BIOL 251a Project Laboratory in Protein Biochemistry
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Features experiments in protein biochemistry that are fundamental to the field of biotechnology. These include protein purification, characterization and quality assessment. Focus is placed on designing purification protocols for both tagged and untagged proteins using biochemical knowledge. The designed protocols are tested by purifying known proteins. As part of the course, students will contribute to research projects of unknown outcome by purifying and assaying novel proteins. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 256a Project Laboratory in Biotechnology
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The primary goal of this course is to teach current methods in molecular biology to establish a foundational skill set that makes seniors and master’s students viable in today’s research job market or academic research positions. For juniors and seniors, it can also function to add laboratory experience for those that have not been able to fulfill such a proficiency. The course meets during its scheduled times with access to the laboratory during off time hours for any wishing to continue their work. The experiments done contribute to research projects sponsored by laboratories at Brandeis. This helps prepare students for a career in science and understand what attributes are necessary to be competent in the field of research. Some projects have spanned many semesters allowing successive classes to continue working on a project from previous years. New projects are also introduced providing a variety of research opportunities to pick from, adding to the dynamics of the course. Through these projects, some of the techniques taught will include DNA isolation, DNA sequence analysis, generation of mutations, recombinant DNA cloning, polymerase chain reaction, yeast two hybrid assays, screening small chemical libraries, Gateway & Gibson cloning techniques, training on an industry standard equipment, multiplate assays, and many more. Undergraduates will be responsible for one project, while master’s students will pick two projects from a group of projects to work on. There is a possibility of continuing a project as an independent researcher in the spring semester. Usually offered every year.

BIOT 201b Business of Biotechnology

Prerequisite: BIOT 203b or permission of the instructor.

Biotechnology industries are based upon recombinant DNA methodology. Most are in areas of medicine, agriculture, and manufacturing. Business of Biotechnology gives an overview of these sectors and introduces their research and development models, regulation, financing, and marketing. Usually offered every year.

BIOT 203b Fundamentals of Management for Biotechnology

Prerequisite: BIOL 205a or permission of the instructor.

Introduces basic business concepts and tools, with an emphasis on the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. It provides an overview of accounting, alliances, entrepreneurship, ethics, finance, human capital, leadership, marketing, mergers and acquisitions, organizational behavior, project management, and strategy. Usually offered every year.

BIOT 212a Biotechnology Internship

Prerequisites: BIOL 156a and BIOL 205a, or permission of the instructor. Open to graduate students in biotechnology only. Yields 12 semester-hour credits.

Biotechnology Internship is a real-world workplace experience. Students work in industrial or academic laboratories or in managerial positions in biotechnology or related industries. The internship is an opportunity to develop professional skills, explore career paths, and make connections with employers. Usually offered every year.

BIOT 293a Biotechnology Research

Prerequisites: BIOL 156a and BIOT 200a. Approval of the Program Director is required. May be repeated for credit up to three times.

Students in the MS Program in Biotechnology work in industrial or academic laboratories in biotechnology or related areas for a minimum of 10 hours per week for 12 weeks. Usually offered every year.

BIOT 299a Master's Thesis Research

Usually offered every year.

BIOT 299b Master's Thesis Research

Usually offered every year.

BCHM 100a Advanced Introductory Biochemistry
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Prerequisite: One year of organic chemistry with laboratory.

Topics include protein and nucleic acid structure; chemical basis of enzyme-catalyzed reaction mechanisms and enzyme kinetics; the chemical logic of metabolic pathways, including glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation; and regulation of enzymatic pathways through allosteric control. Usually offered every year in multiple sections.

BIBC 126b Molecular Mechanisms of Disease
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Prerequisite: BCHM 88b or BCHM 100a. May not be taken for credit by students who took BIOL 126b in prior years.

Explores biochemical changes in proteins, enzymes and metabolic pathways that underlie human diseases. Examines molecular mechanisms for a variety of diseases, with a particular focus on molecular mechanisms for therapies. Draws heavily on current literature. Usually offered every second year.

BIOL 100b Advanced Cell Biology
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Prerequisites: BIOL 14a and BIOL 15b.

