Biological Sciences

This course is part of the LM degree program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrollment is by consent of the instructor. This course explores the genetic, epigenetic, and genomic mechanisms governing microbial physiology in a changing environment which includes selective pressure by antibiotics, vaccines, pollution, and climate. The molecular basis of the virus-host interaction is also discussed. The laboratory activity familiarizes students with molecular approaches to generate recombinant organisms, and assesses the impact of viral activity on the host’s metabolism.

This is an individual study project. Students must have a well-developed idea of the theme of the study. A faculty teacher is appointed as supervisor, and an agreement is signed between the student and the teacher describing the title, contents, ECTS credits of the study. A supervisor normally meets with the student between two and four times in order to discuss the progress of the individual study, or any problems encountered. Most supervisors also choose to read and comment on parts of the study. Students applying to do an individual study must submit a detailed project description with their application. Exams for Individual Study Projects may be oral, written or a combination of the two. This version of the course is worth 6 quarter units and corresponds to a workload of 206 hours. 

This course explores the biology of perception and its implications on how we experience works of art.

The extensive independent study field research paper produced by the student is both the centerpiece of the intern's professional engagement and the culmination of the academic achievements of the semester. During the preparatory session, IFE teaches the methodological guidelines and principles to which students are expected to adhere in the development of their written research. Students work individually with a research advisor from their field. The first task is to identify a topic, following guidelines established by IFE for research topic choice. The subject must be tied in a useful and complementary way to the student-intern's responsibilities, as well as to the core concerns of the host organization. The research question should be designed to draw as much as possible on resources available to the intern via the internship (data, documents, interviews, observations, seminars and the like). Students begin to focus on this project after the first 2-3 weeks on the internship. Each internship agreement signed with an organization makes explicit mention of this program requirement, and this is the culminating element of their semester. Once the topic is identified, students meet individually, as regularly as they wish, with their IFE research advisor to generate a research question from the topic, develop an outline, identify sources and research methods, and discuss drafts submitted by the student. The research advisor also helps students prepare for the oral defense of their work which takes place a month before the end of the program and the due date of the paper. The purpose of this exercise is to help students evaluate their progress and diagnose the weak points in their outline and arguments. Rather than an extraneous burden added to the intern's other duties, the field research project grows out of the internship through a useful and rewarding synergy of internship and research. The Field Study and Internship model results in well-trained student-interns fully engaged in mission-driven internships in their field, while exploring a critical problem guided by an experienced research advisor.

This course is an intermediate to advanced level molecular biology course, which focuses on structure and maintenance of genomes, as well as gene expression. The course discusses topics including major methods used in molecular biology; principles of genome organization and dynamics; how genetic information is stored and expressed; and the main mechanisms of gene regulation. The course requires students to have met specific prerequisites in order to enroll in the course.