Global Arc

The molecular biology and biochemistry of pharmaceuticals and natural products that target CNS function will be examined. Specific topics include: the blood-brain barrier, addiction and tolerance, analgesia, treatments for mood disorders, cognitive enhancement, stimulants and ADHD, treatment of dementias such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease, psychotropic drugs, antipsychotics and the treatment of schizophrenia.

Viruses are unique parasites of living cells and may be the most abundant, highest evolved life forms on the planet. The general strategies encoded by all known viral genomes are discussed using selected viruses as examples. A part of the course is dedicated to the molecular biology (the tactics) inherent in these strategies. Another part introduces the biology of engagement of viruses with host defenses, what happens when viral infection leads to disease, vaccines and antiviral drugs, and the evolution of infectious agents and emergence of new viruses. Prerequisite: MOL 214 or permission of instructor.

Within a broader context of historical, social, and ethical concerns, a survey of normal childhood development and selected disorders from the perspectives of the physician and the scientist. Emphasis on the complex relationship between genetic and acquired causes of disease, medical practice, social conditions, and cultural values. The course features visits from children with some of the conditions discussed, site visits, and readings from the original medical and scientific literature. Prerequisite: MOL 214. Two 90-minute classes and an evening 90-minute precept.

The course will be a detailed overview of the practice of light microscopy as applied to scientific investigation. The emphasis of the course will be on the use of the light microscope by biological scientists, however students of other disciplines are welcome. We will cover optical microscope theory, microscope components and mechanics, and all modern optical techniques from brightfield through super-resolution and lightsheet microscopies. Instruction will consist of lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on experience using the light microscopes in the Molecular Biology Confocal Imaging Facility (CIF) and others provided by vendors.

The course is intended for students interested in biological applications of mathematics and modeling in biology, aiming at demonstrating how relatively simple mathematics can be applied to a variety of models to draw interesting conclusions. Connections will be made between diverse biological examples linked by common mathematical themes. A variety of discrete and continuous ordinary and partial differential equation models will be explored.

MUS 103 is an introduction to Western music, involving works from around 1200 to the present. The course explains the basic elements of Western music -- rhythm, pitch, melody, harmony, form -- and historically significant styles and genres of composition. The course includes lectures on the symphony, ballet, and opera.

An introduction to the fundamental materials of a variety of musics, including Western concert music, jazz, and popular music. Course activities center around interrelated theoretical, compositional, and analytical projects that serve to explore issues of music theory, style, and creativity. Two lectures, two preceptorials.

An introduction to the procedures, structures, and aesthetics of tonal music. Composing, singing, playing, analysis of music such as 18th-century chorale, and 18th- and 19th-century piano music. Emphasis on fluency in handling tonal materials as a means of achieving a variety of formal and expressive ends. Two lectures, two classes, one session in practical musicianship.

An introduction to the procedures, structures, and aesthetics of tonal music. Composing, singing, playing, analysis of music such as 18th-century chorale, and 18th- and 19th-century piano music. Emphasis on fluency in handling tonal materials as a means of achieving a variety of formal and expressive ends. Two lectures, two classes, one session in practical musicianship. Prerequisite: ability to read music.

This course will present an overview of the great conductors of the recorded age, conducting the iconic symphonic repertory for which, in each case, they were most admired. Performance practice style, and its evolution throughout the 20th century will be investigated in detail. The impact of these conductors' out-sized gifts on the musical culture of their time will also be a focal point of the course. Issues of tempo, phrasing, color and handling of structural matters all bear on the larger concerns of the development of musical style. The course will be run as a seminar, with students making presentations each week.