Biology 194 Class Announcements

Instructor: Ken Marr

Syllabus (Word Document)  Syllabus (Adobe Acrobat .pdf document)

Seminar Questions 

Exam Study Guide

Lecture Notes

Online Resources for the Human Immune System

Biology 100

Biology 201 

Chem 140

Chem 150

Ken Marr's Home Page

Monday May 13, 2002

Take note of the following due dates and/or refer to the Biol 194 schedule for all due dates for the rest of the quarter: 

• Searching the Literature assignment: Due Wednesday May 15, 2002 (Note: The due date on the group project handout accessed from the class website earlier today was incorrect!)

• Responses to case study questions: Monday May 20, 2002

• Comprehensive Exam + Portfolios Due:  Wednesday May 22, 2002

• Group Project Progress Report:  Monday June 10, 2002

In the news/recent research findings:

Vaccinating against chickenpox may cause pain later

Although chickenpox is nasty, vaccination might not be the answer. (New Scientist, via AlphaGalileo 05/02/2002)

Bowel Finding Suggests Autism Is Autoimmune Disorder

Researchers have shown that unexpected bowel abnormalities in children with regressive autism may have a basis in autoimmunity. (UniSci 04/30/2002)

HIV Selectively Suppresses Ant-HIV Helper T-Cells

A new study confirms what HIV researchers until now only suspected: HIV selectively disables the immune system's response against the virus by disproportionately infecting the very cells designed to fight it. (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 05/01/2002) 

Manganese Blocks HIV Replication--Lab Finding Points to Potential New Class of HIV Treatments

Scientists have found that simply increasing manganese in cells can halt HIV's unusual ability to process its genetic information backwards, providing a new way to target the process's key driver, reverse transcriptase. (Johns Hopkins University 04/25/2002)

From Russia with Gloves: Ex-Soviet Union viruses could fill antibiotic gap.
(Nature 04/23/2002)

Evaluation in Nonhuman Primates of Vaccines against Ebola Virus

Researchers evaluated the effects in nonhuman primates of vaccine strategies that had protected mice or guinea pigs from lethal Ebola virus infection. (Emerging Infectious Diseases 04/23/2002)

Dengue virus: Break-bone fever

The dengue virus exacts a devastating and growing toll on public health in the tropics, yet remains little studied. (Nature 04/22/2002)

Indian HIV 'could pass South Africa'

The number of HIV and AIDS cases in India is likely to overtake even South Africa unless action is taken.
(BBC 05/02/2002)

Experimental Therapy Stops Allergic Reactions in Mice

Scientists have devised a new, experimental approach to treating allergic diseases. (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 05/01/2002)

• Click here for the class schedule for the rest of the quarter.

• Reminder:  The seminar questions for chapter 5 are due at the start of class on Wednesday, 4/24.

• In the news/recent research findings:

  •   Study Confirms Seasonal Fluctuation in Immunity-Generating Cells Among MS Patients
    Researchers have confirmed that T-cells show seasonal fluctuation in multiple sclerosis patients, and that the T-cells were at a high in the autumn months. (American Academy of Neurology 04/09/2002)

  • Researchers Discover How Common Multiple Sclerosis Drug Slows Progression of the Disease
    A common drug given to multiple sclerosis patients appears to stimulate weakened immune system cells.
    (University of Texas Southwestern 03/25/2002)

  • Keeping Autoimmunity in Check May Depend on Balance in the Immune System
    A new study suggests that health depends on maintaining a balance of normal, but countervailing processes in the immune system.

  • Agricultural Fungicide Could Cause Irreversible Immune System Damage
    Our body's natural killer cells could be rendered irreversibly powerless to guard against invading tumors and viral onslaughts after only a brief exposure to a compound found in some agricultural pesticides and fungicides. (American Chemical Society 04/09/2002)

  • Edible HIV Vaccine Breakthrough
    Maize genetically modified to contain a key protein found on the surface of the monkey form of HIV has been created, bringing an edible, more effective, HIV vaccine for people a step closer. (New Scientist 04/12/2002)

Although they will be handed out today in class, the lecture notes on the human immune system are now posted. Also posted are questions to an HIV activity that we will do in a week or two--the exact date will be announced in class.

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a pleasant spring break. For those that missed class today:

• We discussed the course and reviewed the course syllabus, introduced the person we were sitting near to the class and then began viewing and discussing the video Cell Wars, one of the Secret of Life series. We will complete viewing it on Wednesday, 4/3.

• The following reading assignments were made:

  • For our seminar on Monday 4/8/02:  Chapter 8 and pages 3-5 in At War within—the Double-Edged Sword of Immunity by William C. Clark

  • For our seminar on Wednesday  4/10/02: Chapter 2  in At War Within by Clark

  • To get a good overview of the immune system, start reading How the Immune System Works by Lauren Sompayrac

• The seminar questions for chapter 8 are now posted. They are due at the start of class on Monday, 4/8.  I hope to post the seminar questions for chapter 2 in a day or two.