BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Professors R.K. Packer, R. Donaldson, J.R. Burns, D.L. Lipscomb, K.M. Brown
Associate Professors H. Merchant, D.E. Johnson, J.M. Clark (Chair), M.W. Allard, L.C. Smith, F.J. Turano, E.F. Wells, G. Hormiga, P.S. Herendeen, R.P. Tollo
Assistant Professors D.W. Morris, P. Hernandez, J.T. Lill, S.A. Church, A. Jeremic, H.G. Dobel
Professorial Lecturer D. Goldman
Master of Science in the field of biological sciences—Prerequisite: a bachelor's degree with a major in biological sciences or an equivalent degree: The undergraduate program must have included a course in statistics.
Required: the general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. The minimum requirement consists of 24 credit hours of approved course work plus a thesis (equivalent to 6 credits). With the permission of the department, a student may elect a program of study consisting of 36 credit hours of approved course work without a thesis. All students must pass a Master's Comprehensive Exam.
Doctor of Philosophy in the field of biological sciences—Required: the general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, plus satisfactory completion of the General Examination in at least three areas of biology. The program of study and fields of study are determined in consultation with an advisory committee appointed for each candidate.
Major research areas: cell, molecular, and developmental biology; systematics and evolution; ecology.
With permission, a limited number of 100-level courses in the department may be taken for graduate credit; additional course work is required. See the Undergraduate Programs Bulletin for course listings.
| 204 |
Seminar: Invertebrate Zoology (3) |
Staff |
| |
Review of selected topics in physiology, development, and ecology of invertebrate animals, including reports on original publications. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: BiSc 130 or equivalent. (Fall, even years) |
| 206 |
Current Topics in Evolutionary Ecology (1 or 2) |
Church, Lill |
| |
May be repeated for credit. |
| 207 |
Seminar: Current Topics in Systematic Biology (1 or 2) |
Allard, Clark, Hormiga, Lipscomb |
| |
Prerequisite: BiSc 210. (Fall and spring) |
| 208 |
Bioenergetics (3 or 4) |
Merchant |
| |
Study of energy fixation and transfer in ecosystems and of their role in behavior, evolution, population dynamics, and species interactions. Students enrolling for 4 credits will devote one additional class meeting per week to an investigation of the nature and methods of science. Prerequisite: BiSc 154 or permission of the instructor. (Fall, odd years) |
| 209 |
Seminar: Principles and Mechanisms of Organic Evolution (3) |
Lipscomb |
| |
Current problems and issues in evolution; speciation, macroevolution, biogeography, and topics of special interest to participants. Prerequisite: BiSc 150 or equivalent. (Spring) |
| 210 |
Phylogenetic Systematics (4) |
Allard, Hormiga |
| |
A rigorous and up-to-date treatment of the theory and methods of systematics, including phylogenetic inference and its applications in evolutionary biology. Laboratory fee, $40. Prerequisite: BiSc 150 or equivalent. (Fall) |
| 211 |
Biogeography and Coevolution (3) |
Herendeen |
| |
Survey of methods and techniques used in biogeography. Geological and paleontological aspects of biogeography; large-scale biogeographic patterns; coevolution. Prerequisite: BiSc 151 or 152 or permission of the instructor. (Fall, odd years) |
| 213 |
Descriptive Systematics: Documenting Biodiversity (3) |
Hormiga |
| |
Study of those aspects of systematic biology concerned with description and inventory of biodiversity. Prerequisite: BiSc 210. (Fall, odd years) |
| 214 |
The Phylogenetic Basis of Comparative Biology (3) |
Hormiga |
| |
The use of phylogenetic hypotheses to study questions in evolutionary biology and ecology. Prerequisite: BiSc 210; Stat 127 or equivalent. (Fall, even years) |
| 215 |
Vertebrate Phylogeny (4) |
Clark |
| |
Lecture (3 hours), laboratory and field (2 hours). A survey of vertebrate diversity, emphasizing evolutionary relationships and adaptations of the major groups. Prerequisite: BiSc 150 or equivalent; BiSc 132 recommended. (Spring, odd years) |
| 216 |
Morphological Systematics (4) |
Clark |
| |
Lecture (3 hours) and laboratory (2 hours). Methods of studying organismal morphology as a means of inferring phylogeny, emphasizing the concept of homology. Laboratory includes techniques of observing, measuring, and imaging morphology in systematic biology, including morphometric methods. Laboratory fee, $40. Prerequisite: BiSc 210 or equivalent. (Spring) |
| 218 |
Innate Immunity (3) |
Smith |
| |
