Course Offering

BIOC/CLBY/MBIO 599: RNA Structure and Function


Click here for the course syllabus
Offered in the Fall semester

Course coordinator: Dr. Saba Valadkhan (saba.valadkhan@case.edu)

This course will cover fundamental aspects of modern RNA biology with emphasis on the interplay of three dimensional structure of nucleic acids and their function. The main focus of the course is on the recent discoveries that indicate a prominent role for RNA as a major regulator of cellular function. Recent discoveries in RNA field, which culminated in the 2006 Nobel prize in physiology and medicine, indicate the need for a more thorough coverage of this novel and emerging field in biological sciences. This course is designed to remedy this shortcoming, and in addition, complement the course offered in the spring semester (Molecular Biology of RNA, BIOC 519, see below). The two courses have no overlap and together, will cover the major topics of this highly dynamic and young field.

Topics covered (Click here to view the syllabus)

The course aims to familiarize the students with cutting-edge new discoveries in the field of RNA biology, and we expect the students to be familiar with the major topics of RNA-based regulation by the conclusion of the course. Topics will include an introduction to RNA structure, folding and dynamics, RNA/RNA and RNA-protein interactions, the role of RNA in catalysis of biological reactions in ribosome and the role of other catalytic RNAs in tRNA biogenesis, pre-mRNA splicing, and viral replication. The course also covers the recently discovered RNA regulatory switches, large noncoding regulatory RNAs, and the role of RNA in human diseases and novel, RNA-based therapeutics. In addition, these new discoveries will have a significant impact on our understanding of human development and disease, and open up new avenues for development of therapeutics. The last topics of the course cover these medically-relevant aspects of RNA biology.

Course format

This course will be offered on an annual basis in the fall semester. Classes are to be held twice a week for 1.5 hour each in RT-100-1, Research Tower, School of Medicine. Each topic will be covered in three sessions: the first session will be a lecture by the instructor. The second session will entail a detailed discussion of a primary research paper on the topic, and a student presentation of a primary research paper and a review article on the topic will conclude the coverage of the topic.
The reading material will be recent review articles and research papers on each topic. Due to the highly dynamic nature of the field and to ensure the delivery of state-of-the-art information in the class, the reading material will be chosen two weeks before the start of the course. Two or more research articles and review papers will be assigned for each session, the students are expected to have read them before coming to the session and to participate in the discussion.

Grading

The grading system will have three components: the level of student preparation and participation in the class, the quality of student presentation, and a minigrant proposal the students will write on one of the topics discussed in the class, which will be graded by the RNA faculty. Each student will receive three independent grades for each component and the average of the three will determine the final grade.

The proposal should be written as a short pilot research grant proposal (maximum of 10 pages double spaced, standard 12 point type) on the topic covered in the paper the student presented in class. The data in that paper should be used as the "preliminary data" for the grant.


The principle goals of this assignment are to hone the students' ability to

  1. identify key outstanding questions in a given field,

  2. identify appropriate strategies to answer those questions, and

  3. communicate these ideas clearly.


Each of these three areas will be assessed when grading the proposal

The proposal should include the following sections:

  • Specific aim(s) - limit to 1 or 2 specific aims (no more than 1 page)

  • Background and significance (~2 pages)

  • Preliminary studies (~2 pages)

  • Research plan (~ 4 pages)

  • Literature cited



An extremely important point to keep in mind is that the minigrant, in its entirety, must be in your own words. Under no circumstances sentences can be borrowed from published material written by others, even in the preliminary studies or background sections. As you know, plagiarism, or copying sentences from published material written by others, is a very serious academic offense that can result in a failing grade and even dismissal from the program. To view the policy of CWRU regarding academic integrity, click here.

Questions? Contact Dr. Saba Valadkhan (saba.valadkhan@case.edu)



CLBY/MBIO/BIOC519

Molecular Biology of RNA

Offered in Spring

Course coordinator: Dr. Jonatha Gott
office: W113 Wood Bldg.
phone: 368-3930
jmg13@case.edu

Course format: combination of lecture and primary literature presentations by faculty and students. Students will chose the paper they will present from those listed on the syllabus on the first day of class. Students will be expected to read the required reading prior to class and to actively participate in the discussion of papers.

Grading: Grades will be based on three criteria:

  1. presentation of a paper in class

  2. participation in class discussions

  3. proposal to be submitted at the end of classes (due May 1st)


Proposal description: The proposal should be written as a short pilot research grant proposal (maximum of 10 pages double spaced, standard 12 point type) on the topic covered in the paper the student presented in class. The data in that paper should be used as the "preliminary data" for the grant.

The principle goals of this assignment are to hone the students' ability to

  1. identify key outstanding questions in a given field,

  2. identify appropriate strategies to answer those questions, and

  3. communicate these ideas clearly.


Each of these three areas will be assessed when grading the proposal

The proposal should include the following sections:

  • Specific aim(s) - limit to 1 or 2 specific aims (no more than 1 page)

  • Background and significance (~2 pages)

  • Preliminary studies (~2 pages)

  • Research plan (~ 4 pages)

  • Literature cited



An extremely important point to keep in mind is that the minigrant, in its entirety, must be in your own words. Under no circumstances sentences can be borrowed from published material written by others, even in the preliminary studies or background sections. As you know, plagiarism, or copying sentences from published material written by others, is a very serious academic offense that can result in a failing grade and even dismissal from the program. To view the policy of CWRU regarding academic integrity, click here.