An advanced course on cell biology. Topics include structure and organization of the cell, principles of signal transduction, and cell division and proliferation. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 101a Molecular Biotechnology
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Prerequisite: BIOL 14a and BIOL 18b.

Develops knowledge of molecular biology, and skills to research, choose and interpret the best experimental approaches for answering research questions in molecular biology. Studies molecular biology techniques such as PCR, DNA sequencing, genomics, cloning, microarrays, and CRISPR, and their research applications. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 102b Structural Molecular Biology
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Prerequisites: BIOL 14a and BIOL 15b, or permission of the instructor.
 

This introduction to the structural basis of viral molecular biology examines the designs of proteins, their folding and assembly, and the means whereby we visualize these structures. We will use several recent viral pandemics including SARS-CoV-2, Ebola, and HIV as models of how to understand viral structure and assembly. Usually offered every second year.

BIOL 103b Mechanisms of Cell Functions
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Prerequisite: BIOL 100b.

Focuses on the mechanistic basis of cell biological processes, with a heavy emphasis on how they are elucidated experimentally. Classic and modern research papers are used to illustrate a range of genetic, biochemical, and imaging-based experimental approaches. Topics include cell compartmentalization, membrane traffic, cytoskeleton, cell motility, and cell division. The primary learning goal is to understand how the scientific method is applied in cell biology research. Intended for graduate students and advanced undergraduates. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 132a General Microbiology
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Prerequisites: BIOL 14a and BIOL 15b. May not be taken for credit by students who took BIOL 71a in prior years.

Topics include the physiology and properties of bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms; microbial nutrition, metabolism, growth; bacterial genetics; horizontal gene transfer; microbial pathogenesis; immunity; antibiotics and other means of microbial control. Usually offered every year.

BIOL 159a Project Laboratory in Microbiology
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Prerequisites: BIOL 12a and 12b or BIOL 18a and 18b.

A discovery-based laboratory to study the diversity of microorganisms in particular environments. Students will isolate microbes with ability to metabolize complex compounds from special environments, characterize their properties and identify them by DNA sequence analysis. After students learn foundational microbiology concepts and techniques, they will choose, design, and carry out a short research project. This project lab is primarily for seniors and master's students. Usually offered every year.

BUS 230a Entrepreneurship

Addresses the fundamentals of starting and growing a business, including entrepreneurial finance and financial management. Covers theory and practice and includes presentations by speakers engaged in entrepreneurship, underwriting, and venture capital. The major assignment is a team project to construct a business plan for a startup company using actual data. Usually offered every year.

BUS 254a Branding Strategy

Prerequisite: BUS 252a.

Examines the value of building, sustaining, and communicating a company's brand and its value proposition through promotional activities and channels of distribution. A competitive, online simulation is used to enhance case studies. Usually offered every year.

BUS 257f Social Media and Advertising

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Explores the activities a company undertakes to educate, engage and prompt to action its various target customer segments. Topics include advertising, promotions, event sponsorship, internet marketing, social media marketing, corporate blogs, word-of-mouth advertising, and marketing communications for social initiatives. Usually offered every year.

BUS 258f Sales and Sales Management

Meets for one-half semester and yields half-course credit.

Explores concepts and techniques for professional sales and sales management. Includes strategies for maximizing revenue and customer satisfaction while optimizing costs to sell, service and maintain customer relationships. Usually offered every year.

BUS 260a Competition and Strategy

Introduces frameworks for analyzing industries and firm competitive advantage and reviews key concepts in business strategy. Uses case method to practice strategic thinking and team projects to practice business research. Core for MBA students and recommended for other business students. Usually offered every year.

CBIO 106b Chemical Biology: Medicinal Enzymology
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Prerequisites: Satisfactory grade in BIOL 14a, BIOL 15b, CHEM 25a and 25b, and BCHM 100a or the equivalent.

Introduces students to the conceptual framework and experimental methods in medicinal chemistry. Topics include mechanisms of drug-target interactions, strategies for lead optimization and issues in metabolism, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Readings drawn from textbooks and the original scientific literature. Usually offered every second year.