penetration, genetic material release, synthesis and assembly and particle release will be covered.  Specific areas of the viral families, genomic structure, virus cycle, pathogenesis, immunity against viruses, mechanisms by which viruses evade the immune system, viral vaccines and antiviral drugs will be discussed.  Additionally, the course will expose the students to the uses of viruses in biotechnology such as viral vectors in gene therapy.

Selected Topics In Medical Biotechnology

LSC HB 649

The most recent advances, major achievements, current research activities and future application of medical biotechnology will be introduced in this course.  The design and content of this course is to be recommended by the academic advisor