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The Human Microbiome (BIOL F491/691)
Spring 2021 Syllabus
Course Description
Biology of host-associated microbiomes with an emphasis on the human microbiome. Investigate
microbial impacts on the behavior, physiology and fitness of their host. Explore model and non-model
systems. Student projects in this course may satisfy the capstone project requirements of the biological
science degree.
Prerequisites: BIOL 260, STAT 200X Credits: 4
Instructor: Dr. Devin Drown Email: dmdrown@alaska.edu Phone: 907-474-2602
Office Hours (virtual): Mon 11 AM-12 PM or by appointment
Teaching Assistant:
Abigail Schiffmiller awschiffmiller@alaska.edu
Location and meeting times:
Lectures (Murie 107/Zoom) Tues/Thurs 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Labs (206): Thurs 2:00-5:00 PM
Course Materials
Course Web Site (https://alaska.instructure.com/): Canvas: This will be your main point of contact
with this course. I encourage you to check here regularly for updated course material. Your grades will
be recorded here. Copies of the course syllabus (including the lecture and lab schedules) will also be
posted on here. Course readings will consist of papers from the primary literature. There is no required
textbook for this course. Other course materials: I will post readings (as PDFS or web links) on the
course website site.
Recommended Books:
Welcome to the Microbiome by DeSalle and Perkins (Yale University Press ISBN-13: 9780300208405)
Follow Your Gut by Rob Knight (Simon & SchusterISBN-13: 9781476784748)
Course Goals
This course will cover research questions on the ecology and evolution of host-associated microbiomes.
Additionally, we will explore research methods and tools used to collect and analyze microbiome data. It
will draw on the information you have gained in other courses and should also assist you in finding links
between seemingly disparate fields of biology. Therefore, another goal of this course is to expose UAF
biology students to a more advanced level of study and prepare them to go on in biology-related fields.
Understanding the role of the human microbiome is an important missing component of current
investigations of the human health, so much so that the NIH started the Human Microbiome Project.
Technical Requirements for Course
Students must have regular access to a computer and the Internet to access online materials. Lectures
and Labs will be held at the designated times. We will use an online using a video conference platform
(e.g. Zoom) when necessary. Students will be expected to download course material as well as upload
assignments. Students must have access to a word-processing program that can save or print to pdf
documents (e.g. Google Docs).The Human Microbiome (BIOL F491) 2021 Syllabus
Student Learning Goals
The successful student will complete this course with a variety of new knowledge and skills. By the end
of the course, students will be able to:
• Discuss what a microbiome is and where it is found
• Discuss the ecology and evolution of host-associated microbiomes
• Discuss how the microbiome is related to health and disease.
• Apply current research methods of microbiome investigation
More broadly, students should be able to demonstrate an ability to:
• Find and explore and critically review the relevant literature
• Carry out the investigations, including collecting and analyzing data
• Draw valid conclusions from the analysis of the data
• Discuss the relevance of the conclusions in the context of previous findings
Oral communication student learning objectives
Students will develop public oral communication skills incrementally:
• Each week, students will facilitate or participate in oral discussions.
• The instructor, and peers, will provide feedback on all oral presentations.
To develop their oral communication skills:
1. Students will prepare at least two oral presentations. One is our symposium presentation of the
course microbiome research project. This 15-minute presentation will follow standards typical in
the biological sciences (see Symposium Presentation for more details). In addition, students will
act as discussion facilitators for at least one class section. The facilitator will choose core papers
and background reading on a subject. The facilitator will engage the students in a discussion
during class time using feedback from the thought pieces. See Discussion Facilitator for more
details.
2. All oral presentations will involve feedback (questions and answers) from the audience. This will
include feedback from peers (see Symposium peer evaluation).
3. If possible, the final presentation will be recorded to provided reflective feedback on oral
communication effectiveness and presentation techniques.
