Oceans are filled with a variety of different forms of life. With this diversity comes the potential for some cool chemistry that has applications in a variety of fields, like medicine. In this course, we will explore cool marine life, in particular, those that are producers of interesting chemistry that is applicable to our lives.

This course will talk about programmed cell death and how it contributes to both the causes and treatments of many diseases. We will start with classic cell death, a process called apoptosis. In the second week we will explore more rare forms of cell death, like the fiery "explosions" of cells undergoing pyroptosis. This class will come to an exciting finish by applying cell death principles to the treatment and causes of diseases, in particular cancer and HIV/AIDS. There will be fun cell props and drawings.

This course will introduce the topic of natural products chemistry, starting with the organisms that produce them to how they are isolated and can be used in a variety of fields. Specifically, we'll talk about medically relevant natural products with case studies about how these compounds can be used to fight diseases like AIDS and cancer.

This course will provide a brief introduction to fungi, their biology, and why they're useful to us. In other words, this class will cover many reasons on why fungi are awesome! As an added bonus, students will get to see live samples from the Amazon!

This class will cover the concept of an extremophile-- microorganisms found in very inhospitable conditions. These places can vary from the bottom of our oceans to the tops of storm clouds. We'll talk about what kinds of processes allow these guys to live in such extreme conditions and about their practical uses in science.

This course will explain why fungi are really cool and why you should think about fungi as more than a food you eat sometimes. The course will focus mainly on endophytes, a type of fungus that lives within plants. Topics will range from where these guys can be located to the awesome chemicals they can produce. In addition, there will be lots of cool pictures of fungus and a living sample for students to see!

Each year, billions of dollars go to researching what causes cancer, how it works, and how we can treat it. In this class we will explore the molecular basis of cancer. We'll talk about how oncogenes and tumor supressors promote and limit cell division. Mutations in these genes can be harmful, and although your body has defense mechanisms to fight back, we will also discuss current and developing treatment strategies.

From mad cow disease to H1N1, some of mankind's most mysterious and dangerous diseases are caused by viruses and prions. We'll be talking about the biology behind these powerful pathogens; how they work and what they do to make us sick.

Together, we'll decode DNA, discuss the central dogma of biology, and reinvent RNAi. DNA and RNA carry the genetic information of all living things, and as future biologists, it is our job to learn everything we can about these very important molecules. Once we understand how DNA and RNA work, we can talk about cool things scientists are doing with them right now, like using the technique of RNA interference to change the way model organisms (like mice and worms) look, act, and develop. Also, there will be candy.

What is a cell, and how does it work? There are 75 trillion cells in your body right now, and each one is doing its own special job to keep your body working. In this class, we will learn what all the parts of a cell are and what they're good at doing.