BioSci
23280: The Science Behind Genetically Modified
Organisms
(Original
Version)
http://naturalsystems.org/class/GMO
Joy Bergelson Justin
Borevitz
Office: Erman 202 (
Phone: 702-3855 Phone:
702-5948
Email: jbergels@uchicago.edu Email:
borevitz@uchicago.edu
Class BSCL 205, Tu/Thur
1:30-2:50
Prerequisites – BioSci
20185
SYLLABUS
Shorter, New Version http://naturalsystems.org/class/GMO
BioSci 23280: The Science Behind Genetically
Modified Organisms
Tuesday/Thursday
1:30 -2:50
Room to be
determined (but initially BSLC 205)
Week 1
January 3 Introduction
to the Course, Decide on topics, Watch videos on reserve
Also see web site (above link) for video
The Future of Food will
post the DivX.
On reserve
Genetic
Time Bomb, produced by de Graad & Boe for Oregon Public Broadcasting
Food
for Thought, by Ed Schehl
& Katherine Knight
Against the Grain,
Biotechnology and the CorporateTakeover of your Food
- produced by Britt Bailey/ written by Marc Lappe
Week 2
January 10 Gene Spread Bergelson to discuss
Reading assignment: Quist, D. & I. H. Chapela.
Science review, GMO special issue
January
19 Individual meetings
on Research Topic
January 24 Bio/Phytoremediation: Borevitz to Introduce topic. Papers on Phytoremediation
January
26 Individual meetings on Research
Topic
January
31 Student
discussion/presentation on specifics of Bio/Phytoremediation,
Assignment
#2 due PLEASE EMAIL TO BOREVITZ AT UCHICAGO.EDU
February
2 Individual meetings on
Research Topic
February
7 Community Level Effects: Bergelson to introduce topic regarding GMO
and their
interaction with flora and fauna
February
9 Individual meetings on
Research Topic
February
14 Student
discussion/presentation on specifics of Community Level Effects
February
16 STUDENT FINAL PRESENTATION
February
21 Bio Pharming. Plant production of
pharmaceuticals. Borevitz to introduce topic
February
23 STUDENT FINAL PRESENTATION
February
28 Student
discussion/presentation on specifics of Bio Pharming
March
2 STUDENT FINAL
PRESENTATION
March
7 STUDENT FINAL PRESENTATION
March
9 Final Written
Project due by email at 3pm.
Grading
Under the Newer Syllabus
Short Written Assignments (four) 6 pts each = 24 points
Short Presentations/Participation (four) 6 pts each = 24 points
Final Written Project 40 points
General
Overview www.colostate.edu/programs/lifesciences/TransgenicCrops/index.html
General
Overview http://www.sac.ac.uk/info/External/About/publicns/gmos2.htm
Prince
Charles (statement) http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/speeches/agriculture_01061999.html
California
Native Plant Society (position statement)
http://www.cruzcnps.org/rigney.html
Royal
Society of Canada (report) http://www.rsc.ca/foodbiotechnology/GMreportEN.pdf
Royal
Society of England (several reports here)
http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/policy/index.html
Union
of Concerned Scientists (position statement)
http://www.ucsusa.org/agriculture/gen.risks.html
The
National Academy of Science (report)
http://books.nap.edu/catalog/9795.html
What
has been transformed in England
http://www.genewatch.org/DbIntro.htm
USDA
APHIS http://www.aphis.usda.gov
Potential
Topics for final Project
Petitions
to Deregulation, What is substantial equivalence?
Bioterroism (have a look at current government funding
requests)
Resistance
Management Strategies (Containment of GMO)
Evolution
of Virulence (and issues surrounding specific promoter sequences)
Dolly
& Human Cloning/ Stem Cells: Ethics
and Science
Labeling
and issues of Allergenicity
Horizontal
gene transfer, what is it, does it happen, if so when?
Predicting
invasiveness - Prosamo
Have
GMO’s actually lead to a reduction in herbicide use?
Will
GMO’s lead to increased selection for evolution of
pathogen virulence?
You
are also free to think of your own topic!
January
3 Introduction
to the Course
January
5 What is a
Genetically Modified Organism?
Background
Reading: Methods of Genetic Modification and Their Use
From:
Regulatory Toxicology 12: S79-S113
January
10 Ecological
Risks of Genetically Modified Organisms (an overview)
Reading
assignment: compilation of magazine articles
Assignment
(#1): short critique
January
17 Risks of Gene
Spread and Strategies of Containment
The
Genetic Time Bomb, a video and discussion
January
19 Risks of
Gene Spread, a case study
Assignment
(#2): short critique
January
24 Risks of
Invasion II: The PROSAMO trials
Assignment
(#3): short critique
January
26 Risks for
Beneficial Insects, a case study
Assignment
(#4): short critique
January
31 Resistance
management
Assignment
(#5): short critique
February
2 Evolution of
virulence
Assignment
(#6): short critique
February
7 Regulation of
Transgenic Crops, an overview
February
9 Working Groups will meet
February
14 Petitions to
Deregulate Transgenic Crops I: student presentations
February
16 Petitions to
Deregulate Transgenic Crops II: student presentations
February
21 Health Risks
of GMO’s, an overview
Food for Thought, a video and discussion
February
28 Working Groups
will meet
March
2 Working
Groups will meet
March
7 Final
Projects I: student presentations
March
9 Reading Day Final Projects II:
student presentations
Short Assignments (choose 5 of 6) 8pts each = 40 points