4. The final project presentations will be presented at an open forum in a mini symposium called
“Microbiomes Under the Midnight Sun (MUMS)”. Members of the department and school
(CNSM) will be encouraged to attend this symposium to be held online.
5. The presentations will follow organization typical of biology (e.g. see guidelines detailed in
Symposium presentation and Discussion Facilitator).
6. The final project presentations will involve visual aids (e.g. PowerPoint or Google Slides).
Discussion facilitators may also use visual aids but will be discouraged from using a formal slide
presentation to enhance oral discussion of the subject matter.
7. The presentations will be evaluated by the instructor as well as peers (see Symposium peer
evaluation). 15% of the final course grade is based on an oral presentation of the final course
project. In addition, 20% of the course grade is based on a student’s oral communication skills
while a discussion facilitator.
8. The instructor will provide instruction and modeling of best practices in oral communication
throughout the course.
2The Human Microbiome (BIOL F491) 2021 Syllabus
Instructional Methods
This course, including the lab, will be delivered in person. We will have the option of shifting to
synchronously online should it become necessary. This course will use a combination of lectures,
discussions, and laboratories. The weekly instructor led lectures and activities will focus on providing
students a background and context of the field. Student directed discussions will engage all members of
the class. See Weekly Readings for more details. Lab modules will provide a hands-on introduction to
the methods in common use for data collection and analysis of host-associated microbiomes. The course
project will allow you to collect and analyze new data and finally present your research findings to the
class.
Expectations of Students
You will be required to read all the assigned papers. We will use labs to explore topics in more depth. In
addition to completing all graded work and read required materials carefully, you are expected to let the
instructors know when a concept or assignment is not clear Remember, Ask questions!
Instructor Response Time
I will do my best to respond to your questions promptly. For email questions, I will try to respond to
your inquiry within 24-48 hours. I have the most availability during business hours in Alaska. We will
strive to return grades for written assignments within 1 week.
Evaluation
Weekly Readings
Each week, we will discuss the current literature of host associated microbiomes. A different student
each week will be responsible for being a discussion facilitator. The facilitator will choose core papers
and background reading on a subject. These readings will provide examples of concepts/patterns we
cover in lecture and demonstrate how microbiome research is practiced. You will be asked to read
assigned journal articles from the primary literature. You will also have a written assignment (thought
piece) on the article(s) due before the discussion. These readings will provide examples of
concepts/patterns we cover in lecture and demonstrate how microbiome research is practiced. The
facilitator will engage the students in a discussion during class time using feedback from the thought
pieces. Students enrolled at the graduate level (691) will be expected to lead two discussions during the
semester, one early and a second one later in the semester. Instructor feedback will be provided
between the discussions in order that the student might revise approach.
Blog Post
There is a need to communicate beyond the ivory towers of our institutions. It is a worthy goal and a
necessary component of doing science especially on a publicly funded project. The greater use of
science blogs is also a vital part of this communication. Making the science we do as public as we can is
an important part of public outreach. We need to make sure that our science and how we do it is freely
available to the public and our peers. For this assignment, you will select a paper from the primary
literature and drafting a blog post to be published on the course website.
3The Human Microbiome (BIOL F491) 2021 Syllabus
Microbiome Under the Midnight Sun
We’ll host a mini-symposium, Microbiomes Under the Midnight Sun (MUMS). During this research
symposium, each class member will present their own research findings based on their lab work on
microbiome sampling.
Microbiome research project
Across many labs in this course, you will be collecting microbiome data from your environment. These
lab modules provide a hands-on introduction to the methods in common use for data collection and
analysis of host-associated microbiomes. This research project will serve three purposes: 1) collect new
data on the microbiome and the microbiome of the built environment; 2) perform novel analysis; and 3)
address a specific research question. This research project can serve as a general framework from which
you can create a capstone project (see Capstone Project in Biological Sciences).
