Michael A Davis

Associate Professor
Department of Biomolecular Sciences
Central Connecticut State University

--Course Information-- --Microbiology Links-- --Research Projects in the Lab-- --Mike Davis Locator Chart, Spring 2008-- --Recipes for Exam Cookies--

Course Information

I teach several different courses here at CCSU. Here's a short description of my courses:

• BMS 102, Introduction to Biomolecular Sciences (Fall 2004)
  This course is an introduction to the fields of molecular, cell, and physiological biology. It is also the entry course into all of the undergraduate programs in the Department of Biomolecular Sciences. I haven't taught this one for a while; the instructors for Spring 2007 are Cherie Walton, Kathy Martin, and Barry Hoopengardner. Contact them for current information about this course.
• BMS 316, Microbiology (Spring 2008)
  I usually teach BMS 316, Microbiology, every semester and once during the summer. The course was not offered last Fall (2007), but it's back for this Spring (2008). The lecture meets MWF from 10:00 - 10:50 am in Rm 167, Copernicus Hall, and lab meets R from 11:00 - 1:50 pm in Rm 306, Copernicus Hall. Click on the link for basic course details. More extensive online course materials, including images shown in lecture, course discussion groups, and individual grade tracking information, are available to students enrolled in the course through Central Pipeline and the new BB Vista 4 server.
• BMS 416, Experimental Microbiology (Spring 2007)
  Ooo, Ooo, a new course! This course will be offered for the first time in Spring 2007. It will be a two-credit, lab-only course building on and extending some of the experimental work from BMS 316 (which is a prerequisite). I've posted a tentative syllabus at this link. I'll post more information about this course as it's developed.
• BMS 111, Introductory Biology (Spring 2000)
  This is another course I don't teach much anymore, though there are lots of sections every term, including Fall 2007. Contact Tom King (BMS Chair) for the list of instructors this term.
• BMS 516, Medical Microbiology (Fall 2007)
  Medical Microbiology was last offered in Spring 2005 as BMS 490/540, but now it's graduated to a 500-level graduate course. It is an advanced microbiology course focusing on human diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. The course is offered for graduate students and for senior undergraduates who meet the graduate school's credit and GPA requirements. I'm serious about the BMS 316 prerequisite--this course is not for micro newbies!
• BMS 490/540, Advanced Bacterial Genetics (Spring 2006)
  This course runs every other spring, alternating with Medical Microbiology. This link will take you to the syllabus and schedule for the Spring 2006 offering. Class readings are provided online (at the Blackboard Vista course page accessed through CentralPipeline) only for students enrolled in the course. If you have any questions about the course, please contact me.
• BMS 201, Principles of Cell and Molecular Biology (Spring 2008)
  This course is offered every term and taught by three instructors. I'll be part of the team this Spring (2008) along with Jim Mulrooney and kathy Martin. This link will take you to basic information about this offering of the course. Students enrolled in the course can get more details at the Blackboard Vista webpage accessed through CentralPipeline.
• BMS 415, Advanced Exploration in Cell, Molecular, and Physiological Biology: Differentiation, (Fall 2007)
  This course is offered "irregularly" and taught by three instructors. I get to do it this Fall with Kathy Martin and Betsy Dobbs-McAuliffe, focusing on Differentiation. This link will take you to basic information about the course (like what "differentiation" means!). Students enrolled in the course can get more details at the Blackboard Vista webpage accessed through CentralPipeline.

• Writing
  This link will take you to a page titled "Writing for Dr Davis's Classes" that will tell you exactly how to format your writing assignments for me, including references. There is also useful (I hope) information on how to evaluate your sources of information, how to avoid the pitfalls of plagiarism, and how to fix common grammar and style problems.
• Official Final Exam Schedule, Spring 2008
  Note that night classes (which meet after 4 pm) have their own officially scheduled final exam times during finals week. This is still new to some of us--don't be caught off guard in May!

Microbiology Links

• Microbe Magazine. This is the monthly news magazine published by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). It's packed with microbiology stories and tidbits, the latest from the Land of the Exquisitely Tiny.
• E coli Statistics. Everything you want to know about the average E coli cell. What's the surface area of one cell? 6 x 10^-12 m²! What's the stretched-out diameter of the circular chromosome? 0.49 mm! Yikes!
• 2005 Nobel Prize in Physiology & Medicine goes to microbiologists Barry Marshall and J Robin Warren for showing that Helicobacter pylori causes gastritis and stomach ulcers.
• Clean-Flo International, a company that sells a mixture of microorganisms for cleaning up muck in ponds and lakes. It's clear that these folks paid attention in their microbiology class! Check out their list of strains and reasoning behind the biological remediation scheme.
• Microbes.info - The Microbiology Information Portal. Great starting place for microbiology surfing.
• The CDC/NIH Guideline: Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories The best source of microbiology lab safety information. UPDATE: The fifth edition has just come out, and this link updated to take you there. Wow--now that's excitement!
• Risk Group Classification for Infectious Agents These lists, from the American Biological Safety Association, are the best places to determine the danger level for whatever bug you're working on.
• The NIH Guidelines: Recombinant DNA and Gene Transfer The rules on cloning
• Home Page of the American Society of Microbiology (ASM)
  
• Microbe.org ASM's collection of Microbiology for grade-school kids, parents, and teachers
• Access Excellence Microbiology Links Lotsa links
• Scientific American Commentaries and feature articles from the last three years
• The University of Minnesota Biocatalysis/Biodegradation Database Fun for you biochemists and interesting for those interested in bioremediation, this describes the bioconversion pathways used by microorganisms for breaking down various exotic chemicals polluting the environment.
• Bacterial Pathogen Pronunciation Station, Dr Neal Chamberlain's sound recordings giving the proper way to pronounce various bacterial names.

Research Projects in the Lab

The three active projects in my lab seem to me quite distinct, but they do fit a common theme: figuring out new ways to treat bacterial diseases. In one project, we're making progress in isolating new antibiotics from soil microorganisms. In another project, we're working out a new treatment for a bacterial disease (acne) that uses bacteriophage (viruses) that specifically kill the microorganisms responsible. The third project is a study of the virulence genes of the intestinal pathogen Shigella flexneri, in which we hope to develop chemotherapeutic agents which can render these bacteria avirulent. Apart from these three main projects, we've worked on a variety of topics, including the efficacy of various disinfectants and the ability of bacteria to survive UV irradiation.

Students in my lab have presented results of their contributions to these projects at the Eastern Colleges Science Conference, at the CCSU Undergraduate Research Day, and at other regional conferences. I've collected all the abstracts for these presentations on one Student Research Presentations page. Come and see the students' work!

Mike Davis Locator Chart, Spring 2008

During office hours, or at most other times, you can find me in NC 345 (office), NC 306 (lab), NC 308 (in the back corner of NC 306), or in NC 331-01 (prep room). If you can’t find me anywhere, you can leave a phone message (2-2661) or e-mail message (davism@ccsu.edu). Information about classes this semester can be found at http://www.ccsu.edu/technology/davis/

Recipes for Exam Cookies

• Return to the CCSU Biomolecular Sciences Homepage

Webmaster Michael Davis
Revised 06/30/08 03:17 PM

URL http://www.ccsu.edu/technology/davis/