Animal Cell Physiology, 50-472

Syllabus- Spring 2007

Bloomsburg University

Biological and Allied Health Sciences

M, W, F  9:00-9:50 am

Meeting Place: HSC 114

 

 

Instructor: Kristen Brubaker, Ph.D.

Office: HSC 177

Phone: 389-4137

Office Hours: Mon & Fri 10am- 12pm, Tues 1- 2pm.

Email: kbrubake@bloomu.edu

Homepage: http://facstaff.bloomu.edu/kbrubake/ACP.htm

 

Course Description: Multi-cellular organisms depend upon the homeostasis of cells to maintain their existence. Since cells are the fundamental units of life, a basic knowledge of cell physiology is essential for understanding how organisms work. This course will emphasize topics such as cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, membrane transport and trafficking, cell signaling and cell cycle.  In addition, processes needed for cell functions such as metabolism and DNA replication will be examined.

 

Prerequisites: 52.230 or 52.231 or 52.116 or permission of the instructor.

 

General Information and important dates:

This is a 3 credit lecture only class.

Late Registration & Drop/Add Ends

Friday January 19th

Spring Break

Saturday, March 10th –  Sunday March 18th

Classes Resume

Monday, March 19th (8 a.m.)- we have class

Last day for undergraduate withdrawal

Tuesday April 3rd (4:30 pm)

Spring Weekend Begins

Thursday April 5th  (10 pm)

Classes Resume

Monday April 9th  (6 pm)- no class

Reading Days (no classes)

Thursday and Friday, May 3rd and 4th

 

Required Textbook: Molecular Cell Biology, 5th Edition.  Harvey Lodish et al. 2003.

 

Grading:  We will have a total of four examinations (three tests and a cumulative final) each worth 100 pts.  There will be a few pop quizzes or take-home assignments (not to be mistaken for the assignments associated w/ the journal articles) throughout the semester, with the 5 highest scores used in your final grade, 50 pts total.  You will also be graded on written critiques of 6 journal articles that will be reviewed this semester, 60 pts. 

 

You will be part of a group, assigned by me, which will present one of the journal articles covered this semester; your grade will be based on your presentation (50 pts) and your participation in the discussions (20 pts) of the other groups presentations.  Additionally, your group will also be responsible for running the class discussion for one of the other group’s presentations (20 pts).  When your group runs the discussion, you will be responsible for passing out a list of 5 thought-provoking questions to all the students at least two class periods in advance.  Additionally, I will be passing out a homework assignment related to each journal article, of which the five highest scores will count, 50 pts.  You can earn a maximum of 650 points.  The grading scale for the course is as follows:

 

Points               Percentage                   Letter Grade

595-650           92-100%                                 A

576-594           89-91                                       A-

556-575           86-88                                       B+

530-555           82-85                                       B

510-529           79-81                                       B-

491-509           76-78                                       C+

465-490           72-75                                       C

446-464           69-71                                       C-

426-445           66-68                                       D+

380-425           59-65                                       D

0-379               0-58                                         E

 

Tests:                                                   300 pts total

Final:                                                    100 pts total

Pop Quizzes/Homework:                        50 pts total                        

Critiques:                                                60 pts total

Presentation/Participation:                       90 pts total

Journal Homework:                                50 pts total

Total pts:                                              650 pts total

 

Attendance:  It is expected that you will attend all lecture sessions.  I will take attendance.  If you miss class more than 6 times during the semester, your grade will drop 1 whole letter grade, so if you have a B in the class it will now become a C.  Make-up examinations are not given except when a University acceptable excuse (i.e. illness warranting a physician’s care, death in the immediate family, and sanctioned varsity athlete’s events) is supplied with documentation.  A makeup exam can be an oral exam.

 

Academic Integrity Policy: (taken in part from the BU policy # 3512; please see The Pilot, Student Standards for the full policy): “Academic in integrity refers to the adherence to agreed upon moral and ethical principles when engaging in academic or scholarly pursuits….  Personal integrity is vital to our pursuit of educating and becoming educated…..”  Examples listed in the policy include, this is not an exhaustive list:  cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, misrepresenting circumstances, impersonation, obtaining an unfair advantage, aiding and abetting academic dishonesty, falsification of records and official documents, and unauthorized access to computerized academic or administrative records or systems.

The Academic Integrity Policy will be adhered to strictly.  All infractions will be reported to the Office of Student Standards as described in Policy #3512.  I do not tolerate cheating!

 

Code of Conduct: Any behavior which is disruptive to the classroom, including talking, cell phone use (turn it off), pagers (turn to vibrate), sleeping or cursing will not be tolerated and will result in my asking you to leave the classroom.  Police services will be called if warranted.

 

Compressed Scheduling Time: In the event of bad weather our compressed time is scheduled for 10:50 – 11 am.  If I am late for class, do not leave the classroom until you have contacted the department office and sent a student to my office to find out why I am not present in the classroom.  UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO YOU JUST LEAVE.  If an exam is scheduled on a “compressed” day, the exam will be given on the next regular class day.  A lecture will still be held on the compressed day.

Class Lecture Schedule:  This schedule is subject to change, but only if we have a lot of snow days or papers take longer to present than 1 class period.  Exam dates and presentation dates are pretty much set in stone though.

 

Date

Topic

Readings

1/17-1/22

Intro, Biomembranes

Chapter 5

1/24

Paper #1- Dr. B presents

 

1/26

Biomembranes/ Integrating

Chapters 5,6

1/29-1/31

Integrating Tissues

Chapter 6

2/2

Paper #2- group # 1

Critiques due- not graded

2/5-2/9

Ion Channels

Chapter 7

2/12

Paper #3- group #2

Critiques due- graded

2/14-2/16

Finish Paper #3/Ion transport

Chapter 7

2/19

Exam #1

Chapters 5, 6 & 7

2/21 -2/23

Cell Signaling

Chapters 13 & 14

2/26

Cell Signaling

Chapters  13 & 14

2/28

Paper #4- group #3

Critiques due- graded

3/2- 3/5

Cell Signaling

Chapter 14

3/7

Paper #5- group #4

Critiques due- graded

3/9

Finish Paper #5/Cell Signaling

Chapter 15

3/19-3/21

Finish Cell Signaling

Chapter 15

3/23

Exam #2

Chapters 13, 14 & 15

3/26- 3/30

Cell Cycle/Apoptosis

Chapters 21-22

4/2

Paper #6- group #5

Critiques due - graded

4/4

Protein Transport

Chapters 16,17

4/11-4/13

Protein Transport

“”

4/16

Paper #7- group #6

Critiques due- graded

4/18

Protein Transport/Review

Chapters 17

4/20

Exam #3

Chapters 16, 17, 21 & 22

4/23-4/27

Lipid Metabolism

Chapter 18

4/30

Paper #8- group #7

Critiques due- graded

5/2

Finish Paper #8/
Lipid Metabolism

 

5/7

Final Exam 10:30 am - 12:30 pm

Cumulative

 

Make note:  I do not discuss grades, exams, contents of exams or alternative exam dates over the phone or through email, you must talk with me during my office hours about these kinds of issues.