In this course, students will learn basic principles of nucleic acid chemistry and engineering through lectures and discussions. The students will then use the basic knowledge to deepen their understanding of the current research in the field of nucleic acid chemistry and engineering. Emphasis will be placed on reviewing current and future applications of nucleic acids in diverse fields including chemistry, biology, materials, medicine, biosensors, and engineering through current literature. Depending on the number of students and availability of resources, either development of a research proposal or a short laboratory session will be performed.
Target students
Students who are interested in chemistry and biology of nucleic acids, as well as diverse technlogies based on nucleic acids. No advanced or specialized knowledge is assumed.
Grading expectatinos
A final letter grade will be given based on the numerical evaluations described above. All students who put in their best efforts according to their background to learn and engage in the class are expected to receive an A. Students receiving grades B or C typically do minimum amount of work to complete presentations etc., and show little or no interest during lectures or presentations by other students.
Week or Date |
Topic, readings, activities |
1 |
Basic nucleic acid chemistry (structure and thermodynamics) |
2-3 |
Chemical and biological synthesis of nucleic acids |
4 |
Analysis of nucleic acids |
5-9 |
Nucleic acid engineering topics (e.g., aptamers, ribozymes, DNA nanotechnology, DNA computation, DNA data storage, DNA materials, gene therapy) |
10-11 |
Literature review and presentations |
12-14 |
Proposal development or laboratory |
None