MBS Mini Courses (695)

• Course Code: 16:695:626 B2
• Credits: 1
• First Year Curriculum: yes
• Subsequent Year Curriculum: Biochemistry, Cell and Developmental Biology, Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology, Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Physiology and Integrative Biology
• Instructor: Chada, Kiran
• Semester/Year: Spring 2026, Spring 2023, Spring 2022
• Semester(s) Offered: Spring

Description: Regeneration involves the replacement of missing organs, appendages, or large body regions and has always been fascinating at the gross and morphological level. The course will detail the recent tremendous advances that have been made at the cellular and molecular level using highly regenerative model organisms. These studies will identify principles that explain how regeneration can occur so as to provide an understanding into this biological phenomenon. Additionally, these insights have also revealed common molecular pathways that are used in non-regenerating systems.

Structure: Two students will present at each session for 35 minutes and 10-minute question time.  Each session will have a specific theme (species, pathway…).

Outcome: The combination of animal, tissue, cellular and molecular biology studies that the students hopefully will appreciate.

Grading: During each session, 1-2 students will give a presentation of the cellular and molecular basis of the regenerative capacity of a single organism. It is expected that all the students will have read the paper that forms the basis of the presentation and will participate in the discussion after the presentation. Students are expected to attend all classes. The presentation will constitute 50% of the grade, class participation 20%, 10% on papers not submitted by me and 20% on attendance.

Course Materials: Will be primary literature and review articles.  Often, a portion of the review article will be required for a student presentation.

• Course Code: 16:695:622 B1
• Credits: 1
• First Year Curriculum: yes
• Subsequent Year Curriculum: Biochemistry, Cell and Developmental Biology, Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology, Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Physiology and Integrative Biology
• Instructor: Su, Xiaoyang, Valvezan, Alexander
• Semester/Year: Spring 2026
• Semester(s) Offered: Spring

Description: Understanding cancer metabolism is essential for developing new therapies to improve patient outcomes. This course explores the intricate metabolic and biosynthetic pathways in cancer cells, and delves into how cancer cells reprogram their metabolism to support rapid, uncontrolled growth. We also discuss new emerging strategies to exploit metabolic vulnerabilities in cancer.  

Structure: Each class will begin with a short lecture, followed by 2 student-led journal club-style presentations on recent cutting-edge papers in the field. 

Outcome: At the end of this course, each student will have a strong understanding of the metabolic networks that cancer cells rely on to survive and grow. Students will become familiar with the exciting scientific discoveries that have shaped the field in recent years, and learn how the unique metabolism of cancer cells can be exploited for therapeutic benefit.  

Grading: Grading will be based on 1) student presentations and 2) participation in class discussions.  

Course Materials: No materials required ahead of time. Published papers will be provided for discussion.  

• Course Code: 16:695:623 B1
• Credits: 1
• First Year Curriculum: yes
• Subsequent Year Curriculum: Biochemistry, Cell and Developmental Biology, Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology, Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Physiology and Integrative Biology
• Instructor: Patel, Tulsi
• Semester/Year: Spring 2026
• Semester(s) Offered: Spring

Description: This minicourse will explore cellular reprogramming, or the transformation of one cell type into another. During development, pluripotent cells in the embryo acquire specific identities over time, becoming a host of differentiated cell types (fibroblasts, muscles, neurons, etc.) that each have a unique function. Most differentiated cells then maintain their specific identity – fibroblasts remain fibroblasts, muscles remain muscles, neurons remain neurons. In this class, we will look at instances when this is no longer the case, when one cell type can naturally turn into another or be engineered to do so.

We will begin with classic studies that tried to untangle the developmental “potential” of cells by moving them into new contexts and asking if they remained the same, or turned into different cells. We will also study naturally occurring instances of reprogramming, where during the course of development, a cell type turns into another. And we will explore the therapeutic potential of reprogramming techniques- for example, can reprogramming be used to replace cells lost during disease states.

Structure: The first 6 sessions will comprise of a short introductory lecture followed by student-led discussion of a paper. Some days there will be a short lecture after discussion as a follow up or update on the field. The paper discussions will be structured like journal club: presenters will lead a critical discussion of the paper with input from everyone in class. All students are expected to participate in these discussions. During the last two sessions, each student will present a 10-minute talk that highlights the key figure or finding from one paper that they choose in consultation with the instructor.

Outcome: This course will bridge the fundamentals of developmental biology to new advances in cellular reprogramming. The goals is to expose students to different ways of asking and answering questions about reprogramming. At the end of the course, students will ideally be able to come up with reasonable and testable hypotheses about how cell x could be turned into cell y, and if cell x cannot be turned into y, why not?

Grading: Grades will be determined by final presentation and general participation in the course.

Course Materials: No materials required ahead of time. Published papers will be provided for discussion.  

• Course Code: 16:695:625 B1
• Credits: 1
• First Year Curriculum: yes
• Subsequent Year Curriculum: Biochemistry, Cell and Developmental Biology, Cellular & Molecular Pharmacology, Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Physiology and Integrative Biology
• Instructor: Schindler, Karen, Xiao, Shuo
• Semester/Year: Spring 2026
• Semester(s) Offered: Spring

Description: Production of high-quality gametes is essential for sexual reproduction. In females, this process takes place within the follicle, a supporting structure and functional unit of the ovary. This process is highly error prone, affected by aging, exposure to reproductive toxicants and many disease states. Students will learn about the latest technological advances that clinicians use to select quality eggs, developments in contraception and in fertility preservation.

Objective: The purpose of this course is to provide students with a basic understanding of ovarian biology, molecular control of folliculogenesis and oogenesis, how aging, diseases, and xenobiotic exposure impact ovarian functions and egg quality, and the significance of these processes in reproductive medicine.

Outcome: After taking this course, students will have a working knowledge of the ovarian processes involved in generating meiotically and developmentally competent eggs, understand the impacts that age have on these processes, and identify reproductive toxicant exposures and disease states that impact egg quality. They will be able to synthesize biomedical findings to communicate the implications of these findings in writing to an audience with broad scientific knowledge.

Grading: Students will be graded on attendance and participation (10%) and production of a “Graphical Abstract” assignment (90%). The graphical abstract assignment instructions will be posted in Canvas. Participation will involve describing figures of manuscripts to the class.

Course Materials: Lecture slides and primary literature reading assignments. These materials will be posted on Canvas prior to the scheduled lecture for the specific topic. All students registered for this course will be able to access the course when logged into Canvas with your Rutgers NetID and password.