Genetics - Spring 2025


Evolving Syllabus

Subject to some change during the course of the semester. Under certain circumstances, the instructor may have to alter course requirements, assignment deadlines, and grading procedures; and the university may have to alter the semester calendar.


Tentative Syllabus!

Subject to change before start of Spring semester


Prerequisites


Administrative details

Meetings:MWF 9-9:50am, location WAL-4480
RecitationWednesday 8-8:50am, location WAL-4480
Credits3
Optional text Essential Genetics, 7th ed, by Hartl and Jones
iClicker will be required.
Instructor:Michael Osier
Office:08-1338
Schedule
Contact:mvoscl@rit.edu

Topics

Mon lecture

Wed recitation

Wed lecture

Fri lecture

Week 1 - Jan 13 Introduction; Why study genetics? Phenotypic Variation Mendel and Darwin (Chapter 2.1-2.6; Chapter 15.1-15.2, look over OMIM) Quiz 1 Genome structures; Organization of the Chromosome; Mitosis and Meiosis (Chapters 3.1-3.5, 6.1-6.5, 12.1-12.6)
Week 2 - Jan 20 No class CoT in the Act by Dr. Rothman Mutation and Repair; Eukaryotic gene structure (Chapters 3.1-3.5, 6.1-6.5, 12.1-12.6) Polymorphism; Model organisms
Week 3 - Jan 27 Quiz 2 Sex-linked inheritance; Sex determination and the Lyons hypothesis (Chapters 3.6, 5.1-5.2) Activity: sex-linked Drosophila phenotypes, Exam review Trancription, splicing, and translation (Chapter 8)
Week 4 - Feb 3 Exam 1: short answer Online activity this week - NIH Genetic Testing Registry Exam 1: problem solving Prokaryotic gene expression (Chapter 9.1-9.3)
Week 5 - Feb 10 Quiz 3 Mapping prokaryotic genes (Chapter 7.1-7.5) Exam 1 followup Mapping prokaryotic genes (Chapter 7.1-7.5); Eukaryotic gene expression (Chapter 9.4-9.7)
Week 6 - Feb 17 Quiz 4 Independent assortment (Chapter 2.3-2.4, 3.7 [just Chi-square Goodness-of-Fit], Chapter 4.1-4.2) Parada et al., 2002 Independent assortment (Chapter 2.3-2.4, 3.7 [just Chi-square Goodness-of-Fit], Chapter 4.1-4.2)
Week 7 - Feb 24 Quiz 5 Tetrad analysis (4.5 [not including section on Gene Conversion]) Exam review Linkage (Chapter 4.1-4.2, 4.5 [not including section on Gene Conversion])
Week 8 - Mar 3 Exam 2: short answer Online activity this week - Prokaryotic mapping practice worksheet Exam 2: problem solving Exam 2 followup
Week 9 - Mar 10 Spring Break
Week 10 - Mar 18 Segregration analysis (Chapter 2.5, 5.1-5.3, 4.1-4.3) Mid-semester review Eukaryotic gene mapping; Karyotype analysis (Chapters 5.1-5.3, 4.1-4.3) Quantitative genetics (Chapters 15.1-15.2, 15.4-15.5)
Week 11 - Mar 24 Quiz 6 Introduction to Population Genetics: Random mating, non-random mating, and HWE (Chapters 14.2-14.3, 14.9) Activity: Forensics and HWE
Week 12 - Mar 31 Quiz 7 Activity: Random genetic drift (Chapters 14.2-14.3, 14.9); Random Genetic Drift (Chapters 14.2-14.3, 14.9) Patsalis et al. paper; Xu et al. paper Exam review HWE and selection (Chapters 14.2-14.3, 14.9)
Week 13 - Apr 7 Exam 3: short answer Open review session Exam 3: problem solving Exam 3 followup
Week 14 - Apr 14 Quiz 8 Complementation (pp 17-19 for Complementation) Spreadsheets and Selection Activity: Epistasis; Pleiotropy and Penetrance and Phenocopies, oh my! (Chapter 2.6-2.7)
Week 15 - Apr 21 Quiz 9 Catchup, open course review Lyons, Cox, and Dancis paper Activity: Doing the pathway shuffle (Genetics board game) Exam review
Week 16 - Apr 28 open course review Exam week


Grading

Quizzes (2 points each x 9)18%
Participation12%
Exam 114%
Exam 218%
Exam 318%
Final Exam20%
Total100%

If your final exam grade is higher than your average for the first three exams, your final exam grade will replace your lowest grade in Exams 1 through 3. So if you earn 90% on your final, and your exam average was 83%, and your lowest grade was a 70%, the 90% will replace the 70%, plus you get a 90% on the final.

