The primary goal of this course is to use the framework of the scientific literature to develop Critical Thinking Skills to generate novel hypotheses with a focus on establishing novel biological mechanisms and pathways. Critical Thinking skills will be used to examine research findings and theories to uncover inconsistencies, bias, or faulty logic. The student will be expected to build on their careful evaluation and analysis of the papers to create a novel hypothesis each week and design a single experiment to address their question. The weekly course discussion will be student led and this will facilitate the development of teaching skills. Generally the papers to be discussed will be an older, classic paper, which established an important new concept and a newer paper that builds on that theme. Grading is based on weekly participation in class discussions, presentations, and a concise final written assignment. 2cr, spring

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