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Majors Courses Research Advising Organizations Awards |
This course is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the principles and underlying themes of modern biochemistry. The course includes all the major topics in biochemistry in considerable depth including thermodynamics and enzymology, protein and nucleic acid structure, function, and synthesis, lipids and membranes as well as metabolic pathways. This course will require that students master a new vocabulary including chemical structures, and there is an emphasis throughout on experimental approaches, molecular mechanisms, and problem solving. Although the same topics will be covered as in the two semester biochemistry series (Biosc 1810-1820), no one topic in Biosc 1000 will be covered in as much detail. Biosci 1000 does not fulfill the biochemistry requirement for Molecular Biology majors..
1010 Writing in the Biological Sciences This course will familiarize students with the basic features of writing in the biological sciences, including styles for both the technical and lay audiences. In addition, the course will help students learn how to use information resources in biological research, including electronic databases. Guidelines for clear scientific writing, from choosing appropriate words to constructing readable sentences and paragraphs, will be explained and practiced. As part of the course, students will also review and edit other student writing and will learn fundamentals of document design.
This course will serve as an introduction to the world of applied/industrial microbiology. To enter the course, students should have a sound background in chemistry and at least an initial contact with biochemistry and/or microbiology. The following topics will be dealt with: microbial physiology of relevant organisms; biochemical activity of microorganisms (secondary metabolite, diversity and biosynthesis); the beneficial aspects of microbial action - a series of case histories will be presented illustrating the utilization of applied microbiology in the production/processing of drugs (e.g. ethanol), coal and oil, and in the disposal of waste; the deleterious aspect of microbial action - a series of case histories will be presented illustrating how microorganisms can affect humans adversely (mycotoxins in food, microbial destruction of wood and fabric). Every effort will be made to integrate the course material into the lecture notes the instructor has compiled for Introductory Biology, Introductory Biochemistry and General Microbiology.
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of ecosystem management. The goals of the course are three-fold: 1) to gain, at an introductory level, knowledge of the major approaches used in assessing ecosystem function and health, 2) to develop skills in working as a member of a team addressing real-world problems in ecosystem management, 3) to introduce the students to career pathways in ecosystem management, and to a network of practicing ecosystem managers, to aid them in career placement upon graduation. Students gain familiarity with assessment techniques including water chemistry, soil chemistry and texture, biotic inventory and biotic indicators of ecosystem stress, fundamentals of wetlands assessment, principals of park and preserve design and management, and remote sensing. There is a $48.00 lab fee. Additional fee information is provided in the information packet.
1050 Special Topics in Marine Biology This course takes an ecological approach by viewing the world's oceans as a vast series of ecosystems comprised of a variety of living communities. Ecosystem dynamics such as biogeochemical cycling, primary production, and oceanic circulation provide context for studying community distribution and interactions among those communities. Planktonic, plant, invertebrate and vertebrate animal adaptations to the oceanic environment are characterized. There is specific focus upon organisms within a variety of communities, and students develop facility for recognition of some of the forms commonly encountered. Communities dealt with include deep sea, open-ocean, intertidal zones, and coral reefs. Human impact on oceanic ecosystems will be discussed in terms of fisheries, mariculture, pollution, and effects of global warming. Methods of evaluation consist of a mid-term examination, a final examination, two field reports, and a special topic report. Suggested pre-requisites: Previous coursework in college biology is strongly recommended.
1060 Special Topics in Biology - Biodiversity Biogeography is the study of the distribution of animals, plants, and microbes. An understanding of the basics of biogeography is of immense use in observing new places or re-examining the familiar. This course is about getting the "big picture" of life on earth. In the early part we will lay the necessary foundation for the comparisons we will make later. We will begin by studying large-scale physical and biological processes such as oceanic and atmospheric circulation, plate tectonics, and natural selection. We will then apply what we have learned by interpreting local patterns and processes from a global perspective. Grades are based on mid-term and final exams, quality of the field journal, and group presentations. The background for biogeography will be covered in the early part of the course and no previous college science is required. By knowing few relatively simple physical and biological processes it is possible to understand the main large-scale patterns of life on earth.
After a general introduction on cell biology, muscle physiology, and intracellular communication, this course will examine the function of the following systems: cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, gastrointestinal and immune. The systems will be considered in the context of the function of the body as a whole, and how they respond during challenges (e.g. exercise) and pathological states. Current research related to the functioning of these systems will be emphasized throughout the course.
1080 Human Anatomy and Physiology This course is an introduction to the study of human structure and function. We will take a systems approach to study the anatomy of the human body and its normal function and maintenance. Each system will be examined from the perspective of embryonic development, tissue structure, adult anatomy and physiology.