Students enrolled at the graduate level (691) will be expected to complete a more substantial research
project. Distinct from the 400-level version, these students will: 1) use analysis methods beyond the
fundamentals taught in class; 2) combine publicly available DNA sequence data with their own data to
perform additional comparative analyses; and 3) provide a more substantial introduction and discussion
where they relate their research questions as well as the results they obtain to published research.
Grading Breakdown
Successful completion of this class will require turning in all assignments on time. Each assignment is
weighted as indicated below:
Discussion facilitator 20%
Topic/Core Paper 2%
Additional resources 5%
Review online discussion 3%
Discussion 10%
Thought pieces (20 @ 1%) 20%
Blog post 20%
Topic 1%
First Draft 5%
Revised Draft 5%
Peer Review (2 @2%) 4%
Final post 5%
Microbiome research project written report 20%
Symposium Presentation 15%
Symposium peer evaluation 5%
Overall course grades will be assigned on the following scale
Numerical Score Grade
90.0-100% A
80.0-89.9 B
70.0-79.9 C
60.0-69.9 D
below 60 F
4The Human Microbiome (BIOL F491) 2021 Syllabus
Course Policies
Participating in class activities should be your focus during lecture and lab. During our class and lab, you
should not be checking email or browsing the web.
Late assignments
Late assignments will not be accepted unless the student has received written approval from the course
instructor.
Academic Integrity
Cheating, plagiarism and fabrication of data are unacceptable practices both in this course and in
science more generally. As described by UAF, scholastic dishonesty constitutes a violation of the
university rules and regulations and is punishable according to the procedures outlined by UAF.
Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an exam, plagiarism, and collusion.
Cheating includes providing answers to or taking answers from another student. Plagiarism includes use
of another author’s words or arguments without attribution. Collusion includes unauthorized
collaboration with another person in preparing written work for fulfillment of any course requirement.
All of your work should be your own and only your own unless it is explicitly assigned and completed as
a group. I do not accept assignments written for other classes. Cheating, plagiarism or data fabrication
will result in a course grade of F and possible referral to the University Disciplinary and Honor Code
Committee. Also see the UAF Student Code of Conduct at https://uaf.edu/deanofstudents/student-
code-of-conduct/. If you have any doubt about whether a particular action constitutes cheating,
plagiarism or fabrication of data, please seek clarification from the course instructor.
COVID-19 & Our Classroom
We are still in a pandemic. It is important to begin from that premise because the pandemic will
fundamentally shape what the semester looks like, how we inhabit the class, and how we relate to each
other and the course material. As I write this syllabus the COVID-19 crisis is worsening. We are a
community and are thus dependent on, and affected by, the actions, precautions, and protections each
of us takes to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. My home includes my young children, too young to be
vaccinated. COVID-19 poses a real risk to them. Our classroom provides a direct link between you and
them. As such, I ask that you take reasonable efforts to protect yourselves, our campus, and our broader
community from the spread of COVID-19.
• Some of our lives may be relatively unaffected by the pandemic while others have experienced
profound tragedies—we cannot make assumptions about others’ experience with the virus.
• We ought to be more compassionate with each other and with ourselves—now, perhaps more
than ever, is the time to give the gift of grace freely and lovingly.
• Together, we will make this semester as safe, thoughtful, rigorous, and insightful as we can—
this applies both to our intellectual efforts and adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols.
On Symptoms
If you are sick, particularly with any symptoms of COVID-19, do not come to class. I will work with you to
make sure you have the opportunity to learn the material you missed because of an illness.
5The Human Microbiome (BIOL F491) 2021 Syllabus
Capstone Project in Biological Sciences
The intent of the Biological Sciences capstone project is to integrate knowledge and skills learned in
previous courses, including scientific knowledge, quantitative literacy, and communication skills, and to
apply these products of the university education to a creative activity. For a biologist, a fundamental
expression of applied knowledge, creativity, and critical reasoning is to engage in scientific inquiry. The
capstone project in Biological Sciences consists of a mentored research project on a biological topic that
is completed in the junior or senior year.
