The purpose of this course is to introduce students to molecular biology as a tool used in scientific inquiry. Research scientists increasingly use multiple approaches to address interesting questions. Recent developments in the field of genomics illustrate the emerging need to advance our knowledge of genome organization and gene regulation in order to better understand developmental and cellular processes. In this course, students will learn techniques for nucleic acid manipulation and the way these techniques are applied in modern molecular biology. In addition, students will read and critically evaluate primary literature. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the material through written and laboratory work, exams, class discussion and oral presentations.