1. Introduction, Course Organization of MIT 7.016 Introductory Biology, Fall 2018
TLDRProfessors Imperiali and Martin enthusiastically introduce their small, interdisciplinary class to the exciting opportunities in 21st century biology. Tracing the origins of life from prebiotic chemistry to complex multicellular organisms, they highlight modern techniques like fluorescent imaging and genomics that provide unprecedented views into molecular processes underlying life. Alongside foundational concepts, they emphasize biology's integration with other STEM fields and discuss societal impacts like personalized medicine and synthetic biology. With interactive teaching plans like 'running hours,' they aim to spur questions and dialogue around this rapidly advancing field.
Takeaways
- 😊 This is an introductory biology course with a small class size, allowing for a more personalized and interactive experience.
- 👩🏫 The instructors aim to give students an understanding of the common molecular logic behind complex biological processes.
- 🔬 Modern biology relies heavily on advancements in science, technology and engineering.
- 💊 Understanding biology helps inform discussions around health, disease and ethical issues like genetic engineering.
- 🧬 Elucidation of DNA's double helix structure in the 1950s marked the beginning of molecular biology.
- 😎 Developments like fluorescent proteins allow real-time observation of dynamic processes inside living cells.
- 🔎 There are still mysteries around how genes encode complex multicellular life.
- 🦟 Model organisms like fruit flies are important for establishing fundamental principles of biology.
- ⏱ Understanding cell division and its regulation is key for comprehending diseases like cancer.
- 🏃♂️ Approachability and student interaction are priorities for the instructional staff.
Q & A
What was the major breakthrough in biology in the 1950s?
-The major breakthrough was the elucidation of the structure of DNA in 1953 by James Watson, Francis Crick, and Rosalind Franklin. This revealed that DNA has an anti-parallel double helix structure that enables it to be copied and inherited.
How did technology advancements in the 1980s revolutionize biology?
-Advancements enabled rapid DNA sequencing rather than using slow agarose gel methods. This technology was commercialized in 1987 and allowed for large-scale genome sequencing projects like the Human Genome Project started in 1990.
What percentage of the human genome codes for proteins?
-Only about 1.5% to 2% of the 3 billion base pairs in the human genome code for proteins. The other 98% has other functions that are still being investigated.
How can model organisms like fruit flies help understand human biology?
-Studying genetics and development in model organisms provides insights into conserved biological processes in humans and other organisms. These simpler systems allow detailed mechanistic analyses not possible directly in humans.
How did advancements in imaging technologies change biology research?
-New fluorescent proteins allowed scientists to label and visualize proteins within living cells and organisms, enabling real-time tracking of dynamic processes like cell division during development.
What is one application of synthetic biology?
-Synthetic biology involves harnessing biology to produce useful molecules for humans that would be otherwise hard to make, often in a more effective manner than industrial production methods.
What ethical concerns arise from personal genomics services?
-Services providing information on disease risk and ancestry raise ethical questions on privacy of data and use by third parties, as seen in recent cases of law enforcement using database family trees to identify suspects.
What key concepts link different areas of biology?
-Several key concepts like genetics, cell signaling, molecular interactions, and control of cell division apply across microbiology, biochemistry, genetics, and cell biology, underlying core principles that connect these fields.
How did technology revolutions enable the mapping of entire genomes?
-Automation of sequencing methods and computational power to assemble genome sequences enabled determination of the first human genome draft sequence in 2001.
What key challenges lie ahead for biological research?
-Key issues are understanding regulation encoded in non-protein coding genome regions, mapping molecular networks controlling cell behaviors, integrating massive datasets, and elucidating how collective cell behaviors program tissue development.
Outlines
🧬 Introductions and course overview
The instructors introduce themselves - Barbara Imperiali, Adam Martin, and Diviya Ray. They provide background on their research interests. They describe the opportunities afforded by the small class size for a more interactive format. The instructors aim to give students a view of the fundamental principles common to all organisms, starting from simple molecules up to complex systems.
🌟 Why study biology in the 21st century
Studying biology today allows one to contribute expertise to move the field forward across disciplines like science, engineering, and technology. Understanding biology impacts areas like health, disease, ethics and policy issues. The instructors convey excitement about the complexity of systems that can be studied at a molecular level.
🗺️ Tracing the origins of life
The instructor walks through a timeline of the origins of life on Earth - starting with the prebiotic world where building blocks evolved, leading to the first cells with membranes and compartmentalization. The first prokaryotes were cyanobacteria. Much later, eukaryotes evolved with more complexity. About 500 million years ago, multicellular life emerged, eventually leading to advanced hominids and modern Homo sapiens.
💥 DNA structure discovery enables the molecular biology revolution
Elucidation of the 3D double helical structure of DNA in the 1950s by Watson, Crick and Franklin enabled understanding of replication, transcription, translation - transforming biology into a molecular science. Automation in the 1970s-2000s has enabled rapid genome sequencing and ushered research initiatives seeking molecular insight on human variation, cell diversity and disease.
🔬 Visualization of dynamic cellular processes
The instructor emphasizes how fluorescent proteins have enabled labeling and tracking protein localization and interactions in living cells, showcasing vivid images of dividing cells. These methods permit direct observation of cell signaling pathways, cell cycle progression and more to evaluate effects of experimental drugs/conditions.
🚀 Common molecular logic from bacteria to man
Despite huge differences in genome sizes across organisms, the molecular building blocks are the same. If one understands the rules governing simpler organisms, that knowledge can be applied towards more complex systems built on the same foundations. Form fulfills function across domains of life by virtue of this unified molecular logic.
🧬 Understanding genetics and shape morphogenesis
Professor Martin discusses how fruit fly genetics has pioneered understanding inheritance. He emphasizes how genetics broadly impacts lives through ancestry services and forensics. Signaling concepts will cover neutrophil directional sensing. A key area of mystery is how genomes encode anatomical shape and complexity. Videos showcase fruit fly embryo folding driven by regulated cell shape change.
👋 Encouraging interaction in smaller groups
The instructors welcome greater interactivity afforded by the smaller class size. Professor Martin advertises 'running office hours' to connect outside academics and establish mentorship in an informal environment.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡DNA structure
💡genome
💡sequencing
💡model organism
💡fluorescence
💡systems biology
💡data
💡chemistry
💡evolution
💡imaging
Highlights
Studying biology in the 21st century is a fabulous opportunity
Biology has a lot to do with understanding health, disease, and new scientific discoveries
The study of modern biology is the synthesis of science, technology and engineering
There are common molecular building blocks across all domains of life
Imaging and visualization of cellular processes has been revolutionized by fluorescent proteins
The structure of DNA was elucidated in the 1950s, leading to a revolution in biology
Sequencing and reading DNA was made efficient through fluorescence and instrumentation
The human genome project began in 1990 and a draft was completed in 2001
Genome data has enabled tracing human evolution and divergence times
Only 1.5-2% of the human genome codes for proteins, the rest has other functions
Despite wide differences, all organisms share the same molecular building blocks
Complex signaling controls dynamic cell behaviors like division, migration and force generation
We can observe developmental processes in real time using fluorescently labeled embryos
Genetics plays an important role in our lives through ancestry and disease predisposition tests
Ethical issues arise from police use of public ancestry database information
Transcripts
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