Molecular Principles of Biomedical Engineering

3.0 credits · Undergraduate

Genomic and proteomic tools have revolutionized the capabilities of scientists to impact biology and medicine. This course aims to present the most influential molecular biology tools being used in biomedical engineering spanning three modules: (1) Synthetic Biology, which will include DNA recombinant technology, design of primers, vectors genetically modified organisms, and modeling genetic circuits; (2) Gene-editing, which will center around CRISPR-Cas technologies, and gene therapy approaches; and (3) Protein and immune engineering: structure determination, mass spectrometry, protein purification, therapeutic protein design, antibody-based drugs, and vaccines. Each module will consist of an overview of molecular-level tools used in these areas and the methods to evaluate and predict their effects. We will discuss the underlying principles of these techniques, how to interpret representative data, limitations of current approaches, and engineering challenges for the development of new and improved methods. Each module will also consist of a laboratory component.