Biology Program

The study of life, its origins, diversity and intricacies.

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Graduate Course Descriptions

This is a list of graduate courses for the MS in Biotechnology and Bioinformatics program offered at CSU Channel Islands.

Common Core Courses (12 units)

BINF 500 DNA AND PROTEIN SEQUENCE ANALYSIS (3)
Three hours lecture per week
Prerequisite: BIOL 400 or consent of instructor
This course will introduce the computational aspects of biological inference from nucleic acid and protein sequences. Pairwise sequence comparison and multiple sequence alignment will be studied in detail. Additional topics include: RNA structure prediction, conserved sequence pattern recognition (sequence profile analysis), phylogenetic analysis algorithms, sequence data as a means to study molecular evolution, models and algorithms for genetic regulation, contig assembly, PAM and BLOSUM matrices, protein three dimensional structure prediction. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 503 BIOTECHNOLOGY LAW AND REGULATION (3)
Three hours lecture per week
Individual and organizational responsibility in R&D and commercial aspects of biotechnology. Topics include: intellectual property, privacy, government and industrial regulation, liability, ethics, and policy responses to societal concerns in the U.S. and abroad. Case studies involving gene therapy, cloning, and biomaterials in the medical and health sector, and farming and crop modification in the agricultural sector will be explored in detail. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 504 MOLECULAR CELL BIOLOGY (3)
Three hours lecture per week
Prerequisite: BIOL 300 and BIOL 400 or BIOL 501 or consent of instructor
Examines molecular and mechanistic aspects of cell biology. Topics include: cell biochemistry and biosynthesis, cell signaling, regulation of the cell cycle and membrane trafficking. Original research articles will be studied and student presentations are required. Course Learning Objectives

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MGT 471 PROJECT MANAGEMENT (3)
Three hours lectures per week
Presents the principles of project management, which is a special form of work organization, that focuses on a one-time objective. Discusses all aspects of project management: definition of objectives, selection of team and other resources, establishing of timing and sequences, creation of monitoring and control processes, and development of analysis and reporting mechanisms. Course Learning Objectives

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Biotechnology (22 units)

Required Courses (15 units)

BINF 514 STATISTICAL METHODS IN COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY (3)
Three hours lecture per week
Prerequisite: BIOL 203, MATH 151 or consent of instructor
Develops theoretical background and practical skills in statistics and probability required for the interpretation and utilization of genomic data.  Topics  include biological sequence alignment and analysis, sequence structure and function prediction, database searching, gene expression profiling, statistical genetics and phylogenetic inference. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 502 TECHNIQUES IN GENOMICS/PROTEOMICS (3)
One hour lecture and Six hours laboratory per week
Prerequisite: BIOL 400, 401 or 501 or consent of the instructor
Provides students with theoretical foundations and practial skills needed for general bioinformatics, genomics, and proteomics analysis. Intensive lab sessions, emphasize applied techniques. Field trips to various local biotechnology facilities will  augment the training. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 505 MOLECULAR STRUCTURE (4)
Three hours lecture and three hours laboratory per week
Prerequisite: BIOL 504 or consent of instructor
Examines the structural biology of proteins. Topics include general principles of protein structure, the biochemical function of proteins, the relationship of protein structure to its function and experimental approaches to determining and predicting protein structure and function. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 600 TEAM PROJECT (4)
Prerequisite: Program approval
In this course, students will work individually and in teams to analyze, research, discuss and report on subjects relevant to the biotechnology industry. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 601 SEMINAR IN BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOINFORMATICS (1)
One hour seminar per week
Discussion of up-to-date research and development findings with guest speakers, visiting scientists and industry professionals. Course Learning Objectives

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Electives (7 units)

A minimum of two courses chosen from the following elective courses and /or from the required courses for the other emphases of the program:

