Genomics: Decoding the Universal Language of Life

What is a genome? What is a genome? A genome contains an organism's entire set of genes and the smaller genetic structures that regulate when and how these genes are used.

Genomes encode everything you need to know about the ability to heal a torn ligament or the potential to predict when mental illness will strike. This course will show you how scientists decode genomes to help develop sustainable food and fuel supplies, prevent disease, and protect the environment.

This course is taught by Professor Robinson. Each module also features guest instructors. These guest instructors are from a variety of fields, including biology, physics, computer science, among others. They have different research goals but share an interest in genomic approaches. These guest instructors are:

Elizabeth (Lisa) Ainsworth is Associate Professor of Plant Biology

Mark Band, Director of Functional Genomics Facility

Alison Bell, Associate Professor in Animal Biology

Jenny Drnevich Functional Genomics Bioinformatics Specialist at High-Performance Bio Computing

- Christopher Fields Associate Director of High-Performance Biological Computing

Bruce Fouke is the Director of Roy J. Carver Biotechnology Center

Glenn Fried, Director at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology Core Facilities

- Professor of Physics, Nigel Goldenfeld

Brendan Harley, Assistant Professor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Alvaro Hernandez, Director at the High-Throughput Genotyping and Sequencing Facility

Victor Jongenel, ex-NCSA Director of Bioinformatics, and ex-Director of High-Performance Biological Computing

Kingsley Boateng, Senior Research Scientist at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology Core Facilities

Stephen Long, Professor in Plant Biology and Crop Sciences

Ruby Mendenhall, Associate Professor in African American Studies

William Metcalf, Professor in Microbiology

Karen Sears Assistant Professor of Animal Biology

Saurabh Sinha Associate Professor of Computer Science

Lisa Stubbs Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology

Rachel Whitaker, Associate Professor in Microbiology

Derek Wildman, Professor in Molecular and Integrative Physiology

Peter Yau, Director at the Protein Sciences Facility