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Bulletin Archive

This archived information is dated to the 2008-09 academic year only and may no longer be current.

For currently applicable policies and information, see the current Stanford Bulletin.

Graduate courses in Developmental Biology

Primarily for graduate students; undergraduates may enroll with consent of instructor.

DBIO 201. Development and Disease Mechanisms

Mechanisms that direct human development from conception to birth. Conserved molecular and cellular pathways regulate tissue and organ development; errors in these pathways result in congenital anomalies and human diseases. Topics: molecules regulating development, cell induction, developmental gene regulation, cell migration, programmed cell death, pattern formation, stem cells, cell lineage, and development of major organ systems. Emphasis on links between development and clinically significant topics including infertility, assisted reproductive technologies, contraception, prenatal diagnosis, multiparity, teratogenesis, inherited birth defects, fetal therapy, adolescence, cancer, and aging.

4 units, Aut (Porzig, E; Kim, S; Kingsley, D)

DBIO 202. Assisted Reproductive Technologies

(Same as OBGYN 202.) Primary and current literature in basic and clinical science aspects of assisted reproductive technologies (ART), and demonstrations of current ART techniques including in vitro fertilization and embryo culture, and micromanipulation procedures such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection and embryo biopsy and cryopreservation.Class only may be taken for 1 unit. 2 units includes papers and attendance at clinical demonstrations. 3 units includes a term paper. Recommended: DBIO 201, or consent of instructors.

1-3 units, Win (Porzig, E; Behr, B)

DBIO 203. Advanced Genetics

(Same as BIO 203, GENE 203.) For graduate students in Bioscience programs; may be appropriate for graduate students in other programs. The genetic toolbox. Examples of analytic methods, genetic manipulation, genome analysis, and human genetics. Emphasis is on use of genetic tools in dissecting complex biological pathways, developmental processes, and regulatory systems. Faculty-led discussion sections with evaluation of papers. Students with minimal experience in genetics should prepare by working out problems in college level textbooks.

4 units, Aut (Stearns, T; Barsh, G; Sidow, A)

DBIO 210. Developmental Biology

Current areas of research in developmental biology. How organismic complexity is generated during embryonic and post-embryonic development. The roles of genetic networks, induction events, cell lineage, maternal inheritance, cell-cell communication, and hormonal control in developmental processes in well-studied organisms such as vertebrates, insects, and nematodes. Team-taught. Students meet with faculty to discuss current papers from the literature. Prerequisite: graduate standing, consent of instructor. Recommended: familiarity with basic techniques and experimental rationales of molecular biology, biochemistry, and genetics.

5 units, Spr (Villeneuve, A; Fuller, M)

DBIO 215. Frontiers in Biological Research

(Same as BIOC 215, GENE 215.) Literature discussion in conjunction with the Frontiers in Biological Research seminar series hosted by Biochemistry, Developmental Biology, and Genetics in which distinguished investigators present current work. Students and faculty meet beforehand to discuss papers from the speaker's primary research literature. Students meet with the speaker after the seminar to discuss their research and future direction, commonly used techniques to study problems in biology, and comparison between the genetic and biochemical approaches in biological research.

1 unit, Aut (Harbury, P; Tan, M; Villeneuve, A), Win (Harbury, P; Tan, M; Villeneuve, A)

DBIO 221. Current Issues in Aging

(Same as GENE 221, NENS 221.) Current research literature on genetic mechanisms of aging in animals and human beings. Topics include: mitochondria mutations, insulin-like signaling, sirtuins, aging in flies and worms, stem cells, human progeria, and centenarian studies. Prerequisite: GENE 203.

2 units, Spr (Kim, S; Brunet, A; Rando, T)

DBIO 257. The Biology of Stem Cells

(Same as HUMBIO 157.) The role of stem cells in human development and potential for treating disease. Guest lectures by biologists, ethicists, and legal scholars. Prerequisites: 2A,B, or consent of instructor.

3 units, Spr (Nusse, R; Fuller, M)

DBIO 273A. A Computational Tour of the Human Genome

(Same as BIOMEDIN 273A, CS 273A.) Computational biology through an exploration of human genome. Key genetic concepts from a bioinformatics perspective. Biomedical advances resulting from sequencing of human and related organisms. Genome sequencing: technologies, assembly, personalized sequencing. Functional landscape: genes, regulatory modules, repeats, RNA genes. Genome evolution: processes, comparative genomics, ultraconservation, co-option. Additional topics: population genetics and personalized genomics, ancient DNA, and metagenomics.

3 units, Aut (Batzoglou, S; Bejerano, G)

DBIO 296. Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

(Same as PATH 296.) For graduate and medical students. Embryonic and adult stem cells, including origin, regulation, self-renewal, differentiation, fate, and relationship to cancer; biological mechanisms and methods to translate findings to therapeutic applications. Medical students must enroll for 5 units; graduate students may choose to take only the basic science part for 3 units. Prerequisites: DBIO 201 and 210, or consent of instructor.

3-5 units, Win (Weissman, I; Nusse, R; Fuller, M)

DBIO 299. Directed Reading in Developmental Biology

Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

1-18 units, Aut (Staff), Win (Staff), Spr (Staff), Sum (Staff)

DBIO 399. Graduate Research

Students undertake investigations sponsored by individual faculty members. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

1-18 units, Aut (Staff), Win (Staff), Spr (Staff), Sum (Staff)

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