Protein Portraits 2023: Proteins in the News
Course syllabus
What is involved in taking this course?
Protein Portraits BB 407H is an Honors College Colloquium, 1 credit hour. We get to make the course anew each year. Our syllabus is finalized after everyone has had a say, and that seldom happens on the first day of class. Instead, we talk and adjust until everyone is happy with the plan.
Our goal this year will be to create visual companion pieces to go with proteins that are in the news.
How do we define The News?
When say something along the lines of “have you heard the news”, we generally mean that something new and of interest has come up. It it a piece of news that is being widely disseminated? Or is it a smaller piece of news of interest to a small subset of news watchers? Is it news that is being spread by a physical medium such as a newspaper, or is it spreading through digital and social media, or by word of mouth? There are many variables.
When it comes to proteins in the news, varying amounts of technical detail may be included. New dietary preparations of proteins are constantly circulating by people paying attention to their nutritional health, but the details of amino acids and polypeptide structure are not often part of the story. But at the other extreme, the fine molecular details have received front-page exposure in news about the spike proteins of covid viruses.
Another question is whether old news still qualifies as news? Each new protein discovery has made a news splash at one time. When certain allergies like peanut allergies were linked to specific proteins, that was news! When certain proteins in the brain behaved in the same way as opiate drugs, that was news? In Protein Portraits this term, will we want to go back to those earlier news items? It’s up to us to decide!
What we expect to learn:
We will take up the general topic of newsy proteins through three main activities.
- Answers from the world of science. Our first activity will be to approach newsy proteins from a scientific standpoint. We will tour the chemistry and structure of proteins, guiding ourselves through the meanings and definitions of science by referring to the wealth of graphical illustrations that scientists commonly use to depict protein molecules. We will frequently turn to the Protein Data Bank and the associated Molecule of the Month for examples of such illustrations. We will also be guided by a illustrations in books and other media, including The Machinery of Life by David Goodsell and Introduction to Protein Structure by Branden and Tooze.
- Answers from the world of art. The second activity will be to address newsworthiness using our artistic instincts. We will bring into discussion any and all forms of the arts as potentially suitable means to portray protein molecules. We will critique existing examples from the small but growing genre of protein-inspired artwork. We will share ideas and float trial balloons to carry ourselves to new levels of scientific-artistic inspiration.
- Our own creations. In the third activity each student will choose a protein molecule as a subject for artistic portrayal. The artworks will convey meaning by giving a personal take on proteins that are being talked about, written about, and may even be involved in controversies, new capabilites, new discoveries, and other sorts of news in the public sphere. Our artwork might highlight certain structural or functional features about proteins. We might focus on protein evolution or how proteins fit in with society. There are many facets to artistically consider in portraying a protein. What is unique and different about this year is that our artwork will pinpoint proteins that are in the news.
What is expected of the student:
- Classroom participation is number one. The best kind of participation stimulates discussion across the whole classroom. If you are not talking, you are not participating. But if you are the only one talking, you are not promoting discussion and need to work on your listening skills! At minimum you should supply a comment or question each day of the class. Jump in!
- We will set various deadlines for our art projects, and you are expected to describe your progress. Willingness to share personal progress at all stages will lend a team atmosphere to the course. That is what we are after.
- Preliminary design review. You will describe and offering a preliminary design review of your personal project by week five or six. This will include your news theme and your choice of protein (your top choice; this is preliminary, after all). A good idea of the artistic media you have in mind should also be conveyed.
- A final design review, present by week seven or eight or nine, will reflect the progress you have made in the assembly of your work. The design should be nearly complete at this point, subject to the practicalities of getting the projects complete by the end of the term.
- A caption for your artwork. A brief, neatly printed title and description of your artwork is expected to accompany the work in our public display. We will choose a style of captioning (a stylistic theme) that applies to all of our displayed works so that work will have a professional touch.
- Attendance. 100% classroom attendance is expected (aside from excused absences). Please realize that your absences detrimentally affect the whole class, not simply you alone.
Grading
If a student comes to class, participates in our discussions, and meets each course deadline including the final deadline of producing a protein portrait artwork, that effort will be a sufficiently strong performance to merit the receipt of an A letter grade in this 1-credit colloquium course.
Learning resources
- As mentioned above, we will make use of the Protein Data Bank and its affiliated Molecule of the Month.
- I am happy to lend you a biochemistry textbook if that will help with your project design and completion.
Cost of materials
Art materials will probably cost you around $10- $20 (glue, tape, wire, other cheap materials). Let’s hold down the cost. Try to use the stuff you find lying around in the back of your closet. Save money.