1100 Topics in Biological Research This course will address the how and why basic research in the biological sciences is performed and provide a basic knowledge behind experimental design. The goal of this course is to prepare students for undergraduate research as well as full-time research assistant positions and graduate programs. We will use real life examples of experimental systems employed by research faculty in the Department of Biological Sciences. Weekly meetings will consist of faculty presentations and class discussions.
This course is an introduction to biological evolution. The theory, process and pattern of evolutionary change are presented. This course will encompass both microevolutionary and macroevolutionary concepts. Lecture topics will include inheritance and variation, population genetics, natural selection, speciation, adaptation, the fossil record, and phylogenetics.
This course is offered at the Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology Field Station. Behavior is studied from an evolutionary and ecological perspective. Current models of foraging, mating, and social behavior are evaluated through lecture, readings, field observation and experiments. There is a $48.00 lab fee. Additional fee information is provided in the information packet (see 7).
This course is offered at the Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology Field Station. The study of the ecology, management, and conservation of forest ecosystems focusing on the eastern deciduous forest biome. Overnight field trips will be taken to study the major regional forest types including visits to the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania and the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia. There is a $48.00 lab fee. Additional fee information is provided in the information packet.
1180 Ecology of Amphibians and Reptiles This course is offered at the Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology Field Station. Students will use techniques in field identification, population estimation, global positioning, and other methods of approaching the ecology of reptiles and amphibians. There is a $48.00 lab fee. Additional fee information is provided in the information packet.
A study of the gross anatomy, histology, development, and evolution of the vertebrate body. Topics: Vertebrate origin, phylogeny, and classification; basic histology; early embryology; evolutionary morphology; integument; skeletal system; muscular system; sense organs; nervous system; endocrine system; body cavity and mesenteries; digestive system; respiratory system; circulatory system; excretory system; reproductive system. Each system is examined in terms of its embryonic development, histology, functional anatomy, and evolutionary history. General principles of evolutionary morphology are emphasized. The purpose of the course is to provide an understanding of the history and functional anatomy of the body. It is designed as a background for studies in embryology, physiology, systematics, and human anatomy and physiology in professional schools.
1210 Vertebrate Morphology Laboratory This is a laboratory to accompany BIOSC 1200. Students will dissect a shark and a cat, study various skeletons (including human), and examine histology slides. The purposes of the course are to illustrate the structures discussed in the BIOSC 1200 lectures, and to give the student the personal experience of learning animal structure through dissection and observation. Four hours of laboratory per week. There is a $48 lab fee.
This course is offered at the Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology Field Station. An introduction to the diversity, behavior and ecology of birds. The course emphasizes field studies, including the identification of local species, experimental methods and study of avian vocalizations. There is a $48 lab fee. Additional fee information is provided in the information packet. Four hours of laboratory per week.
After a general introduction on cell biology, physiology of nerves and muscle, and intercellular communication, this course will survey the function of the following systems: cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and gastrointestinal. Each system discussed will be integrated into the larger function of homeostasis and their adaptation during pathology and challenges (e.g., exercise).
This course is offered at the Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology Field Station. Identification of wetland species with extensive field trips to marshes, bogs, fens, ponds, and lakes. Topics include: morphology and community structure of vascular macrophytes, algae and diatoms, species and wetland delineation. There is a $48.00 lab fee. Additional fee information is provided in the information packet (see 7).
This course is offered at the Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology Field Station. We will study population and community ecology of freshwater fishes. Topics that will be covered include identification, age and growth, life-history, trophic interactions, and biogeography. There is a $48.00 lab fee. Additional fee information is provided in the information packet.
1280 Microbial Genetic Engineering A series of lectures on the principles and methodology of prokaryotic and lower eukaryotic genetics. It includes:
1290 Microbial Genetic Engineering Laboratory This experimental methods course will focus on the same eukaryotic and prokaryotic microbes as in BIOSC 1280, which should be taken simultaneously. Students will isolate mutants, map them genetically, characterize them phenotypically, and use them for specific strain constructions. There is a $48.00 lab fee.
1291 Microbial Genetics Laboratory Writing Practicum This course is a writing practicum for the Microbial Genetics Laboratory. Students will write three short laboratory reports based on work done in the corequisite course BIOSC 1290, and revise these, based on instructor comments, to form a final integrated paper.
1300 Vertebrate Community Ecology This course is offered at the Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology Field Station. Consideration of the structure and function of terrestrial vertebrate communities. Topics include patterns of species diversity and the influence of competition, predation and disturbance on community structure. Field studies will be conducted in Erie National Wildlife Refuge and surrounding areas. There is a $48.00 lab fee. Additional fee information is provided in the information packet.