Defense functions in higher plants and immune mechanisms in sponges through lower vertebrates, with comparisons to immune responses in mammals. Prerequisite: BiSc 102; recommended: BiSc 112. (Spring) |
| 222 |
Diversity and History of Plants (4) |
Herendeen |
| |
Lecture (3 hours), laboratory (3 hours). A detailed investigation of the diversity, phylogeny, morphology, and fossil history of plants for advanced undergraduates and graduate students. Prerequisite: BiSc 140 or 150 or 151 or equivalent. (Fall, even years) |
| 223 |
Angiosperm Diversity and Phylogeny (4) |
Herendeen |
| |
Lecture (2 hours) and laboratory (2 hours scheduled, 2 hours independent). A detailed investigation of the diversity and phylogeny of flowering plants. Lectures focus on morphological, anatomical, and molecular evidence for relationships within angiosperms. Laboratories focus on structural characteristics of families and higher groups. (Fall, odd years) |
| 225 |
Molecular Phylogenetics (4) |
Allard |
| |
Lecture (3 hours), computer laboratory (2 hours). Review of molecular phylogenetic methods including data recovery, alignment, weighting, character optimization, and phylogenetic inference methods. Laboratory fee, $40. Prerequisite: BiSc 107, 150 and 210 or equivalent. (Spring) |
| 227 |
Seminar: Genetics (3) |
Johnson |
| |
Review of selected topics in genetics, with emphasis on current literature; topics of special interest to participants encouraged. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: BiSc 107 or equivalent. (Fall, odd years) |
| 228 |
Population Genetics (3) |
Johnson |
| |
Origin, maintenance, and possible significance of genetic variation in populations. Selection, genetic drift, microevolution of species, and speciation are emphasized. Both theoretical and applied aspects of population genetics are discussed. Prerequisite: BiSc 107 or equivalent. (Fall) |
| 229 |
Cytogenetics (3) |
Staff |
| |
Behavior of chromosomes in mitosis and meiosis as a basis for the transmission of genes from one generation to the next through reproduction and the influence of cytogenetic processes on the mechanisms of evolution. Prerequisite: BiSc 102 or 103 and 107 or equivalent. (Fall) |
| 230 |
Human Genetics (3) |
Staff |
| |
Genetic mechanisms of transmission and expression of human traits, with emphasis on biochemical and cytogenetic aspects. Prerequisite: BiSc 107 or equivalent; previous course work in cell biology or cell biochemistry strongly recommended. (Spring) |
| 242 |
Advanced Plant Ecology (3) |
Wells |
| |
Study of selected topics in adaptive plant strategies and North American plant communities, concentrating on invasive alien plant species. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: BiSc 155 or 158. (Spring) |
| 243 |
Seminar: Ecology (3) |
Merchant |
| |
In-depth study of selected topics, including reports on original publications. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: BiSc 154 or equivalent. (Spring, even years) |
| 249 |
Seminar: Developmental Biology (3) |
Brown, Hernandez |
| |
Discussion and reports on recent research on the endocrinological, genetic, and biochemical aspects of animal development. Prerequisite: a course in developmental biology or cell biology. (Spring) |
| 250 |
Plant Signal Transduction (3) |
Turano |
| |
Advanced topics of intra- and intercellular signaling; model signal transduction pathways. Prerequisite: BiSc 103 or Bioc 101 or Chem 163. (Spring) |
| 252 |
Seminar: Neurobiology (3) |
Staff |
| |
Study of current publications in functional neurobiology. May be repeated for credit with instructor's permission. (Spring, odd years) |
| 274 |
Gene Regulation and Genetic Engineering (3) |
Morris |
| |
The control of gene expression as illustrated by several prokaryotic and eukaryotic model systems: discussions of recombinant DNA techniques. Prerequisite: BiSc 107. (Spring) |
| 275 |
Introduction to Recombinant DNA Techniques (3) |
Staff |
| |
Lecture, 1 hour; laboratory, 4 hours. Basic techniques of genetic manipulation: cloning of genes, transformation of bacteria, PCR procedures, DNA sequencing, and other techniques. Prerequisite: BiSc 102 or 107 or 137 or equivalent and permission of instructor. Laboratory fee, $40. (Fall, even years) |
| 295 |
Research (arr.) |
Staff |
| |
Investigation of special problems. May be repeated for credit. |
| 299–300 |
Thesis Research (3–3) |
Staff |
| 398 |
Advanced Reading and Research (arr.) |
Staff |
| |
Limited to students preparing for the Doctor of Philosophy general examination. May be repeated for credit. |
| 399 |
Dissertation Research (arr.) |
Staff |
| |
Limited to Doctor of Philosophy candidates. May be repeated for credit. |
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