Readings and Assignments
(Note: Many are due outside of our meeting time)

Before class complete Blackboard survey and read three newspaper articles posted there

Introduction to Course andBlackboard uses
TOPICS: Video: NOVA special
What is a GMO? Background on Breeding vs Transgenics
Intro to Methods Page assignment

Sign up for Method by 1pm Monday Sept 2
TOPICS: Transgenics and Molecular Techniques
Breeding and Selection schemes
BRING information on method to class-- web workshop.
(Assignment is to collect these resources)

Method Web Page Due by 5pm Monday Sept 9
Provide list of four preferrd topics for Pair project topics by class on Thursday
In class provideoverview of your method and how it relates to the creation or study of GMOs
TOPICS: Making every day a 'good leaf' day: Genetic Modification for 'Agriculturally Favorable Traits': Herbicide resistance, Color, Shelf life
Intro to Independent projects/ Sign up for topic (Feel free to check out topics before class)

Readings: (copy at my office)'Transforming Agriculture' by Ann Thayer (Chemical and Engineering News April 1999, 21-35)
(available on Blackboard) 'GM crop threatens biodiversity in China' by Christian Wade (UPI 6/21/02)
'Plant gene may reduce need for fertilizer' by Charles Choi (UPI 6/26/02)
'Designing Trees' by Naomi Lubick (Scientific American.com April 2002)
'Engineered polyamine accumulation in tomato enhances phytonutrient content, juice quality and vine life' Roshni Mehta et al. (Nature Biotechnology, June 2002,20: 613-618)

Three annotated bibliography entries Due by 5pm Monday Sept 16
TOPICS: Plants get Stressed too: Genetic Modification for Stress Tolerance and Regulation of Growth

Readings: (available on blackboard)
'Transgenic salt tolerant tomato plants accumulate salt in foliage but not in fruit' by Hon-Xia Zhang and Eduardo Blumwald (Nature Biotechnology, August 2001 19: 765-768
'Improving plant drought, salt, and freezing tolerance by gene transfer of a single stress-inducible transcription factor' by Mie Kasuga et al. (Nature Biotechnology March 1999, 17: 287-291)

Three annotated bibliography entries Due by 5pm Monday Sept 23
TOPICS: Life on the wild side: GMO containment: What regulations are in place? What can be done?
Guest speakers: Aron Marquitz and Jody Franke, Duke University, Cell and Molecular Biology Program

Readings: (available on blackboard)
'When transgenes wander, should we worry' by Normal Ellstrand (Plant Physiology, April 2001 125: 1542-45).
'Genetically modified plants- the debate continues' by Rosie Hails (Trends in Ecology and Evolution, January 2000 15; 14-18.
'Transgenic crops--why gene flow matters' by Allison Snow (Nature Biotechnology, June 2002 20:542)
'Molecular Strategies for gene containment in transgenic crops' by Henry Daniell (Nature Biotechnology, June 2002 20: 581-586)

Papers for Discussion: Reference due Monday 5pm Sept 30, HARD COPY or PDF due in class
TOPICS: Is it like the beginning or end of 'Green eggs and ham'?: Are GMOs safe to eat? Genetic modification for nutritional reasons.
Guest Speaker: Jennifer Nelson, Duke University, Biology Department GM Salmon and models

Readings: (available as links here and/or on Blackboard)
'Golden Rice: Grain of Hope for Starving, Seed of Destruction for Foes' by Kitta MacPherson (Newhouse News February 2002 www.newhouse.com/achive/story1c020102.html accessed Sept 2002)
'Grains of Delusion: Golden rice seen from the ground' by BIOTHAI, CEDAC, DRCSC, GRAIN, MASIPAG, PAN-Indonesia, and UBINIGFebruary 2001 www.grain.org/publications/delusion-en-p.htm accessed Sept 2002)
'Are Bioengineered Foods Safe?' by Larry Thompson (FDA Consumer magazine Jan-Feb 2000 www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2000/100_bio.html accessed Sept 2002)
'Will souped up salmon sink or swim' by Tony Reichhardt (Nature, July 2000 406; 10-12)
'Engineered Fish: Friend or Foe of the environment?' by Erik Stokstad (Nature, September 2002 297: 1797-1799)

Three annotated bibliography entries Due by 5pm Monday Oct 7
TOPICS: Frankenfood and eating to your health: Any medicinal promise for GMOs?
Introduction to first Discussion paper: Mike Chase and Monica Siegenthaler
Introduction to Pesticides

Quiz on Intro 1 material Due by 9am Wednesday Oct 15 (extension due to fall break)
Discussion of Papers lead by Mike and Monica
Braunholtz, J.T. (1981) Crop Protection: The Role of the Chemical Industry in an Uncertain Future. Phil. Trans of the R. Soc of London: Bio. Sci 295: 19-33.

Reece, C.H. (1985) The role of the chemical industry in improving the effectiveness of agriculture.Phil. Trans of the R. Soc of London: Bio. Sci 310: 201-213.

Introduction 2: Graham Watson and Lane Estes
Pesticide Resistance

Quiz on Intro 2 material Due by 5pm Monday Oct 21
Discussion of Paper: lead by Lane and Graham
Tabashnik, B.E., Patin, A.L., Dennehy, T.J., Liu-Yong, B., Carriere, Y., Sims, M.A., Antilla, L. (2000). Frequency of resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis in field populations of pink bollworm. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 97(24), 12980-12984.

Introduction 3: Lauran Halpin and Tara Maloney

Time in lab to work on web project

Quiz on Intro 4 material Due by 5pm Monday Nov 5
Discussion of paper lead by David and Paul
Langridge, W. (2000) Edible Vaccines. Scientific American

Giddings, G. et al. (2000) Transgenic plants as factories for biopharmaceuticals. Nature Biotechnology 18: 1151-1155.
Introduction 5: Peter Lowry and La Powell
Meet with me to discuss focus of your final paper
( Webpage for Pair 4 Due by 10pm Sunday Nov 10)

Quiz on Intro 5 material Due by 5pm Monday Nov 11
Discussion of paper lead by La and Peter
Much Ado About Nothing.New Scientist May 2002

Introduction 6:Megan Estes and Amy Johnston

Quiz on Intro 5 material Due by 5pm Monday Nov 25
Three annotated bibliography entries due by 5pm Monday Nov 18
Discussion of Paper lead by Megan Estes and Amy Johnston
Fingrut, O. and Flescher, E. (2002) Plant stress hormones suppress the proliferation and inuce apoptosis in human cancer cells. Leukemia 16: 608-616.
In class Response Paper (Question TBA, note this is a response paper and not something you 'study' for--the whole semester has been the prep.)