Nanocourses
Nanocourses are short courses that meet for a total of 6-8 hours over 2-3 days. These classes are developed to fill gaps in the larger curriculum or to address developing topics relevant to the HMS community -- typically related to highly focused scientific content, research techniques or the development of professional skills.
Nanocourses are also an opportunity for HMS faculty to reach students when it might be impossible or impractical to mount a semester-long course and for Harvard graduate students to continue learning outside the boundaries of their typical courses. The first session of a nanocourse is an overview of the topic and is open to the wider Harvard community. The latter sessions are reserved for registered students and are hands-on, active explorations of the topic.
Introduction to Anaerobe Physiology
Life on planet earth has been dominated by anaerobes-- from the earliest life forms to the complex microbial communities that compose our gut microbiota. This hybrid nanocourse will introduce unique aspects of anaerobe physiology, including adaptations to thrive in anaerobic environments.
Course details: This is a hybrid course; the first two sessions will be a mix of lecture and discussion and will be held via Zoom. These sessions are open to all who are interested, including those outside of Harvard. The last two sessions will be an in-person, hands-on exercise examining anaerobe genomes; for these sessions, priority will be given to Harvard students enrolled for credit, though others may participate if space allows.
Course team:
- Lynn Bry, MD, Ph.D. (Course Director), Director, Massachusetts Host-Microbiome Center; Associate Professor of Pathology, Harvard Medical School
- Lila Witt, Ph.D. (Course Coordinator), Scientific Program Manager, Harvard Microbial Sciences Initiative