Syllabus: CISC 449/649 DNA Computing

Fall, 1999

Instructor: David H. Wood
Office: 407 Smith Hall,
Hours: Thursday 1-2, Wednesday 5-6 and by arrangement (just call or email me)
Phone: 831-3184
Email: wood@cis.udel.edu


Textbook:

Recombinant DNA (2ed), by James D. Watson, Michael Gilman, Jan Witkowski, Mark Zoller, Scientific American Books, distributed by W. H. Freeman and Company.

Basic DNA Computing, draft lecture notes by David Harlan Wood (provided at cost of reproduction).

Coverage and pace, tentative

Topic: Introduction, 2 meetings.

Topic: Adleman's experiment, 2 meetings.

Topic: DNA Laboratory techniques, 2 meetings.

Topic: What is a computer or calculator? 2 meetings.

Topic: Reenvisioning Adleman-type computation, 3 meetings.

Topic: "DNA chip" readout for DNA computing, 3 meetings.

Topic: Genetic Algorithms 3 meetings.

Topic: DNA execution of Max 1s Genetic Algorithms 3 meetings.

Topic: DNA execution of Royal Road Genetic Algorithms 3 meetings.

Exam schedule

1st Midterm Exam: Wednesday, October 13.
2nd Midterm Exam: Wednesday, November 24.
Final Exam, regularly scheduled time.

Term Papers

Paper 1, Wednesday, October 6
Paper 2, Wednesday, November 17
Paper 3 (649 enrollees only) Wednesday, December 8

Grading

Midterm I, 20%
Midterm II, 20%
Final, 30%
Papers, 30%
Homework, up to 5% extra credit.

Policy on late work

Late work is marked down one letter grade per day. Missed exams can not be made up. Unexcused missed exams are assigned grade 0. Excused missed exams are replaced by average score of remaining exams.

Policy on grading

Requests for regrading must be fully explained in writing submitted within one week of the return of work. Regrading may result in an increase of grade (hopefully), or a decrease.

Policy on plagiarism

All term papers, homework, and exams in this course are designed to be done individually. You may discuss problems in general, you may help each other by discussing strategies. But the giving or taking of another person's work (with or without modification of detail) is plagiarism and will be handled in accordance with University procedures.

wood@cis.udel.edu / / Last revised September 8, 1999