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An Introductory Science Curriculum for 21st Century Biologists

David Botstein: January 9, 2004; Running Time: 31:29

About the Lecture

About the Lecture

How will biology move beyond the Human Genome Project and the task of reducing living things to their genetic sequences? According to David Botstein, the answer lies in “educating the biologist of the 21st century”—someone who will be conversant not just with molecular biology, but with computer science, physics and chemistry. At Princeton’s new Lewis-Sigler Institute, Botstein is spearheading an innovative effort at interdisciplinary undergraduate education. Students will take advantage of state of the art laboratories and computers capable of crunching vast amounts of data generated by actual research. Professors will “provide essential fundamental concepts as required, using the just-in-time-principle”-- no more of the “learn this now, it will be good for you later” approach, which Botstein likens to hazing. Botstein says there is “lots of overhead in teaching historical and traditional origins” so his students will learn instead “with ideas and technologies of today.” He wants to create a new basic language that will enable his biology students to make sense of the fundamental issues of other disciplines.

Lecture Details

Location: Wong Auditorium

“At the turn of the century, it’s time to rethink undergrad education: the genome and computer invite a new curriculum that integrates biology with other sciences.”

David Botstein

About the Speaker

David Botstein

Director and Anthony B. Evnin Professor of Genomics Lewis-Sigler Institute of Integrative Genomics, Princeton University

Botstein was educated at Harvard (A.B. 1963) and the University of Michigan (Ph.D. 1967). He joined the faculty of MIT in 1967 and developed an innovative series of undergraduate courses called "project labs," which emphasized current research questions and cutting-edge techniques. In 1987 he moved to Genentech, Inc. as Vice President – Science, and in 1990 he joined Stanford University’s School of Medicine, where he was Chairman of the Department of Genetics. In 2003 he became Director of the Lewis-Sigler Institute of Integrative Genomics at Princeton University.

Dr. Botstein's research has centered on genetics, especially the use of genetic methods to understand biological functions. In 1980, Botstein and three colleagues proposed a method for mapping genes that laid the groundwork for the Human Genome Project. Dr. Botstein was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in 1981 and to the Institute of Medicine in 1993. He has served on many policy-making and peer-review committees, including the NAS/NRC study on the Human Genome Project (1987-88), the NIH Program Advisory Panel on the Human Genome (1989-90) and the Advisory Council of the National Center for Human Genome Research (1990-1995).