[Bioundgrd] Fwd: seeking more students for 7.345

[Stuart Dietz]

The instructor for 7.345 The Chemistry and Biology of Carbohydrates 
(one of the advanced undergraduate seminars) is seeking a few more 
students to enroll in the course.  A description of the course is 
below; a flyer is attached as well.  The prerequisite for the 
advanced undergraduate seminars is 7.03, 7.05, 7.06, or 7.28.

____________________

7.345  The Chemistry and Biology of Carbohydrates, Key Molecules of Life
Fall 2003. Wednesdays, 3-5 pm.  Room 68-151.
Instructor:  Kuberan Balagurunathan (kuby at mit.edu, 3-8803; laboratory 
of Robert Rosenberg)

Carbohydrates differ from other biological polymers, such as nucleic 
acids and proteins, in many ways.  Most importantly, they have 
different functional groups that provide almost unlimited variations 
in their structures.  Carbohydrates that are conjugated to proteins 
or lipids are termed glycoconjugates.  They decorate the outer 
surface of mammalian cells.  Their strategic location enables them to 
regulate many important biological processes, including 
fertilization, cell growth, cell-cell adhesion, cell-cell 
communication, development, immune defense, viral and parasitic 
infection, degradation of blood clots, inflammation etc. 
Furthermore, alterations in the synthesis or catabolism of 
cell-surface carbohydrates are associated with various pathological 
conditions, including malignant transformations and congenital and 
neurological disorders.  Deciphering the enigmatic structures of 
carbohydrates and understanding their biosynthetic/catabolic pathways 
are critical for the development of carbohydrate-based therapeutics. 
In this course, we will discuss the tools available to characterize 
carbohydrate structures, methods to synthesize carbohydrates, the 
biosynthesis and catabolism of carbohydrates, and the role of 
carbohydrates in human diseases and developmental disorders such as 
cancer, congenital defects, and Sanfilippo disease.

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-- 
Stuart Dietz
Biology Education Office, Rm. 68-120
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA  02139

Phone (617) 252-1783
Fax (617) 258-9329