Biology and Its Modern Applications - Session 2
Course Description
This course aims at developing the basic concepts that form the crux of life from both structural and functional perspectives. It will cover cellular functioning and organization and the transformation of energy. In addition, concepts of evolution and natural selection will be investigated. The course also introduces the student to the continuity of life from genetic and molecular perspectives.
The course will extrapolate to demonstrate how cells communicate through cell signaling and how defects in such communication often lead to diseases. The course will conclude by discussing various aspects of current applications of biology in medicine, drug discovery, nanotechnology, forensics, and bioengineering.
The goals of this course will be realized through various course activities including labs, group projects and presentations, and team-based learning. Both synchronous and asynchronous modes of interaction and communication will be used in this course.
Course Criteria
This course would be particularly appealing to students who would like to learn more about principles of biology and the multiple innovative careers stemming from the study of biology.
Academic Interest
Biological Sciences
Application Materials
A complete application includes a transcript, two short essays, a letter of recommendation, writing sample, application fee, and a submitted parent confirmation. If you are seeking need-based financial aid, you must indicate that in your application before it is submitted. Please refer to the Application Instructions for complete details.
Instructor(s)
Pliny Smith
Cost
$9,300
Other Courses to Consider
These courses might also be of interest.
Career Insight: Healthcare and Biological SciencesDelve into medicine, public health, or research!
Explore possible paths to follow during and after college, as you look deeper into how you might pursue your passions. Whether your interests will take you into the OR and examining room or behind the bench, your journey begins here at UChicago.
In the morning, UChicago professors, lecturers, and researchers will introduce you to key concepts and practices in the biological sciences through lectures, discussions, readings, and hands-on activities designed to reveal a range of possible pursuits.
In the afternoon, connect with practitioners through presentations, informational interviews, and career treks around the city, and with Career Advancement staff who will help you consider what various career paths you might follow within the world of healthcare and the biological sciences and cultivate the skills you need to begin to pursue those opportunities.
You will put your skills and knowledge into practice in a small-group final project as well as individual reflection essays and other assignments.
Residential
Contagion: Infectious Agents & Diseases - Session 1COVID, Zika, Ebola, HIV, SARS… In our increasingly globalized and mobile world, infectious diseases can emerge and spread faster than ever before, making epidemics, even pandemics, a real possibility. That, together with increasing antibiotic resistance, makes understanding where these threats come from and how we can control their spread one of the most urgent issues of our time.
In this three-week course, students will learn about the origin, biology, and evolution of some of the most feared viruses, such as Ebola, HIV, and Influenza, and lethal bacteria such as E. coli. We will explore the nature of emerging diseases and will use particular examples to discover how we can predict and control their spread. Our dependence on microbes from an evolutionary point of view will also be discussed.
You will have access to the state-of-the-art laboratory facilities at the University of Chicago for hands-on activities such as PCR, CRISPR, DNA sequencing, DNA sequence analysis, viral culture and antibody studies all applied to the study of infections and immunity (you will not be exposed to dangerous materials).
Residential