FALL 2017 COURSE OFFERING

Cell Biology of Plants

BTNY 59000 (CRN 15975)

Tuesday and Thursday, 10:30 -11:45am

BCHM, Room 102

Dr. Dan Szymanski Dr. Chunhua Zhang

Plant cell biology is a rapidly evolving field that combines genetics, biochemistry, and advanced imaging technologies to reveal how plant cells grow, divide, and respond to cell signals. The goal of the course is to cultivate a fundamental understanding on the mechanisms of plant cell function and introduce modern approaches used in cell biology research. Major topics include live cell imaging, mechanisms of cell division, cytoskeleton-based cell wall assembly, cell signaling, and vesicle trafficking as they relate to important plant traits. The class emphasizes quantitative biology and critical thinking, and includes: 1) lectures and discussions that introduce classic findings and new advances in cell biology; 2) directed readings from the primary literature (primary literature examples are student selected); 3) structured written and oral discussions to improve communication skills. Students who complete this course will obtain a solid understanding about the molecular control of plant cell functions and will improve their critical thinking and communication skills.