A[95-100]
A-[90-95)
B+[86.7-90)
B[83.4-86.7)
B-[80-83.4)
C+[76.7-80)
C[73.4-76.7)
C-[70-73.4)
D[60-70)
F<60

Participation

Participation will be determined based upon a combination of factors, including but not limited to, attending sessions on time, participating in all iClicker questions for the day, and properly following any relevant RIT policies.


iClicker

I will be using iClicker to make our class time more engaging. This will help me understand what you know, give everyone a chance to participate, and increase how much you learn in class. This will also provide you with feedback on how well you are comprehending course concepts, and help you master challenging concepts.

You are required to participate with the iClicker student app on a smartphone, tablet or laptop in a timely fashion. It is also your responsibility to regularly check your iClicker records for any discrepancies.

You can use an existing iClicker account if you have one...please do not create a new account if you already have one. If you do not have an account yet, you can create a new iClicker account using the instructions here. There is a fee for using the iClicker service. Subscriptions can be purchased within the app.

Next, you can add our course per the instructions here. The course will be under "Biology" and named "BIOL-321 Genetics 2025" for the Spring 2025 semester.


Optional homework assignments

The below homework questions are not required, but may be reflective of some questions on quizzes and exams. With the exception of dates without assigned problems, for every completed homework assignment submitted on paper in handwriting before the start of the following week (e.g. Homework for Week 1 due before class on Monday of Week 2), students will earn 1/2 bonus point toward their final grade. No late submissions will be accepted for bonus points. Feedback will be given as quickly as possible.

All numbers below are Concepts in Action problems from the end of the corresponding chapter. "2.1" corresponds to Chapter 2, first Concept in Action problem. All even numbered problems have answers in the back of the text. Problems from outside the textbook may also be indicated.

Week AssignedWeek DueAssignment
1 2 2.1, 2.2, 2.5, 2.16, 2.20; Search OMIM for a disease of interest to you...in no more than one-half page, describe what is known about the genetics of this human trait.
2 3 3.2, 3.8, 6.4, 6.6, 6.8, 6.10
3 4 2.18, 3.10, 3.12, 5.4, 5.6, 5.8, 8.2, 8.6, 8.8, 8.14, 8.20, 12.2, 12.6, 12.8, 12.12, 12.16
4 5 9.2, 9.16, 9.18
5 6 9.6, 7.10, 7.11, 7.14, 7.18, 7.20
6 7 3.16, 3.18
7 8 Exam review packet
8 10 4.2, 4.6, 4.8, 4.10
9 N/A None
10 11 2.8, 2.9, 2.10, 2.21, 4.20 a & b, 5.12
11 12 14.2, 14.4, 14.6, 14.8, 14.10, 14.12
12 13 Exam review packet
13 14 HWE Worksheet in myCourses - Submit to myCourses Assignment box by Week 14 Friday
14 15 2.12, 2.14, 2.17, 4.13, 4.16, 4.20 (a and b), 15.2, 15.4, 15.10, 15.12, 15.20
15* 16* 2.3, 2.11, 2.15, 4.17, 9.13, 9.20, 12.9, 12.11, 14.9, 14.17, 2.13, 4.11 a-d, 4.14, 4.19, 9.15, 12.17, 14.11, 14.13, 14.15, 15.5
* Week 15 problems due before the final exam.

Quiz and Exam policy

No electronics except for a calculator. The calculator must not be a graphing or programmable calculator. No caps or hats.

Quizzes will take place during the first ten minutes of class time. Exams will take the full assigned session and you may leave when finished.

There will be one makeup for any exam or quiz, on a date and time to be determined by the instructor. Please email the instructor as soon as possible if you are unable to make an exam or quiz.


Recording policy

Unless written permission is granted by the faculty member, or a specific accommodation has been approved by the Disability Services Office, students are prohibited from recording lectures or presentations.


Links

Spreadsheets to practice with

Supporting information


Contents last updated 10/31/24