These small seminar courses for advanced undergraduates focus on the primary research literature, with the goal of introducing students to the methods of contemporary biological research and the logic of experimental design and interpretation. These seminars are taught by postdoctoral scientists who are practicing researchers. They expose students to the kind of thinking that is central to contemporary biological research and also impart specific knowledge in particular areas of biology. They are intellectually stimulating and provide excellent preparation for a variety of future careers that require an understanding both of what modern biology is and of how it is done.

The courses offer a number of special features:

• small class size (limited to eight),
• a high degree of personal contact with the instructor,
• a focus on the primary research literature, and
• an opportunity to discuss problems in biology interactively.

Each course is graded pass/fail, carries six units, and meets for two hours weekly. In the case of oversubscription, preference is given to Biology majors: first seniors, then juniors, and to those who haven't already taken one of these seminars. There is no limit on the number of these courses that can be taken if space is available.

Prerequisites for taking any Advanced Seminar: 7.03, 7.05, 7.06, or 7.28.

For additional information, contact the instructor of the particular course.

Academic Year 2009-2010
PDF of Descriptions (download)

Stellar Sites for Fall 2009

7.340 Learning and Memory: Activity-Controlled Gene Expression in the Nervous System

7.341 Bench to Bedside: Molecularly Targeted Therapies in Blood Disorders and Malignancy

7.342 The X in Sex: A Genetic, Medical, and Evolutionary view of the X chromosome

7.343 When Development Goes Awry: How Cancer Co-opts Mechanisms of Embryogenesis

7.344 The Biology and Diseases of Aging

7.345 Vascular Development in Life, Disease and Cancer Medicine