Courses for Advanced Undergraduates & Graduate Students
501 Advanced Topics in Animal Ecology (3:3)
Pr. permission of instructor
Directed readings in the literature of physiological ecology, growth and regulation of populations, community structure, energy flow, mineral cycling, and other areas of current research interest.
502 Advanced Topics in Animal Physiology (3:3)
Pr. permission of instructor
Study of physiological mechanisms; selected problems from current literature.
503 Advanced Topics in Biochemistry (3:3)
Pr. permission of instructor
Directed readings and reports from the biochemical literature. Structure and biosynthesis of macromolecules and the composition and kinetic characteristics of biochemical pathways.
504 Advanced Topics in Cell Biology (3:3)
Pr. permission of instructor
Advanced treatment of cell biology covering selected topics such as gene regulation, protein sorting, cell cycle control, apoptosis. The course will consist of lectures and discussion of research articles.
505 Advanced Topics in Ecological Physiology (3:3)
Pr. permission of instructor
Study of a major topic in ecological physiology of animals, including mechanisms by which physiological processes change in response to environmental alterations and the ecological significance of those changes.
506 Advanced Topics in Genetics (3:3)
Pr. permission of instructor
Basic mechanisms of gene action in microbes, animals, and plants.
507 Advanced Topics in Neurobiology (3:3)
Pr. permission of instructor
Directed readings on fundamental physiological principles of nervous system functioning. Topics may include motor pattern generation, sensory transduction, sensori-motor integration, neurohormonal modulation of behavior.
509 Advanced Topics in Microbiology (3:3)
Pr. permission of instructor
Critical review of current research covering a wide range of topics including infectious diseases, bacterial physiology, marine microbiology, and immunology. Focus on students’ interests or needs.
510 Advanced Topics in Plant Ecology (3:3)
Pr. permission of instructor
Studies of special terrestrial communities or plant groups.
511 Advanced Topics in Plant Physiology (3:3)
Pr. permission of instructor
The physiology of growth and development in vascular plants treated in terms of phytohormones, nutrition, theories of transport, and environmental factors.
512 Advanced Topics in Plant Structure and Evolution (3:3)
Pr. permission of instructor
Study of current topics in plant structure, development, and evolution. A term paper is normally required.
513 Advanced Topics in Reproductive Biology (3:3)
Pr. permission of instructor
Directed readings and original research on reproductive biology, with emphasis on structural, regulatory, behavioral, and evolutionary aspects.
515 Advanced Topics in Vertebrate History (3:3)
Pr. permission of instructor
Directed/independent study of classification and phylogeny of particular vertebrate groups that results in a term paper.
520 Ecosystem Ecology (3:3)
Pr. BIO 301
Introduction to ecosystem function, structure, and dynamics; basic ecosystem theories; discussions of key processes governing energy flow and nutrient cycling; comparison of ecosystems; selected original literature. (Alt Spring)
522 Landscape Ecology (3:3)
Pr. BIO 301; STA 271 recommended
Coreq. BIO 523
Introduction to patch-corridor-matrix structure of landscapes and their impact on ecological processes. Discussion of landscape indices, spatial heterogeneity, current issues, and general approaches in landscape ecology. (Fall)
523 Landscape Ecology Laboratory (1:0:4)
Pr. BIO 301
Coreq. BIO 522
Field labs to observe different landscape structures and conduct course projects for comprehending principles of landscape ecology. Students will use computer labs for GIS basics, landscape analyses. (Fall)
526 Conservation Biology (3:3)
Pr. BIO 301 and 392; STA 271 recommended
Introduction to habitat and species conservation; topics include genetic diversity, demographic patterns of rare species, habitat fragmentation, design and management of nature reserves, ecological restoration. (Even Fall)
527 Terrestrial Plant Ecology (3:2:3)
Pr. permission of instructor
Application of principles of ecology to plants and plant communities. Experimental methods stressed in laboratory work. Two required weekend field trips. (Odd Fall)
528 Microbial Ecology (3:3)
Pr. BIO 280 or 481, or permission of instructor
Emphasis on current areas of active research with reference to applied problems. (Even Spring)
529 Aquatic Ecology (3:3)
Pr. BIO 301 and CHE 114, or permission of instructor
The study of the geology, physics, chemistry, and ecology of lakes, including reservoirs and streams with comparisons to the ocean.
530 Aquatic Ecology Laboratory (1:0:4)
Pr. BIO 301
Coreq: BIO 529
Practical study of water chemistry methods, lake and stream morphometry, identification of freshwater zooplankton, benthic invertebrates and fish, and field trips to area reservoirs and streams. (Fall)
535 Biochemistry: Metabolic Regulation in Health and Disease (3:3)
Pr. BIO 355 or 392, or permission of instructor
Chemical properties of major cellular compounds; biosynthesis, degradation, and function of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, vitamins, and hormones; energy metabolism; enzymatic catalysis. (Spring)
536 Biology of Aging (3:3)
Pr. BIO 301, 355, 392, or permission of instructor
An integrative look at biological theory and mechanisms to explain the diversity of the aging process, including human implications. (Alt Fall)
540 Genes and Signals (3:3)
Pr. BIO 355 and 392
Investigates the regulation of gene expression in bacteria, yeast, and higher eukaryotes, and explores
how such regulatory systems have evolved. (Alt Spring)
541 Entomology (3:2:3)
Pr. BIO 301 and 341, or permission of instructor. BIO 392 recommended.
A theoretical and practical overview of the insect orders, selected topics of insect behavior, ecology, and evolution, and an introduction to human-insect interactions. (Alt Fall)
543 Biophysics (3:3)
Pr. BIO 355; and PHY 211/212 or 291/292; and MAT 191; and CHE 114; or permission of instructor.