BINF 511 COMPUTATIONAL GENOMICS (3)
Three hours lecture per week
Prerequisite: BINF 500 and BINF 514 or consent of instructor
Develops theories and statistical methods introduced in core coursework using real-life genomic data sets, with an emphasis on practical applications, hands-on analysis, integrated approaches and collaboration.  Introduces students without computer science backgrounds to the major concepts in programming for problem-solving in bioinformatics. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 490 SPECIAL TOPICS (1-3)
Three hours seminar per week. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 500 INTRODUCTION TO BIOPHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTION OPERATIONS (3)
Three hours lecture per week
An introduction to biopharmaceutical production systems and processes. Topics include manufacturing, unit operations and supporting infrastructures, product distribution, quality assurance and control, facility engineering and maintenance, utility operations, regulatory compliance, and laboratory support. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 506 MOLECULAR EVOLUTION (4)
Three hours lecture and three hours laboratory per week
Prerequisite: BIOL 504 or consent of instructor
Examines evolutionary change at the molecular level. Topics include: The driving forces behind the evolutionary process, the effects of the various molecular mechanisms on the structure of genes, proteins, and genomes, the methodology for dealing with molecular data from an evolutionary perspective and the logic of molecular hypothesis testing. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 507 PHARMACOGENOMICS AND PHARMACOPROTEOMICS (3)
Three hours lecture per week
Prerequisite: BINF 500, BIOL 504 or consent of instructor
Structural and functional genomics with an emphasis on how these fields operate in drug discovery and optimization. Topics include: genetics of the human response to prophylactic and therapeutic agent, impact of genetic variation on therapeutic efficacy, disease mechanisms, proteomics of genetic and communicable disease, drug action and toxicity, structure encoding, lead discovery and optimization, parallel synthesis, screening virtual libraries. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 508 ADVANCED IMMUNOLOGY (4)
Three hours lecture and three hours laboratory per week
Prerequisite: BIOL 504 or consent of instructor
Examines cellular and molecular aspects of the immune system.  Topics include: molecular genetics and molecular structure of immunoglobulin, T cell receptor, and the MHC antigens; the functions and dysfunctions of the components of the immune system; applications of immunological technologies in modern scientific research and development. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 509 PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY (4)
Three hours lecture and three hours laboratory per week
Prerequisite: BIOL 504 or consent of instructor
Examines the scientific and technical advances which underlie the production of genetically modified crops. Topics include: plant genome organization and gene expression, plant tissue culture and genetic transformation, genetic manipulation to confer resistance to herbicides, pests and disease and strategies for engineering stress tolerance and the improvement of crop yield and quality. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 516 CLINICAL TRIALS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE (3)
Three hours lecture per week
Prerequisite: BIOL 503
An introduction to the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to successfully conduct clinical trials for new drugs, biologics, and medical devices, including in vitro diagnostics. Topics include a broad overview of the product development process in the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, and medical device industries, the regulatory and operational requirements for clinical study setup and management, monitoring, data management, and closure of clinical trials, the principles of Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and the applications of quality control and quality assurance. The integration of quality assurance throughout the medical product development process will be discussed. Course Learning Objectives

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MGT 421 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (3)
Three hours lecture per week
Examines principles, methods and procedures in the management of human resources. Topics include developing planning objectives for HR management, legal compliance, job analysis, recruiting, selection, training, compensation and employee relations. Course Learning Objectives

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Biomedical Engineering (22-24 units)

Required Courses (15-17 units)

BME 500 BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS AND BIOMECHANICS: PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATIONS (3)
Two hours lecture and three hours laboratory per week
Prerequisite: BIOL 210 and 211 or BIOL 424; PHYS 200 and 201 or BIOL/PHYS 315; and BIOL 300 or CHEM 318 or CHEM 460; and BIOL 400 or BIOL 501
Covers structural and physiological foundations in biomedical engineering, including molecular and cellular, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal and neural systems, and principles and applications of biomechanics and biorobotics in biological systems. Course Learning Objectives

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BME 501 FUNDAMENTALS OF TISSUE ENGINEERING AND BIOMATERIALS (3)
Two hours lecture and three hours laboratory per week
Prerequisite: BIOL 504; PHYS 200 and 201 or BIOL/PHYS 315
Covers molecular, cellular, tissue and organ engineering and societal and ethical issues in regenerative medicine. Also considers major types of biomaterials including metallic, ceramic, polymeric, biodegradable, composite, nano- and other replacement materials and techniques and procedures used in biomedical engineering. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 601 SEMINAR IN BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOINFORMATICS (1)
One hour seminar per week
Discussion of up-to-date research and development findings with guest speakers, visiting scientists and industry professionals. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 604 BIOTECHNOLOGY ACROSS NATIONAL BOUNDARIES (2)
Two hours lecture per week
Prerequisite: Consent of instuctor required for enrollment
Addresses international efforts in biotechnological innovation, education, global commercialization and impact of biotechnology. Explores collaborations among science, education, industry and government in the age of globalization, ethical standards, international law and regulation in biotechnology and inter- and cross-cultural issues in business operations. An optional element of this course is a field trip to international businesses and education systems. Course Learning Objectives

