Bio4241 - Advanced Topics in Genetics

Bio4241 - AdvAnCed GeneTiCs

       e-mail: scarr@mun.ca
      Memorial University of Newfoundland
      Course notes for Bio2250 (Principles of Genetics)

This course is an extension of Bio2250 to advanced topics in experimental classical & modern genetics

Bio4241, Winter 2026 semester
        Course Syllabus
        Presentation rubric
        Lectures Tu Th 0900-1015, ED-4034
        Lab          Wed 1400-1700, CSF-2307

Introduction to Advanced Topics in Genetics

06 Jan: A History of DNA to 1953

07 Jan LAB: Orientation & Organization [NOTE: Lab meets CSF-2307 until TBA]

13 & 15 Jan: Advanced Topics in Mutagenesis

SNP variation

Spontaneous & Induced Mutagenesis

Radiation Genetics: High-Energy mutagenesis

Ames Test: Environmental mutagenesis

Suppressor mutations: "Two wrong make a right"

14 Jan lab: Luria & Delbruck (1943). Mutations of bacteria from virus sensitivity to virus resistance. Genetics 28:491.
- [PDF of original] [PDF of presentation] Posted 13 Jan
- Introduction to the Poisson Distribution

Student Presentations
    See the Nobel e-Museum for biographies, summaries & other resources
    See PubMed at NCBI for papers
    Historical material & animations at Cold Spring Harbor Labs DNA Learning Center

(1) [20 Jan] Structure & History of DNA : Watson, Crick, Wilkins, Franklin, Gosling, Chargaff et al.

Watson & Crick (1953) Molecular structure of nucleic acids. Nature 171: 737-738. [PDF of original] [PDF of presentation]
Wilkins, Stokes & Wilson (1953) Molecular structure of deoxypentose nuclei acids. Nature 171:738-740 [Three PDFs]
Franklin & Gosling (1953) Molecular configuration in sodium thymonucleate Nature 171:740-741

[21 Jan Lab] "DNA: Secret of Photo 51" (Nova, 2007)

~~(2) [22 Jan] Genetic function of DNA: "³²P goes in, ³⁵S stays out."~~

~~Hershey & Chase (1952).~~ ~~Independent functions of viral protein and nucleic acid in growth of bacteriophage.~~ ~~J Gen Physiol~~ ~~36: 39-56 [PDF of original] [PDF of presentation~~]

(3) [27 Jan] Semi-Conservative Replication of DNA

Meselson & Stahl (1958). The replication of DNA in Escherichia coli. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 44: 671-682. [PDF of original] [PDF of presentation]

[Technical notes on analytical ultracentrifugation]

[28 Jan] Introduction to Transposable Elements "Jumping Genes"

(4) [29 Jan] Cancer Genetics

Knudson (1971). Genetics and cancer: statistical study of retinoblastoma. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 68: 820-823. [PDF of original] [PDF of presentation]

Knudson (2005) autobiography

(5) [03 Feb] The Triplet Code

Nirenberg et al. (1966). The RNA code and protein synthesis. Cold Spring Harbor Symp Quant Biol 31: 11-24. [PDF of original] [PDF of presentation] [PPT presentation]

[See introductory paper by FHC Crick; see also Nirenberg et al. (1963) CSHSQB volume]
SMC: "The Big ORF Theory"

(6) [05 Feb] "Chimps & Humans are 99% similar"

King & Wilson (1975) Evolution at two levels in humans and chimpanzees. Science 188:107-116. [PDF of original] [PDF of presentation] [PPT of presentation]

(7) [10 Feb] DNA Fingerprinting

Gill et al. (1994) Identification of the remains of the Romanov family by DNA analysis. Nature 316:76-79. [PDF of original] [PPT of presentation]

[12 Feb] DARWIN DAY: Guest Speaker

Part II: ~~Advanced Topics, after~~ Gibson (2015) Primer of Human Genetics~~. Sinauer.~~ TBA

[28 Feb] Quantitative Genetics [Modified 24 Mar 2016]
[03 Mar] Gibson (2015) Chap 01: Conceptual Foundations of Genetics

[08 Mar] Palaeogenetics: Origins of Human Genetic Diversity [PDF of presentation]
[09 Mar lab] Linkage Analysis: Hamer et al. 1993. Science 261:321-327 [PDF of original] [PDF of presentation]
[10 Mar] Gibson (2015) Chap 01: Conceptual Foundations of Genetics, cont'd

[15 Mar] [Group 1] Chap 02: The Human Genome [PDF of presentation] [posted]
[15 Mar lab] Sn-3125: Screening of "Do You Really Want to Know?" (2012) [IMDB info] [Notes on Huntington Disease]
[16 Mar] [Group 2] Chap 03: Human Evolution [PDF of Presentation] [posted]

[21 Mar] [Group 3] Chap 04: Normal Variation [link to Presentation] [posted 21 Mar]
[22 Mar lab] [Group 4] CRISPR-cas9 technology [link to Presentation] [~~2016 New Yorker~~ ~~review] [~~posted]

[23 Mar] [Group 5] Chap 06: Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) [link to Presentation] [posted]

[28 Mar] [Group 6] Nat'l Acad Sci Report on GMO Crops, Part 1 [Link to PDF Presentation] [posted]
[30 Mar] [Group 7] NAS Report on GMO Crops, Part 2 [Link to PDF Presentation] [posted

Last updated 13 Jan 2026
For Eowyn & Matilda.