Course Description:

In this course, you will learn about a part of the central dogma of molecular biology: From DNA to RNA. You might have heard the word “transcription” but let me tell you something: it is not that simple! In this course, you will discover the untold world of RNA synthesis where there is more detailed information. You will understand how the transcription really begins, what are cofactors, and so forth. But make no mistake: this information brings a huge amount of unknown with it. Even though you will learn more, you will be asking more as well. Besides the facts, I will be teaching you experiments like EMSA and ChIP Seq that scientists use to detect all these steps. In addition to this, we will learn about CRISPR, the best discovery of the 21st century (in my opinion). 

This is a 6-week course, one 1-hour class per week. There will be regular, short assignments after each class (sometimes before class as well) and two main assignments. Don’t worry about these assignments: they are crucial for your learning!

Who should apply for this course?

Students - 

• who love molecular biology and want to learn more 

• who like to ask questions and think more deeply about the central dogma

Prerequisites: None

Course Goals:

• Gain a better understanding of transcription and CRISPR

• Learn real-life experiments that scientists use all the time

Schedule:

Week 1 – Transcription

Week 2 – Synthesis of pre-mature RNA

Week 3 – Cofactors, enhancers, and how to detect them (EMSA, ChIP, and enhancer reporter)

Week 4 – Pre-mature RNA 🡪 mature RNA (RNA processing)

Week 5 – CRISPR

Week 6 – Presentations