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Select either BME 502 or PHYS 464 (3-4 units)

BME 502 BIOMEDICAL INSTRUMENTATION AND DEVICES: TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATIONS (3)
Two hours lecture and three hours laboratory per week
Prerequisite: MATH 150; PHYS 200 and 201 or PHYS 315 or BIOL/PHYS 434
Covers biosignaling processes, instrumentation and devices in measuring, recording, monitoring and diagnosis, modern medical imaging analysis systems, nanodevices, therapeutics, and design and development principles of instruments and devices for diagnostics and therapeutics. Course Learning Objectives

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PHYS 464 MEDICAL INSTRUMENTATION (4)
Three hours lecture and two hours laboratory per week, including two field trips per course
Prerequisite: BIOL/PHYS 434
The detection, acquisition, processing and display of diagnostic clinical images. The course will concentrate on the fundamentals of the design of the instruments and the use of appropriate reconstruction algorithms in (computed) radiography, (digital) fluoroscopy, computed tomography, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging and radionuclide imaging. Activities will include image reconstruction examples, investigation of recent innovations, and two trips to local Radiology departments. Course Learning Objectives

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Select either BIOL 600 or 603 (3-4 units)

BIOL 600 TEAM PROJECT (4)
Prerequisite: Program approval
In this course, students will work individually and in teams to analyze, research, discuss and report on subjects relevant to the biotechnology industry. Course Learning Objectives

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or

BIOL 603 BIOTECHNOLOGY INTERNSHIP (1)
Three hours seminar per week
A one-semester project where students conduct original research in an active research laboratory at various off campus institutions. Culminates in a final written report and an oral presentation at the Program Colloquium. Course Learning Objectives

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Electives (7-8 units)

A minimum of two courses chosen from the elective courses for the Biotechnology Emphasis and /or from the required courses for the other emphases of the program.

Stem Cell Technology and Laboratory Management (22-23 units)

Required Courses (19 units)

BIOL 502 TECHNIQUES IN GENOMICS/PROTEOMICS (3)
One hour lecture and Six hours laboratory per week
Prerequisite: BIOL 400, 401 or 501 or consent of the instructor
Provides students with theoretical foundations and practial skills needed for general bioinformatics, genomics, and proteomics analysis. Intensive lab sessions, emphasize applied techniques. Field trips to various local biotechnology facilities will  augment the training. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 510 TISSUE CULTURE TECHNIQUES AND STEM CELL TECHNOLOGY (3)
One hours lecture per week and six hours laboratory per week
Prerequisite: BIOL 300 or consent of instructor
Examines theory and concepts of animal and plant cell and tissue culturing. Focuses on stem cell technology including types of stem cells, ethics of stem cells, pluripotency, culture methods, characterization, monitoring tools such as imaging and differentiation strategies. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 511 ADVANCED STEM CELL TECHNOLOGY (3)
One hours lecture per week and six hours laboratory per week
Prerequisite: BIOL 427, BIOL 510
A laboratory intensive course focused on the technical aspects of human embryonic stem cell technology. Develops specific technical skills to successfully culture, characterize and maintain pluripotent human embryonic stem cell lines. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 512 ADVANCED TOPICS IN REGENERATIVE MEDICINE (1)
One hours lecture per week
Prerequisites: BIOL 511
A seminar series involving presentations and discussions of current knowledge of embryonic and adult stem cells and factors that regulate their growth and development. Emphasizes how advances in cell and molecular biology and tissue engineering can be applied to the use of stem cells in regenerative medicine. Discusses social and ethical impacts of stem cell technology. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 513 CELL CULTURE FACILITY MANAGEMENT (3)
Three hours lecture per week
Prerequisite: BIOL 510
Processes and procedures of managing a cell culture facility. Topics include biosafety standards, record keeping, database organization, personnel management, inventory administration, storage of laboratory reagents and supplies, cell line banking and maintenance, equipment selection and maintenance, and essential concepts for troubleshooting common cell culture problems. Course Learning Objectives

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BIOL 602 STEM CELL TECHNOLOGY INTERNSHIP (6)
Eighteen hours field studies per week
Prerequisite: BIOL 511
A required two-semester project where students conduct original research in an active stem cell research laboratory at various off campus institutions. Culminates in a final written report and oral presentation. Repeatable for a total of 6 units for the year-long project. Course Learning Objectives

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Electives (3-4 units)

A minimum of one course chosen from the elective courses in Biotechnology Emphasis and/or from the required courses for the other emphases of the program.