Spring 2027

Microbial Genetics & Molecular Machines

Examines modern microbial genetics and molecular processes, emphasizing eubacterial and eukaryotic microbes to elucidate cellular function and discussing experimental applications in biotechnology, bioremediation, and medicine.

offering recorded3 credits
Recorded instructors · Spring 2027 David Hershey3.6/5

Summary

1 / 6

Past student reviews · Katrina Forest

A past student reported that exam averages were around 60%, stating the exams expected too much from students and lacked clear indications of what to study.

What you’ll be able to do

  • Use correct nomenclature to describe microbial genetic and molecular processes and experimental approaches.

  • Recognize and apply concepts of genetics.

  • Describe how the molecular machines in bacterial gene expression function and, how they contribute to final gene-encoded activities.

  • Explain the mechanisms by which these molecular machines are regulated.

  • Interpret molecular and genetic data in regard to specific experimental questions.

  • Apply understanding of microbial genetics and molecular machines to design experimental approaches test research hypotheses.

Source: UW Guide

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

MICROBIO 303 or concurrent enrollment or graduate/professional standing

    • MICROBIO 303
    • concurrent enrollment
    • graduate/professional standing
    take one
MICROBIO 470 used by

“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree
  • Any of
    • MICROBIO 303
    • concurrent enrollment
    • graduate/professional standing

Professors

Spring 2027
Adjusted rating
RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 3.38/5 from 8 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2024: 3.44 GPA, 53.8% A/AB (n=39 letter grades); Spring 2025: 3.26 GPA, 47.2% A/AB (n=36 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.26 GPA, 44.1% A/AB (n=34 letter grades).

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

BRIANA BURTON is recorded teaching in Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Fall 2020. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

DAVID HERSHEY is recorded teaching in Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025, Spring 2026. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

KATRINA FOREST is recorded teaching in Spring 2016, Spring 2020. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Spring 2027

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction0 / 750

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
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Student experience

the class

Past student reviews · Briana Burton

Past students described the course as challenging but structured with module assessments rather than midterms. Opinions on instructor support varied, with some finding the teaching clear while others felt less personal engagement.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.26 GPA, 47.2% A/AB (n=36 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.34 GPA, 61.7% A/AB (n=60 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.26 GPA, 44.1% A/AB (n=34 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

Past student reviews · Katrina Forest

A past student reported that exam averages were around 60%, stating the exams expected too much from students and lacked clear indications of what to study.

Past student reviews · Briana Burton

One student found the instructor responsive and noted that the testing system was changed to ten module assessments to keep the class fair and targeted.

Topics

  • Modern microbial genetics and molecular processes.
  • Use of eubacterial and eukaryotic microbes to elucidate cellular function.
  • Applications in biotechnology, bioremediation, and medicine.

Skills

  • Apply concepts of genetics.
  • Design experimental approaches to test research hypotheses using microbial genetics and molecular machines.

Grades

Historical instructor

Spring 2027 · Projected

Before grades are released

– average GPA

Approximate 80% prediction interval

About this estimate

The course’s semester-average GPA, not an individual student’s grade. The center uses 5 same-season terms, weighted toward recent results.

The range uses the finite-sample 80th-percentile rank of absolute errors from earlier same-season forecasts. Each forecast uses only records from earlier terms. At least four forecasts are required; bounds are rounded outward and limited to 0–4. This is an empirical estimate: changing instructors or grading policies can reduce its coverage.

8 earlier forecasts · 0.21 GPA average error.

Grades over time

Through Spring 2027

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Where this course fits relative to

Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels

GPA

Higher than % of other courses in this group.

Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range

letter grades

More recorded grades than % of other courses in this group.

Typical course in this group: letter grades.

About this comparison

1280 courses over the same term, each with at least 30 recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.

Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.

Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.

Download part 1
Selected offering source records
MICROBIO 470 · Spring 2027

Microbial Genetics & Molecular Machines

Recorded 2026-10-14
Raw records 
[
  {
    "run_id": "20261014T203208-0851c9a1",
    "semester": "1274",
    "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1274:192:001619",
    "course_id": "MICROBIO 470",
    "course_uid": "course_50097f4cc0aabc7da8a401b4",
    "term_id": "1274",
    "source_course_id": "001619",
    "source_subject_id": "192",
    "title": "Microbial Genetics & Molecular Machines",
    "credits_min": 3,
    "credits_max": 3,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
  }
]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
Download part 1
Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-10-14

View the dataset on Hugging Face
Model outputs & technical records
Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1
Model & dataset provenance 
{
  "model": "Qwen/Qwen3.8-27B",
  "model_revision": "1d4bf0f2ff6012fd82039f2fa52739d0dd7c60c0",
  "task_version": "17",
  "output_id": "c7b8116dde85c8aa3c9593cae6ae7e9fff19b6eb6efeb47ab6e15da67d6cf89c",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "fc1811fa52e581ea57a35c0cf3343f8740a8ffbf",
  "observed_at": "2026-10-14 17:50:09.728220+00:00"
}