This is a course in the scientific study of the distribution and abundances of animal and plant populations. The course will begin with the dynamics of single populations, emphasizing demography, exponential growth, and intra-specific competition. Next we will cover interactions between populations, especially competition and predation. Finally we will consider the implications of population dynamics to the evolution of life history strategies, to population regulation, and to community structure. Throughout, empirical studies of natural and laboratory populations will be used to test mathematical models of population processes.
This course is offered at the Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology Field Station. Identification of and field experiments with herbaceous and woody plants in the context of their communities. Topics of field experiments may include pollination biology, demography, and effects of herbivory on species diversity. There is a $48.00 lab fee. Additional fee information is provided in the information packet.
This course is offered at the Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology Field Station. An introduction to the amazing taxonomic and ecological diversity of insects and their close relatives in the phylum Arthropoda. Emphasis will be placed on the collection and identification of the adult stages. Field and laboratory exercises will be supplemented with lectures and selected readings. There is a $48.00 lab fee. Additional fee information is provided in the information packet.
This course will present an in-depth discussion of plant structure, function, and development in an ecological and evolutionary context. In addition, this course will survey the Plant Kingdom and related taxa with a focus on the evolution of these groups.
This course is offered at the Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology Field Station. This field course studies the interrelations among microorganisms, their processes, and their environment through lecture, laboratory, and field experiences. Includes field sampling, laboratory isolation, and culture techniques. There is a $48.00 lab fee. Additional fee information is provided in the information packet.
This course is designed to acquaint the students with factors that contribute to the local and large-scale distributions of species and higher taxonomic groups. Since biogeography is a multidisciplinary science we will often draw information from a variety of sources, e.g. geology, geography, paleontology, climatology, evolution and ecology. Although the major emphasis will be on the more general phenomena, there will be frequent references to particular taxonomic groups.
This course addresses areas of major environmental concerns after a foundation in selected ecological principles is established. The course is a retrospective review of the "environmental state of the world" and a consideration of pathways leading to possible solutions. The course is taught by lecture with several videos used to illustrate particular points.
This course is offered at the Pymatuning Laboratory of Ecology Field Station. The course will focus on identification, ecological distribution, community structure, and physiological ecology of mammals, utilizing field problems, laboratories, demonstrations, and lectures. There is a $48.00 lab fee. Additional fee information is provided in the information packet.
This course will cover adaptations of animals facilitating their survival in natural environments where physiological stress is induced by prevailing physical conditions. Temperature, water availability, and oxygen availability often restrict their abilities to exploit specific environments. Biochemical, cellular, and organismal responses to these factors will be studied. A major theme will include the range of adaptive responses that can be implemented in order to overcome a specific limitation in the environment. For example, a number of closely related ectothermic animals have evolved diverse adaptations for coping with subfreezing temperature (escape to refugia, freeze avoidance via supercooling, and freeze tolerance), which often factor into specific life history needs. Instruction methods will include traditional lecture, reading assignments from relevant scientific articles, and laboratory-field experiments. Lectures will be given in the mornings and laboratory-field exercises will be done in the afternoons.
This lecture/lab course will show how tissues and cell types produce functional systems in adult vertebrates (especially mammals). The course surveys descriptive histology, both general and special, the diversity of tissues in organs, and differentiation of cell types. This course includes a laboratory component that must be taken with the lecture. There is a $48.00 lab fee.
This course is intended as an elective for majors in the Biological Sciences who would like an introduction to the plant sciences beyond that which occurs in the Freshman biology sequence. Two objectives of the course are to develop: (a) an understanding of some of the basic principles of plant science, primarily at the structural/functional level in seed plants, and (b) an understanding of the mutual relationships between plants and humans, with emphasis on plant products, how they are derived and used in various ways by humans. In the first part of the course, dealing with the principles of plant science, there will be three one-hour lectures per week. During the later part of the course, which deals with plants as they relate to humans, there will be two lectures per week plus a weekly attendance at an "open lab" where various demonstration materials and audiovisual modules relating to the week's lectures will be available. There will also be one individualized field trip to the Phipps Conservatory.
This course will deal with fundamental physical chemical principles especially applicable in the study of molecular biology. Topics will include (1) thermodynamics and chemical equilibrium; (2) kinetic theory and transport; and (3) chemical and enzyme kinetics. These subjects will be richly high-lighted with numerous examples from biological systems, and techniques for studying these systems will be described. The topics covered will be developed from a physical chemical point of view.
The development of selected invertebrate and vertebrate eggs, embryos, organs, and systems is examined in the light of basic concepts and problems of embryology, emphasizing the techniques, critical approaches, and analytic methods of developmental biology.
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