Course Schedule - Spring Semester 2020

     

Meeting location information can now be found on student schedules in ESTHER (for students) or on the Course Roster in ESTHER (for faculty and instructors).
Additional information available here.

COLL 120 001 (CRN: 24128)

SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY

Long Title: SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY FOR REAL WORLD APPLICATIONS (DUNCAN)
Department: College Courses
Instructor: Cherif, Zakaria Y.
Meeting: 7:00PM - 8:00PM W (13-JAN-2020 - 24-APR-2020) 
Part of Term: Full Term - No WL Purge
Grade Mode: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
Course Type: Seminar
Language of Instruction: Taught in English
Method of Instruction: Face to Face
Credit Hours: 1
Course Syllabus:
Course Materials: Rice Campus Store
 
Restrictions:
Must be enrolled in one of the following Level(s):
Undergraduate Professional
Visiting Undergraduate
Undergraduate
Section Max Enrollment: 19
Section Enrolled: 12
Enrollment data as of: 5-DEC-2024 7:10AM
 
Additional Fees: None
 
Final Exam: No Final Exam
Final Exam Time:
2-MAY-2020  
7:00PM - 10:00PM S
 
Description: Synthetic biology is a mixture of engineering and biology which emphasizes applications to the real world. Whether it be using artificial, small bacteria to clean water, genetically engineering crops to resist harsh climates, or even creating medicine through the help of microorganisms, all these actions are examples of synthetic biology being put to use. How can we use synthetic biology to engineer biological specimen for the sake of fixing real world problems that affect humanity? Students will tackle this question by analyzing real world problems and evaluating how/whether synthetic biology can be used to solve such problems. Students will use their understanding of synthetic biology to pick a problem they are passionate about and go on to develop and design a solution using synthetic biology. Solutions can range from innovative mechanisms of disease detection, water filtration, material/fuel creation, and more. No prior knowledge of biology is necessary and students of all majors are welcome. Students will learn cellular processes crucial to synthetic biology, genetic circuit design, the scope of synthetic biology applications, and synthetic biology project design. In class, students will learn through activities/discussion, assigned reading/homework, and a project design stage with guidance from people of numerous biological backgrounds.