Have you ever thought the best way to learn about science is to do it? Would you like to isolate a virus? In BMB 205S, students will learn about the nature of science by taking part in a research project conducted entirely by first-year students. In this Course-Based Research Experience (CURE), you will isolate a virus, called a phage, that infects bacteria. After naming and purifying your virus, you will extract the genomic DNA and take an image with an electron microscope. At the end of the summer, we will send the genomic DNA for sequencing, and it will be used in further scientific study and contribute to the body of scientific knowledge. If you would like to continue working on the project, there will be opportunities to continue research in the Fall and Spring semesters through other CURE courses. BMB 205S counts as a student’s first-year seminar requirement.
SC 125N charts the history of disease both as a subject of scientific inquiry and a cultural and religious phenomenon. We will begin with early Greek and Egyptian attempts to understand disease as a foreign entity attacking the body and end in the twenty-first century with current ideas surrounding the use of antibiotics, vaccines, and emerging threats throughout the world. Along the way we will discuss the impact of significant epidemics - for example, Bubonic Plague, Syphilis, and Influenza - as well as changing scientific thinking of both how to deal with disease and how to understand the natural world. In tandem with the historical background key scientific ideas necessary for studying disease - including current understanding of the microbial world, microscopy techniques, and modern gene theory - will be presented to the students through classroom instruction and virtual laboratories.
This pride is reserved for students enrolled in the Eberly College of Science or the Division of Undergraduate Studies.