MCDB 4650 ......................DEVELOPMENTAL  BIOLOGY.....................Fall 2011

 
General Introductory Information

This course provides explores the molecular, cellular and genetic basis of invertebrate and vertebrate development.  As one of the possible "capstone" courses of the major, the course is designed to challenge you to apply your knowledge of molecular and cell biology to developing systems. Success in this course depends upon your active participation--the course is designed around mini lectures, clickers, and lots of in class group work. Read the information below carefully and familiarize yourself with the website.

Web Home Page: http://www.colorado.edu/MCDB/MCDB4650/

Classes: The classes are 2:00-3:15 pm, TU(T) TH(R), MCDB A120.  The syllabus of class topics with links to lecture notes and powerpoints is accessible from the syllabus page.

Office hours (Knight): Fridays 9-10 Porter B121B/C

TA office hours (Brittany Demmit): Tuesdays 12:30-1:30 Winey lab

Problem solving sessions (highly recommended!):  These will meet at three different times during the week for one hour, and will be run by undergraduate Learning Assistants and Teaching Assistants.  There will be a web sign up form (see home page for link).  We request that you sign up for one weekly session, and only come to that session.  These sessions are not required, but you will form a working group and get much more out of the course if you go to them.

Review Sessions. We will have a review before each exam (see syllabus): a time will be chosen once the course is under way (likely the Friday before the Monday exams).

Textbook and other supplements: The principal required text for this course is Developmental Biology, 9th ed., by Scott Gilbert.  This book includes traditional and contemporary approaches to the study of development, as we do in this course.  The reading recommended for each lecture is intended to provide details, background, and explanation of the topics in the lecture notes. There may be additional reading that will be available from the web site. If you have acces to the 8th ed and choose to use this version instead, you should use the index to find the correct page numbers for the topics of the assigned readings.

I will also post lecture notes and powerpoint slides for each lecture. To get the most out of class, you should do the note and book reading before coming to class. Class periods will be designed to further explain and help you learn the difficult concepts.

I will occasionally make references to Molecular Biology of the Cell, 4th edition, by B. Alberts et al. If you do not have a copy of this book, this edition is available online, in a searchable format (type in the figure number or a key word). I will also put it on reserve. The 6th edition of Developmental Biology is also available online (see links to both Alberts and Gilbert from main web page).

This class also requires that you purchase an i-Clicker Response Pad from the bookstore. 

Grading: Grading will be based on a point system (no curve). There are problem sets, in-class assignments, quizzes, and participation points (clickers) each week.  You may miss three classes without penalty, drop your lowest exam score, and drop your lowest problem set scores.   There are 4 exams in this class, three of them on Monday evenings and one during class near the end of the semester. You must be able to take the exams on Monday (6-7:30 pm) in order to remain registered for the class.  The points are distributed as follows (500 total):

Problem Sets (due most Saturdays at midnight, 10 pts each. 10 of the 12 sets will be counted: 100 points

 

Pre-Class questions: due every Thursday morning by 9 am: 35 points

 

Exams (70 pts each. Best 3 out of 4): 210 points

 

In-class participation (2.5 pt/day up to 65 points): 65 points

 

Cumulative Final Exam: 90 points

   

 

Below is an explanation of each of the components of the class.  You will be working in a group during class and out of class, and in the process, we hope you will learn from your group members as well as from the instructors, TAs, and LAs.  

In class participation:  2.5 points for participation (ungraded) every class period, up to 65 total points.  A typical class period will consist of some lecturing and some discussion and problem solving.  There will be questions in every class period that you will answer using your clickers, and you will be encouraged you to talk to your neighbors. For this reason, we ask you to form groups with other students, and sit with this group in every class period. There are 28 class periods with clicker use (1st day and Exam 4 day excluded). Because the maximum points you can earn are 75, you can miss 3 class periods without incurring any penalty.

Pre-class questions: due every Wed night on CU Learn over the reading for the week. Total points: 35

Problem Sets: due most weeksby midnight on Saturday: Each week, a problem set will be posted on CU Learn.   You will be given time to generate answers to these questions with your group in the problem solving sessions (or on your own).  Each person then must submit their own answers, in their own words, online by the following Saturday midnight deadline. 

Exams:  We will have 4 exams, administered on 3 Monday nights from 6-7:30 (see syllabus) and one during class, each worth 70 points. Each exam will test your learning of material covered during the previous 3-4 weeks (about 6-8 class periods). Your lowest exam score will be dropped. There will be review sessions, TBA.

Group work:  In the first week of class, you will select a group of 2 or 3 other class members to work with during class time.  Please sit at the same table with these group members for every class period.

Missing Class:  Due to the heavy emphasis on in-class work, your attendance in class is critical!  However, in order to prevent many requests for excused absences due to illness or interviews, etc, you can miss 3 classes without any penalty. We also have structured the class so that you can miss one of each type of assignment (problem sets and exams) without penalty. We will automatically drop your low scores on these assignments at the end of the semester. Because of this policy, we cannot excuse additional absences or provide makeup work !

It is your responsibility to check the web page and CU Learn frequently for updates!

 

Pre-requisites: The pre-requisites for this course are a passing grade(C- or better) in MCDB 2150 and 2151 (Genetics), MCDB 3120 and 3140 (Cell Biology), and MCDB 3400 (Molecular Genetics) or MCDB 3500 (Molecular Biology), or equivalent courses elsewhere.  Students lacking these prerequisites will not be allowed to register except by special permission from the instructors.