Advanced USABO

Students who wish to take multiple Advanced USABO classes over the summer get a small discount.

Half Package options:
Physiology, Botany: 15 classes total, 1-2:30 pm, Mondays and Wednesdays, 6/16/25-8/4/25
Cell+Molec, Genetics: 15 classes total, 6-7:30pm, Mondays and Wednesdays, 6/16/25-8/4/25

Complete Package option:
Physiology, Botany, Cell+Molec, Genetics: a combination of both Half Packages

A college level course for motivated students 8th-12th grade. Students must have a biology background, having taken an AP Biology class, or USABO class, or the equivalent. Occasionally, exceptional 6th and 7th grade students attend as well. Please contact Mrs. Webster if you’d like to discuss whether your student is a good fit.

This course teaches physiology at a level that prepares students for the semifinal level of USABO and other challenging biology contests.
(Students who took Advanced USABO in 2024 have already covered most of this material.)

Course goals:

• Get students excited about this fascinating field!
• Deeply cover human physiology (and some anatomy)
  • Neuronal Signalling and structures of nervous system
  • Sensory physiology
  • Muscles
  • Endocrine system
  • Cardiovascular system
  • Respiratory system
  • Excretory system
  • Digestive system and metabolism
  • Immune system
  • Development (if time allows)
• Practice the critical thinking necessary for being a doctor or scientist.
• We use Campbell’s Biology and Tortura’s Anatomy and Physiology as references, but Vanders’ Human Physiology is our main textbook. These are all college level textbooks.

The course is taught synchronously over zoom, so students can easily attend. Mrs. Webster is a dynamic teacher who keeps students engaged and entertained during the class. Register here!

Students who miss a class can catch up via recording.

Homework and class materials are shared via Google Classroom.

A college level course for motivated students 8th-12th grade. Students must have a biology background, having taken an AP Biology class, or USABO class, or the equivalent. Occasionally, exceptional 6th and 7th grade students attend as well. Please contact Mrs. Webster if you’d like to discuss whether your student is a good fit.

This course teaches botany at a level that prepares students for the semifinal level of USABO and other challenging biology contests.
(Students who took Advanced USABO in 2024 have already covered most of this material.)

Course goals:

• Get students excited about this field! (Many students aren’t aware of how fascinating botany can be until they study it)
• Deeply cover botany topics
  • Primary and secondary growth
  • Physiology and anatomy of roots, leaves, stems
  • Plant reproduction
  • Photosynthesis (including C4 and CAM plants)
  • Soils and mineral nutrition
  • Development, morphogenesis, and signalling
  • Plant systematics
  • Additional topics in nonvascular plants, gymnosperms (if time allows)
• Practice the critical thinking necessary for being a botanist or scientist.
• We use Campbell’s Biology and Stern’s Introductory Plant Biology as references, but Mauseth’s Botany is our main textbook. These are all college level texts.

The course is taught synchronously over zoom, so students can easily attend. Mrs. Webster is a dynamic teacher who keeps students engaged and entertained during the class. Register here!

Students who miss a class can catch up via recording.

Homework and class materials are shared via Google Classroom.

A college level course for motivated students 8th-12th grade. Students must have a biology background, having taken an AP Biology class, or USABO class, or the equivalent. Occasionally, exceptional 6th and 7th grade students attend as well. Please contact Mrs. Webster if you’d like to discuss whether your student is a good fit.

This course teaches cell and molecular at a level that prepares students for research internships, “wet labs” (hands-on lab work), as well as the semifinal level of USABO and other contests. Register here!
(Students who took Advanced USABO in 2024 have already covered some of this material.)

The optional lab component of the course further prepares students for hands-on lab work at a professional level. It is taught by Dr. Wang, a senior scientist at Stanford School of Medicine, with over 25 years of research experience. Students who wish to take this part of the course must register for it separately (not through SpringLight).

Course goals:

• Get students excited and fascinated!
• Deeply cover cell and molecular topics:
  • Cell Chemistry and Bioenergetics
  • Proteins (and related pH considerations)
  • DNA replication, repair, and recombination
  • Gene expression
  • Membrane structure and Transport
  • Cell Signalling
  • Lab techniques (with emphasis on both lab applications and how these are tested on USABO) including the following:
    • Cell manipulation and study (including cell culture, microscopy, staining, flow cytometry)
    • DNA manipulation and study (including sequencing, PCR, qPCR, electrophoresis, Southern blots, recombination techniques, ChIP)
    • RNA manipulation and study (including RT-PCR, Northern blots, RNA-FISH)
    • Protein manipulation and study (including crystallization, ELISA, western blots, immunoprecipitation, immunostaining)
  • Additional topics if time allows: cell cycle, cell death, cancer
• Extensively practice the data analysis and critical thinking necessary for lab work and being a biologist.
• We use Campbell’s Biology as references, but Alberts’ Molecular Biology of the Cell and Wilson and Hunt’s The Problems Book  as our main textbooks. These are all college level texts.

At the optional lab training, students will get opportunity to practice a variety of lab techniques hands-on:

• Day 1: Lab safety, pipetting and other core lab skills, protein concentration assay
• Day 2: DNA isolation from cells,measuring DNA concentration and quality, PCR, electrophoresis
• Day 3: ELISA or western-blot
• Day 4: RNA isolation, measuring RNA concentration and quality, RT-PCR
• Day 5: PBMC cell isolation, cell counting and observation under microscope, cell culture skills

The course is taught synchronously over zoom, so students can easily attend. (This is the link to register for the course.)

The optional lab training is taught in-person at a research lab in Palo Alto. (This is the link to registration for optional lab component.)

Students who miss a class can catch up via recording. Students who miss a day of the lab training should discuss their options with Dr. Wang.

Homework and class materials are shared via Google Classroom.