Introduction to cellular biophysics, with emphasis on the physical properties of membranes, including membrane transport mechanisms and electrical properties of membranes. (Alt Fall) (Same as PHY 543)
545 General Biochemistry Laboratory (1:0:3)
Pr. or Coreq. BIO 535
Experimental work designed to complement lecture material of 535. (Fall)
549 Current Topics in Biology (1–3)
Pr. BIO 112 and permission of instructor
Advanced topics courses in the biological sciences. Topics vary with instructor.
552 Metamorphosis (3:3)
Pr. BIO 355 and one 400-level course in Biology
Readings, discussions, and oral presentations of current literature on metamorphosis in animals. Mechanisms controlling metamorphosis, evolution of complex life cycles, and adaptations to differing habitats.
555 Vertebrate Reproduction (3:3)
Pr. one of BIO 277, 370, 425, 453, 464, or 477
An advanced treatment of the diversity of vertebrate reproductive biology, with emphasis on structural, regulatory, behavioral, and evolutionary aspects.
560 Symbiosis (3:3)
Pr. three from BIO 301, 322, 341, 354, 355, 370, or 392, or permission of instructor
Symbiotic interactions of living organisms from an evolutionary perspective. Metabolic, genetic, behavioral, and ecological adaptations which allow symbioses to be formed and maintained will be discussed. (Odd Spring)
567 Chemical Senses (3:3)
Pr. BIO 355, and one of the following: BIO 277, 472, 477, 479, PSY 435, PSY 436, or permission of instructor
Exploration and interactive discussion of chemosensory stimuli, chemosensory transduction mechanisms, neural processing of chemosensory information, and organismal consequences of chemoreception.
573 Drugs and the Brain (3:3)
Pr. BIO 355, and one of the following: 277, 477, 479, PSY 230; or permission of instructor.
CHE 351 recommended.
Pharmacology of major neurotransmitter systems in the brain and nervous system. Actions of clinically relevant drugs on these systems will be analyzed along with major drugs of abuse. (Alt Fall)
575 Neuroanatomical Techniques (3:2:4)
Pr. BIO 111 and 112, and 355 and one of the following: BIO 453, 472, 477, 479, PSY 435, or permission of instructor
Practical experience with a variety of neuroanatomical procedures used to investigate the structural framework of nervous systems in invertebrate and vertebrate preparations. Students will learn to conduct independent projects. (Odd Spring)
578 Hormones in Action (3:3)
Pr. BIO 355 and 392
Hormonal signaling in humans and other animals is examined using developmental, physiological, behavioral, cellular, and molecular perspectives, with special emphasis on the adrenal glands and the gonads.
579 Environmental Physiology (3:3)
Pr. BIO 112, and 341 or 355 or 370, and 277 or 477
Lectures, discussions, and student presentations on the physiology of animals as it is influenced by and is adapted to environmental conditions. (Odd Fall)
583 Virology (3:3)
Pr. BIO 481 or permission of instructor
Selected topics in virology. Emphasis upon new trends in the study of animal, plant, and bacterial viruses at both molecular and cellular levels. (Even Spring)
584 Immunology (3:3)
Pr. BIO 481 or permission of instructor
Principles of immunology and serology covering both humoral and cellular aspects of immunobiology. Selected topics include: T and B cell, immunoglobulins, tolerance, hypersensitivity. (Odd Spring)
586 Cell Cycle and Cancer (3:3)
Pr. BIO 355 and 392, or permission of instructor
Molecular basis of cell division and cancer examined through lectures and
discussions of primary literature. Topics include cell cycle control, genomic stability, carcinogenesis,
and cancer genetics. (Alt Spring)
587 Epigenetics (3:3)
Pr. BIO 355 and 392
Study of epigenetic mechanisms involved in chromatin structure, DNA and histone modifications, gene expression, dosage compensation, imprinting, heterochromatin structure, stem cell differentiation, development, human disease, and environmental-gene interactions. (Alt Fall)
589A Experimental Course: Ecology of Infectious Diseases (4:4)
Pr. BIO 301
Discussion of the ecological drivers of infectious disease dynamics, distribution, and evolution ranging from the individual to biospheric factors. Includes theory, case studies, lab work, and field work. (Offered fall '10)
591 Population Genetics and Molecular Evolution (3:3)
Pr. BIO 392 or permission of instructor
Application of population genetic and molecular evolutionary theory to the study of natural history, natural selection, genome variation and organization, human evolution, conservation biology, and forensics. (Alt Fall)
593 Genetics of Complex Traits (3:3)
Pr. BIO 392 or permission of the instructor
Theory, experimental methods, and analysis related to the genetic basis for variation in complex traits, including quantitative and threshold traits in animals and plants, and complex human diseases. (Alt Spring)
595 Advanced Genetics (3:3)
Pr. BIO 392
Selected topics in genetics at an advanced level. Emphasis placed on comparative view of molecular mechanisms underlying animal and plant development. (Even Spring)
596 Molecular Biological Approaches in Research (1:1)
Pr. BIO 392
May be repeated for a total of 3 s.h. credit.
Use of novel molecular approaches to address current questions in the life sciences will be explored by analyzing recent research reports and learning the principles underlying these approaches.
597 Workshops in Biotechnology (1:0.5:3)
Pr. BIO 494 or permission of instructor
May be repeated for credit as long as letter suffix of course differs: workshops of a given letter may be taken only once.
Individual, intensive four-week workshops focused on specific techniques in biotechnology. Provides hands-on experience designing and implementing a focused project utilizing current methods and bioinformatics. (Fall & Spring)
Please refer to The Graduate School Bulletin
for additional
graduate-level courses.