How can I satisfy the capstone requirement? Microbiome research project!
A student may perform a capstone project within a designated capstone course in Biological Sciences.
Typically, the capstone course instructor will introduce one or several model study systems and
methodologies that will form the basis for the student’s project. The course instructor will assist the
student to design a study and analyze the results. The capstone requirement within a course will be
fulfilled only if the capstone project itself is evaluated as adequate or better for all criteria identified on
the Final Evaluation of Capstone Projects rubric. It is expected that the capstone project will constitute
only a portion of the course grade. Thus, it is possible for a student to pass a capstone course without
receiving credit for the capstone project, and to receive credit for the capstone project without
passing the course.
Students intending to complete their capstone should register for BIOL F400
Regardless of how the capstone project is completed, you must signal your intent to complete the
capstone project within a semester by enrolling in BIOL F400, Capstone Project. BIOL F400 is not a
traditional course. It costs nothing, confers no credit, and requires no additional work. Rather, it is a way
for the administration to track which students are in the process of completing their capstone projects,
and which have successfully completed a project and therefore have satisfied the capstone requirement
for graduation.
For general information on the Capstone Project in Biological Sciences please refer to the website
https://www.bw.uaf.edu/undergraduates/capstone.php
All capstone projects are assessed using a common set of expectations also found on the Capstone
website:
https://www.bw.uaf.edu/perch/resources/final-evaluation-of-capstone-project-fillable-pdf.pdf
6The Human Microbiome (BIOL F491) 2021 Syllabus
Specific Capstone Project requirements
• The capstone project must be chosen by the student in consultation with a faculty mentor.
• The faculty mentor must approve the project before work begins.
• The project must include evaluation of data.
• There must be three forms of communication.
1. Written report: All capstone projects must include a written assignment. This is typically a
formal report of the study goals, methods, and findings written as a scientific paper, but
may in some cases be a research proposal. It is recommended that written assignments are
a minimum 8 double-spaced pages (excluding figures and references) and contain at least 10
references.
2. Oral presentation: The findings of all capstone projects must also be communicated
orally. Oral presentations can be delivered in class, at a scientific conference, at UAF
Research Day, or in another instructor-approved setting. Slide presentations and poster
presentations are the most common forms of oral presentation.
3. Non-Technical Summary: Communicating scientific results to the public is an important
aspect of research. In addition to the formal written report, capstone research findings
must be communicated in the form of a short, non-technical summary. The summary
should consist of one or two paragraphs (1 page single spaced maximum) encapsulating the
goal, approach, and findings of the study in language that can be understood by a non-
scientist.
For this course:
Your Microbiome Research Project will be the general framework from which you will create your
specific capstone project.
You can satisfy the Written report requirement by writing up your research project as a scientific report.
You can satisfy the Oral presentation requirement during the final symposium presentation which is
based on your Microbiome Research Project.
Your complete written report and the Non-Technical Summary based on the Microbiome Research
Project will be due on Friday during the last week of the semester after your symposium presentation. In
order to help you succeed in writing up your capstone research, I would like you to turn in drafts of each
section of your Written Report. All due dates are 5 PM on Friday of the week indicated. See instructions
on Microbiome Research Project (Timeline of due dates).
