Description

This module is a component of the course “Current Methods in Molecular and Translational Biology” that is designed to introduce students to methods they can apply to their own research and to evaluate the rationale and pros and cons of specific techniques that are employed in experiments they are exposed to at seminars and conferences. This module provides an overview of modern experimental and computational structural biology techniques for the study of protein structure, dynamics and function, and introduces fundamental concepts of chemical and computational screening methods of targeted drug discovery. Major experimental techniques to be covered include NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, Cryo-EM microscopy, single-molecule FRET, and high throughput chemical screeding of small molecules. Key methods in computational structural biology will include concepts and applications of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, artificial intelligence-based methods for structure prediction and modeling, and structure-based virtual screening of small molecule ligands.  Depending on a student’s project, this course can be taken as an elective to satisfy the 3-units Methods in Molecular Translational Biology (MTB) course required by MTB program students, in combination with any of the other three modules of the Course for 2-3 credits, or as a stand-alone 1-credit course by any GSBS student or students from affiliated institutions. Audit is permitted.