Explorations in Genetics

This course will cover the fundamentals of DNA, RNA and proteins in the context of inheritance and gene expression. Scientists have harnessed these basic genetic principles to create powerful biotechnology tools that students will apply in this course. We will use some of these tools to learn about DNA fingerprints, how bacteria transfer genetic information, and how viruses are diagnosed. Students will gain a functional understanding of genetics while applying their knowledge in the laboratory with techniques like transformation, DNA extraction, gel electrophoresis, and PCR.