7The Human Microbiome (BIOL F491) 2021 Syllabus
Course calendar
Wk Tuesday (T) Thursday (Th) Lab Assignments
1 8/24 Microbiomes 8/26 Human Science
Gut Check Microbiome Communication
Project
2 8/31 (TP1) Model 9/2 (TP2) Obesity Human Subjects TP (T), TP (TH)
systems and QC Research CITI Training
module (Th)
3 9/7 (TP3) 9/9 (TP4) Hosptial Introduction to TP (T), TP (TH)
Residential Bioinformatics Blog topic (F)
4 9/14 Topic Review 1- 9/16 (TP5) MetaSUB Data collection: TP (TH)
on-1 DNA extraction
5 9/21 (TP6) Student 9/23 (TP7) Student Revise Blog posts TP (T), TP (TH)
Discussion Discussion Draft Blog (F)
6 9/28 (TP8) Student 9/30 (TP9) Student Data collection: TP (T), TP (TH)
Discussion Discussion PCR
7 10/5 (TP10) Student 10/7 (TP11) Student Bioinformatics: TP (T), TP (TH)
Discussion Discussion Data QC and Vis Revised Blog (F)
8 10/12 Blog peer 10/14 (TP12) Student Bioinformatics: TP (TH)
review Discussion 2021 Data analysis
9 10/19 Blog publishing 10/21 (TP13) Student Bioinformatics: TP (TH)
Discussion Complex data sets Blog Final (M)
Blog Pub (F)
10 10/26 (TP14) Student 10/28 (TP15) Student Research project TP (T), TP (TH)
Discussion Discussion analysis Draft Methods (F)
11 11/2 (TP16) Student 11/4 (TP17) Student Research project TP (T), TP (TH)
Discussion Discussion analysis Intro/Qs/Ps (F)
12 11/9 (TP18) Student 11/11 (TP19) Student Research project TP (T), TP (TH)
Discussion Discussion analysis MUMS Title (F)
13 11/16 Presentation 11/18 Microbiome Microbiome SlideDeck (M)
Review 1-on-1 mini-symposium mini-symposium Results (F)
14 11/24 (TP20) 11/25 Thanksgiving Thanksgiving TP(T)
Coevolution Discussion (W)
15 12/1 (TP21) 12/2 Scientific Paper Report Revisions Written Report
Personalized Review (F)
Medicine
8The Human Microbiome (BIOL F491) 2021 Syllabus
Syllabus Addendum (Revised 8/18/2021)
COVID-19 statement: Students should keep up-to-date on the university’s policies, practices, and
mandates related to COVID-19 by regularly checking this website:
https://sites.google.com/alaska.edu/coronavirus/uaf?authuser=0
Further, students are expected to adhere to the university’s policies, practices, and mandates and are
subject to disciplinary actions if they do not comply.
Student protections statement: UAF embraces and grows a culture of respect, diversity, inclusion, and
caring. Students at this university are protected against sexual harassment and discrimination (Title IX).
Faculty members are designated as responsible employees which means they are required to report
sexual misconduct. Graduate teaching assistants do not share the same reporting obligations. For more
information on your rights as a student and the resources available to you to resolve problems, please
go to the following site: https://catalog.uaf.edu/academics-regulations/students-rights-responsibilities/.
Disability services statement: I will work with the Office of Disability Services to provide reasonable
accommodation to students with disabilities.
Student Academic Support:
• Speaking Center (907-474-5470, uaf-speakingcenter@alaska.edu, Gruening 507)
• Writing Center (907-474-5314, uaf-writing-center@alaska.edu, Gruening 8th floor)
• UAF Math Services, uafmathstatlab@gmail.com, Chapman Building (for math fee paying
students only)
• Developmental Math Lab, Gruening 406
• The Debbie Moses Learning Center at CTC (907-455-2860, 604 Barnette St, Room 120,
https://www.ctc.uaf.edu/student-services/student-success-center/)
• For more information and resources, please see the Academic Advising Resource List
(https://www.uaf.edu/advising/lr/SKM_364e19011717281.pdf)
Student Resources:
• Disability Services (907-474-5655,uaf-disability-services@alaska.edu, Whitaker 208)
• Student Health & Counseling [6 free counseling sessions] (907-474-
7043, https://www.uaf.edu/chc/appointments.php, Whitaker 203)
• Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities (907-474-7317, uaf-studentrights@alaska.edu,
Eielson 110)
• Associated Students of the University of Alaska Fairbanks (ASUAF) or ASUAF Student
Government (907-474-7355, asuaf.office@alaska.edu, Wood Center 119)
9The Human Microbiome (BIOL F491) 2021 Syllabus
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