ADVANCED BACTERIAL GENETICS
June 4 - 24, 2008
Application Deadline: March 15, 2008

Instructors:
John Kirby, University of Iowa
Susan Lovett, Brandeis University
Anca Segall, San Diego State University

DO YOU NEED (MORE) TRAINING IN BACTERIAL GENETICS?

The Advanced Bacterial Genetics course presents logic and methods used in the genetic dissection of complex biological processes in diverse bacteria. Laboratory methods include: classical mutagenesis using transposons, mutator strains, and chemical and physical mutagens; detection and quantitation of gene expression changes using various reporter genes and real-time PCR; the mapping of mutations using genetic and physical techniques; modern approaches to the generation and analysis of targeted gene disruptions and fusions using PCR and cloning methods; epitope insertion mutagenesis; site-directed mutagenesis; and fluorescence microscopy. Key components of the course will be the use of sophisticated genetic methods in the analysis of model bacteria (including E. coli, Salmonella, Bacillus subtilis, and Myxococcus xanthus), and the use of the wealth of new genomic sequence information to motivate these methods.

Invited lecturers will present various genetic approaches to study bacterial mechanisms of metabolism, development, and pathogenesis. Speakers in the 2007 course included:
David Botstein, Princeton University
Susan Gottesman, NIH
John Battista, Louisiana State University
Alan Grossman, MIT
Tom Silhavy, Princeton University
Victor DiRita, University of Michigan
Kelly Hughes, University of Utah
Stanley Maloy, San Diego State University

The course admits 16 students, both foreign and US residents, from diverse backgrounds and career levels for intensive (but fun) instruction in microbial genetics.

For further academic information about the course, feel free to contact the instructors via their home pages above.

This course is supported with funds provided by the National Science Foundation.