Three hours of lecture/four hours of lab per week. This course will explore the roles of essential biological molecules and seeks to analyze the structures, properties, and functions of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids while providing a biological application of general and organic chemistry principles. Students will explore the structure of proteins, their function, their binding properties and the methodologies for the purification and characterization of proteins.
Three hours lecture/three hours lab per week. This course is designed for biology majors and will include an overview of bacterial, viral, fungal, and protozoal structure and function as well as microbial physiology and ecology. Laboratory exercises will include isolation of microbes and current molecular techniques used in state-of the-art microbiology laboratory settings. Offered spring of odd numbered years. Prerequisite: grade of C or higher in 250; 251 highly recommended.
Six hours of lecture/discussion/lab per week. This course focuses on the mechanisms and evolution of animal behavior, including proximate and ultimate explanations of behavior. Topics studied include foraging; antipredator defenses; mating systems and sexual selection; social behavior; communication; parental care; kin selection and recognition; learning; and territoriality. Laboratory exercises will complement topics in lectures and emphasize the observation, statistical analysis and interpretation of behavior in a variety of animal species.
Three hours of lecture/three hours of lab per week. This course covers essential concepts of human physiology and is intended for students who have a general interest in human biology and/or the health-related professions. It includes fundamental concepts of molecular, cellular, and systems physiology leading to a greater understanding of how the human body functions and maintains homeostasis.
Three hours lecture per week. Investigation of the molecules and chemical reactions of life. Chemical principles are used to explore biology at the molecular level with an emphasis on biochemical and physiological basis of nutrition. Prerequisites: C or higher in 296 and CHEM 140; or C or higher in CHEM 240. (Equivalent to CHEM 305.)
Six hours of lecture/lab/field work per week. Study of inland aquatic ecosystems. Consideration is given to physical and chemical features of lakes and streams and to major groups of aquatic organisms and their interactions with each other and the physical environment. Laboratory sessions emphasize field study of local lakes and streams. Offered fall of even numbered years. Prerequisites: C or higher in 251.
Three hours of lecture/three hours of lab per week. This course will provide a broad, integrated overview of plant biology. The general areas covered are: (1) plant diversity, the basic biology and evolution of the major plant families (2) structure, function, and development from the cell-molecular level to the whole organism of vascular plants (3) ecology of plants including: adaptations to their environment, plant-animal interactions, and ethnobotany. Prerequisite: C or higher in BIOL 251.
Six hours of lecture/discussion/lab per week. This course introduces the principles of conservation biology with an emphasis on ecological processes operating at population, community and ecosystem levels of organization. Threats to biological diversity, ranging from species introductions to habitat destruction will be discussed along with conservation solutions ranging from the design of protected areas through conservation legislation.
Three hours lecture/discussion per week The course provides an overview of musculoskeletal anatomy, the mechanical properties and structural behavior of biological tissues, and biodynamics. Specific course topics will include structure and function relationships in tissues and organs; application of stress and strain analysis to biological tissues; analysis of forces in human function and movement; energy and power in human activity; introduction to modeling viscoelasticity of tissues. Prerequisite: grade of C or higher in 104 or 160, PHYS 250 and 270 or 260 and 270.
This course will introduce you to the major ecological processes, the principal flora and fauna and their evolutionary adaptations, and diverse ecosystems that constitute major tropical, coastal and mountainous regions of Central and South America. Additionally, the issues surrounding the conservation of biodiversity in these areas will be examined and discussed. The course is divided into three parts.