Genetic Engineering: Principles, Applications, and Designing the Future

Catalog description

This course aims to introduce the principles of genetic engineering with an emphasis on application and project design. In the first week, students will learn the fundamentals of cellular organization and function, with a focus on how genome content influences physiology, metabolism, and cellular compartmentalization. The second week will address opportunities and challenges across diverse organisms and introduce current paradigms for genome engineering in model microorganisms and multicellular eukaryotes. In the final week, students will select an organism and target pathway for genetic engineering, and use genomic (NCBI) and metabolic (Kegg, Microbecyc [e.g. Cyanocyc, EcoCyc, Chlamycyc]) databases in combination with in silico cloning tools (Benchling, Snapgene) to design a set of constructs to engineer metabolism in their organism of interest. Our goal is for students to come away with the skills to design sound genetic engineering projects from the ground up. The class will be a combination of lecture, project, and discussion. We will meet twice weekly for 90-minute sessions, and participants will be expected to make weekly progress toward a final genetic engineering proposal.