John Goss
Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
Cell biologist using fission yeast to study regulatory mechanisms of conserved, essential cellular processes.
My research focuses on the essential, yet poorly understood processes of where and when eukaryotic cells "know" how to divide - questions that are fundamental for single-celled organisms, such as the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe that we study in my lab, all the way up to complex multi-cellular organisms like humans. Errors in the spatial and temporal control of cell division can contribute to a host of diseases including cancer and developmental or neurodegenerative disorders. Remarkably, many of the signaling pathways and regulatory mechanisms are highly conserved amongst eukaryotes, so we can gain a wealth of insight into these basic cellular processes by studying a simpler model organism like fission yeast. I am particularly interested in the control of cell division by a collection of proteins that comprise "node" structures which serve as cellular signaling hubs in the medial cortex of the cell during interphase and early mitosis. Using a combination of live cell microscopy, genetics, molecular biology, and biochemistry my lab aims to identify and characterize the components that make up these signaling nodes and gain a better understanding of how they regulate cell division.
I teach at all levels of the curriculum with a focus on cellular and molecular biology. I teach lecture and laboratory sections of (BISC110) Introductory Cellular and Molecular Biology and (BISC220) Cellular Physiology. I recently designed an upper-level seminar course (BISC335 - Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Disease) that explores the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of a variety of human diseases and how our understanding of cell and molecular biology shapes the treatment of those diseases. Regardless of the course or material I believe that science should be engaging and interactive, so you can expect to get up (literally) and be involved in my classes.
Outside of my teaching and research interests, I am also very interested in how students learn science and effective methods of scientific teaching. I was trained in the evidence-based method of scientific teaching at the Center for Scientific Teaching at Yale University, and enjoy engaging in conversations about innovative pedagogy and classroom approaches.
A native southerner, I have gradually adapted to life in the northeast after over a decade in New England. I live in Wellesley with my wife, daughter (10), and son (6). We enjoy going for walks around campus, fishing in Lake Waban, and tending to our vegetable garden in the summer.
Education
- B.S., Rhodes College
- M.Phil, Yale University
- Ph.D., Yale University
Current and upcoming courses
Introductory Cellular and Molecular Biology with Laboratory
BISC110
A foundation course that focuses on the study of life at the cellular and molecular level, including eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell structure, function of biological macromolecules, molecular genetics, cellular metabolism, and key topics in cell biology. This course will provide the fundamental tools for exploration of cellular and molecular biology with the aim of enhancing conceptual understanding. Laboratories focus on experimental approaches to these topics and are shared with BISC 112. One year of high school chemistry or equivalent is strongly recommended. Students must attend lab during the first week in order to continue in the course.
This course has a required co-requisite lab - BISC 110L.
Please be aware that there is no guarantee you will be able to swap into different lecture or lab sections, due to the demand in this course. We encourage you to make initial registration choices carefully and wisely.
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Molecular Genetics with Laboratory
BISC316
Molecular genetic techniques, which allow us to identify, analyze and manipulate genes, have revolutionized our understanding of how organisms develop and function. This course focuses on the use of molecular genetic and genomic approaches to dissect and manipulate complex biological systems. In this semester-long project-based course, students will use these approaches to pursue an original research question in a genetic model organism. Seminar-style class sessions will focus on critical analysis, presentation and discussion of the primary literature relevant to the research project. In the laboratory, students will gain experience with a variety of current molecular genetic methods (e.g. DNA cloning and sequencing, PCR, genomic analysis, gene knock-outs, CRISPR, mutagenesis, bioinformatics) with an emphasis on experimental design and data analysis.. This course has a required co-requisite laboratory - BISC 316L.