BIO 115 CC:HUMAN MICRO: USER MANUAL
If we have more microbial cells that human cells, are we more microbe than human? Recent research on the human microbiome has led to exciting new insights about how we as humans interact with and rely on billions of microorganisms living in and on us. As we trace the history of microbiology, from the petri dish to sequencing the metagenome of entire microbial communities, we will discuss the fundamental biological principles that shape our understanding of the humanmicrobe partnership. We will examine news stories, scientific reports, popular books, websites, blogs, and podcasts to answer questions such as: Do probiotics really work? Can our microbiome make us fat? Do we own our microbiome? What can our microbiome tell someone about our habits or where we have been? We will examine these questions and more as they relate to human health and disease, and discuss the ethical, legal, and social concerns that have arisen as we learn more about our microbiomes.
Notes
As a ConnCourse, this class makes connections across the liberal arts.
Registration Restrictions
Open to first-year students and sophomores, and to juniors and seniors with permission of the instructor.
Enrollment Limit
Enrollment limited to 16 students.
Attributes
A1, MOID, CC