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Crop Sciences

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

CPSC 432: Genetic Toxicology

3 hours

Course Description This is an advanced course in the life sciences on the study of environmental mutagenesis and the molecular basis of mutation induction. Genetic toxicology is the study of agents that damage the genome or alter the proper functioning of the genome that can lead to disease in humans and to damage to the environment.

Same as ENVS 432.
Course Objectives The students will be introduced to relevant topics including:
  1. the history of environmental mutagenesis
  2. the molecular biology of mutation induction and DNA damage
  3. DNA repair and its regulation
  4. the relationship between mutation and cancer
  5. regulation of industrial, agricultural and residential chemicals
  6. life style and mutagenesis
  7. risk assessment.
Instructor Michael J. Plewa Professor of Genetics
364 National Soybean Research Center
Phone: (217) 333-3614
E-mail: mplewa@uiuc.edu (preferred contact method).
Prerequisites CPSC 352; CHEM 104; MCB 350, or MCB 452 and MCB 453, or consent of instructor.
Requirement(s) Fulfilled This class is an elective in the Departments of Crop Sciences and Microbiology. It is an elective in the UIUC Interdisciplinary Environmental Toxicology Program.
Grading

Grades are based on:

Three Essay Exams (100 pts each) 300 points
Student Term Paper 100 points
Total 400 points

All of the reading material for the class is from the scientific literature.
Course Website Genetic Toxicology, CPSC 432 is a web-enhanced course using the Web-CT program. The class overhead material, class handouts, readings from the scientific literature and the student papers are posted on the web. The web-page requires a password to be accessed.