Time Schedule:
Marcia E. Brown
BIOL 485
Seattle Campus
Supervised readings and group discussion. Prerequisite: BIOL 355.
Class description
This seminar course will focus on the diseases of the brain and their underlying biology. The first third of the course will cover cell biology of the brain and the nervous system. Next, we will discuss examples of developmental and degenerative brain disease.. Lastly, we will introduce various treatments and ongoing clinical trials. Students will have the opportunity to explore primary literature and participate in group discussions. Attendance on the first day of class is mandatory.
Student learning goals
Students will learn some examples of neurological diseases
All students will learn several causes, symptoms and treatments of the diseases covered
Each student will read and evaluate articles from primary literature
Students will understand the basic elements of a medical neurological exam
Each student will be able to improve his/her oral presentation skills
All students will be challenged to participate in group discussions and class activities
General method of instruction
Classes will be held for 2 hours once a week and will consist of a 45 min lecture followed by reviews of the primary literature. There will be interactive activities designed to clarify and enhance the materials being covered.
Recommended preparation
Class assignments and grading
Students will be assigned articles to be discussed during class. Copies of the articles can be found on the class website. A summary of the article will be due by the end of next class.
Each student will be expected to participate in class presentations. Topics for presentations include diseases not already covered in class. Presentations will be delivered at the discretion of the lecturer during the class period.
Grades will be assessed as follows:
30% Participation 30% Presentations 20% Article Summaries 20% Quizzes
Participation – Demonstrated by verbal responses to questions, the explanation of figures from research articles during group discussions, and participation in other classroom activities. Attendance is counted as part of this grade.
Presentations – During class, one or more groups of 3-4 students will give a 15 minute oral presentation on a neurological disease – for example, its causes, symptoms and treatments.
Article Summaries – Students will be given articles to read and will be required to write a summary. Summaries should be NO MORE than one double-spaced page in length and should include a summary of the papers findings and answers to the provided questions (example summaries will be provided). Students will be required to hand in three (3) summaries as part of their course grade.
Quizzes – There will be three (3) quizzes throughout the quarter to assess the students’ understanding of the course material. Each quiz will consist of 1-2 multiple choice questions, 1-2 fill in the blanks, and 1-2 short answers.
