9351860 Patek The proposed project will enrich upper division courses offered by the Microbiology Department at the University of Hawaii. The goal of the proposed project is to shift the emphasis of the courses from traditional microbiology toward the molecular aspects of the discipline. The need for the shift is clear; in the past 15 years, advances in molecular technology have revolutionized our approaches to the study of the biology of microorganisms and the immune system. It is critical that basic training in microbiology and immunology, the areas covered by his proposal, includes a well- grounded exposure of the students to the tools and experimental methodologies of molecular biology. Curriculum changes will prepare the students for today's clinical and experimental microbiology and immunology laboratory and for graduate or medical education. The need for curriculum improvement is particularly acute in Hawaii because of our geographical isolation. The upper division courses offered by this department are the only advanced microbiology courses in the state and provide the only opportunity for Hawaii residents to work at the cutting edge of the discipline. ***
