University Courses
Dr. Facciotti currently teaches an undergraduate course in Biomedical Engineering: Synthetic Biology (BIM 143) and an optional concurrently offered Synthetic Biology Lab course (BIM 143L). Dr. Facciotti also teaches the large-enrollment course Introduction to Biology: Essentials of Life on Earth (BIS 2A). He also contributes yearly lectures on Synthetic Biology to BIM001, Introduction to Biomedical Engineering. In addition, he has guest lectured in BIS 133 (Collaborative Studies in Mathematical Biology), ABI50C (Social Issues in Animal Biology), GGG201 (Advanced Genetic Analysis), and ECS298K (Machine Learning and Networks in Biology). Descriptions below.
Current Courses
| BIS 2A |
Introduction to Biology: Essentials of Life on Earth |
Units: 5 |
| Lecture—3 hours; discussion—2 hour. Essentials of life including sources and use of energy, information storage, responsiveness to natural selection and cellularity. Origin of life and influence of living things on the chemistry of the Earth. Not open for credit to students who have completed course 1A with a grade of C- or better. |
| BIM 143 |
Molecular Systems Engineering – Synthetic Biology |
Units: 4 |
| Lecture: 3 hours, discussion: 1 hour. Prerequisites: BIS 2A, CHE 8B, MAT 21C, PHY 9C. Introductory course in Synthetic Biology. This course focuses on the analysis, design, construction and characterization of synthetic biological systems. This includes components and control of cellular behavior, use of standardized biological parts, modular assembly, computer aided design, gene synthesis, directed evolution, protein engineering, biological safety, security, ownership, sharing & innovation and ethics. |
| BIM 143L |
Molecular Systems Engineering – Synthetic Biology Laboratory |
Units: 2 |
| Lab: 3 hours, discussion: 1 hour. Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in BIM 140. Optional hands-on laboratory for BIM 143. Students solve a practical problem in the field of synthetic biology by designing, building, and testing an appropriated solution or product. Problems change each offering. |
| FRS 002 |
Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience: Hands-On Engineering of Genetic Systems (offered periodically) |
Units: 2 |
| This course is a hands-on research experience intended to give students the opportunity to take ownership of designing a modified genetic “part” that controls the behavior of a living system. Students start with a known genetic element whose current behavior is not ideal for a specific application. They are then challenged to design, create and test a new and better version of that part by engineering the DNA that encodes it. Faculty and staff provide students with academic and technical instruction, and encouragement. |
Former Courses
| BIS 023A |
Genome Hunters |
Units: 3 |
| Hands-on, project-based introduction to genome-centric biology with specific focus on quantitative elements of associated experimental approaches. Measurement error and error estimation, experimental design, data analysis, model generation and fitting, and model-guided hypothesis generation and testing. Content covered through quarter-long interactive experiment to isolate an organism, quantitatively characterize its behavior, and sequence its genome. |
| BIM 140 |
Protein Engineering |
Units: 4 |
| Lecture: 3 hours, discussion: 1 hour. Prerequisites: BIS 1A, CHE 8B. Protein structure and function are described, together with BME tools and strategies. Topics include modern methods for designing, producing, and characterizing novel proteins and peptides, design strategies, computer modeling, heterologous expression, in vitro mutagenesis, protein crystallography, spectroscopic and calorimetric methods for characterization, and other techniques. |
| BIM 140L |
Protein Engineering Lab |
Units: 2 |
| Lab: 3 hours, discussion: 1 hour. Prerequisites: Concurrent enrollment in BIM 140. Protein structure and function are described, together with BME tools and strategies. Topics include modern methods for designing, producing, and characterizing novel proteins and peptides, design strategies, computer modeling, heterologous expression, in vitro mutagenesis, protein crystallography, spectroscopic and calorimetric methods for characterization, and other techniques. |
| DES 128 A and B |
BioDesign Theory & Practice (A) & Biodesign Experimentation & Prototyping (B) (Co-instructor) |
Units: 3 |
| (A) Lecture: 3 hours. (B) Lab: 3 hours, Discussion: 2 hours. This two-quarter course engages students in cross-disciplinary teams (engineering, the biological sciences, and design) with faculty from Design and Biology or Engineering too produce and showcase innovative new bio-based products that are functional, elegant and sustainable. In their first quarter, teams learn basic principles of BioDesign and develop project ideas for a proposal. In the second quarter, student put approved plans in motion to create novel prototype designs. The course culminates in a local competition judged by UC Davis and visiting faculty as well as community experts such as designers and venture capitalists. Winning teams present at the international Biodesign Challenge competition. |
| BIM 298 |
Participatory Seminar: Microbial Diversity |
Fall Quarter |
| Select reading material within the broad field of microbial diversity. Some possible topics are: extremophiles, unique microbial metabolic strategies, microbe/host interactions, microbial engineering, new technologies for diversity surveys, relevant bioinformatics methods. |
