BIOL 5310 Regenerative Biology

Satisfies the advanced experience requirement for the Biology major. Regeneration is an incredibly complex, diverse, and fascinating phenomenon. Some animals can regenerate their entire body from small groups of cells, while others -including us- show minimal regenerative ability. Although the study of regeneration has attracted much attention, many questions remain unanswered. What is the origin of the new, regenerated tissue? What are the mechanisms that drive this phenomenon? Is regeneration just development, replayed? Can we capitalize on some of this knowledge to design human regenerative therapies? In this course, we will delve into primary literature, including classic and contemporary papers, to explore some of these questions. We will focus on understanding the experimental approaches, analyzing the data critically, and discussing the author's interpretations in depth. Using regeneration as a conceptual framework, this course will allow students to hone their critical thinking skills, participate in discussions, and write concisely in a paper or scientific proposal format.