BIOL 335: Genomics: Microbes, Human Biome & Other Metagenomes

The life sciences have been transformed by enormous amounts of molecular sequence data from complete genomic sequences and entire microbial community sequences (metagenomes) hand-in-hand with the ability to make sense of this vast information using new computational advances and database capabilities. This course surveys the field of genomics using microorganisms as examples. Students receive an overview of bacterial and yeast genomes; and genome-wide approaches to fundamental problems in microbial physiology and disease. Specific topics include bacterial, yeast, and viral genome structure, genome evolution, genomic variation, and other issues in comparative and functional genomics. Metagenomics topics focus on the human microbiome, environmental communities, and global biogeochemical cycles in oceans and soils. The course is literature-based, with lectures and exercises giving students an introduction to topics.