Office of the Registrar
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03755-3529
Phone: (603) 646-xxxx
Fax: (603) 646-xxxx
Email: reg@Dartmouth.EDU

Organization, Regulations, and Courses 2024-25


109 Spring MCB Core Course Modules

Course description

This course provides an overview of the bacterial communities that associate with the human body, with a focus on the intestinal microbiome. We will discuss common methods and experimental approaches used to interrogate human microbiomes, exploring how these approaches have evolved from the pre to post genomic era and dive into common pitfalls. We will also discuss functional properties of human associated microbiomes as well as current thinking as to the mechanisms that underlie microbiome assembly and stability. Finally, we will cover cutting-edge efforts to alter or manipulate microbiomes as therapies to treat human disease.

Prerequisites

None although a familiarity with microbiological or immunological background material would be beneficial

Reading material

The source material for this course will be primary research literature and review articles.

Grading

The course grade will be based on two short answer quizzes (one after each of the first two weeks), and a 1-page mock proposal (due the week after the last class). Proposal topic: propose a probiotic-based therapeutic for a microbiome-relevant disease. What are some challenges and considerations? What bacterium would you use? What would it do? Be creative! Required: cite appropriate literature.

Instructor

Benjamin Ross

Prerequisite

None although a familiarity with microbiological or immunological background material would be beneficial

The Timetable of Class Meetings contains the most up-to-date information about a course. It includes not only the meeting time and instructor, but also its official distributive and/or world culture designation. This information supersedes any information you may see elsewhere, to include what may appear in this ORC/Catalog or on a department/program website. Note that course attributes may change term to term therefore those in effect are those (only) during the term in which you enroll in the course.