91720

BIO 117 Botany for Herbivores

Emily Pollina Lab:

T Th 1:30 pm-2:50 pm M 1:30 pm-4:30 pm

RKC 103 RKC 114

LS

SCI

Wild relatives of many important crop species, including potatoes, tomatoes, and broccoli, contain potent defenses against animals that might eat them. How did these plants become safe for us to eat? How do we deter other organisms from eating them? In this course, designed for non-majors, we will explore the ways in which humans have modified, and continue to modify, the plants we use as food and the challenges of ecosystems dominated by crop plants. Through critical examinations of papers about agricultural science and laboratory explorations on plant physiology, growth, and defense, this course will equip you to evaluate evidence for the safety and efficacy of crop development and food production strategies. Class size: 20

91721

BIO 121 Obesity

Michael Tibbetts Lab:

T Th 10:10 am-11:30 am F 1:30 pm-4:30 pm

RKC 111 / 112 RKC 112

LS

SCI

Cross-listed: Global Public Health According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than one-third of U.S. adults, and 17% of children and adolescents, are obese. The estimated annual cost of obesity was $147 billion in 2008. This course will explore the potential factors contributing to the obesity epidemic, by examining epidemiological and experimental evidence. These factors include: behavior, evolution, genetics/physiology, and microbiome. In the laboratory we will explore the influence of genetics on obesity as well as the efficacy of interventions, using an emerging model system for the study of metabolism and obesity, zebrafish. Prerequisite: passing score on Part I of the Mathematics Diagnostic, and experience in high school biology and chemistry. Class size: 20

91722

BIO 153 Global Change Biology

Bruce Robertson Lab:

T Th 3:10 pm-4:30 pm M 8:30 am-11:30 am

RKC 101 RKC 114 / 115

LS

SCI

Cross-listed: Global Public Health; Environmental & Urban Studies Global change biology is a new field of biology which explores the consequences of global environmental change for ecosystems and humans. This introductory level course focuses on climate change as a key driver of environmental change. We will explore the effects of climate change on the ecology of animals, plants, and microbes, including biodiversity and ecosystem function, but will also include discussion on how these biologically oriented questions relate to the interconnected issues of human society, politics, and the economy. In addition, we will focus on relevant physical topics including the astronomical basis for natural variation in climate (years to eons), basics of global weather (e.g. gyres and Hadley cells), glacial cycles and marine circulation. In the laboratory portion of the course students will analyze ice core data, and use a bevy of tools to predict changes in the timing of migration in birds and butterflies, and predict how climate change will affect the distribution and range of plant and animal species. This course is appropriate for students interested in continuing their studies in biology, and also for motivated students whose primary interest is in other disciplines. Class size: 20

91723

BIO 154 on the shoulders of green giants: Introduction to Plant Biology

Emily Pollina Lab:

M W 10:10 am-11:30 am F 1:30 pm-4:30 pm

RKC 102 RKC 114

LS

SCI

Plants are an important part of every ecosystem they inhabit, providing carbon and energy to the organisms that feed on them. Plants perform all the tasks we are familiar with from animal studies- acquiring energy, nutrients and water, growing and reproducing, sensing and responding to their environments- but the ways in which they do these tasks differ from animals. In this introductory course, we will examine the ways in which plants perform each of these tasks differently from animals. Topics include photosynthesis, cellular respiration, food webs, organism interactions and plant defenses. In the lab, you will explore the scientific process- reading and critiquing works by practicing scientists in the discipline to help you determine what is already known, asking questions, designing experiments, and reporting results. In the lab, you will perform field explorations of local ecosystems, explore antimicrobial properties of plant chemicals, and test hypotheses about plant-microbe interactions, and control of plant signaling and behavior. Open to First-Year students only. Class size: 20

91755

BIO 158 Case Studies in Medical Biology

Brooke Jude Lab:

T Th 1:30 pm-2:50 pm W 1:30 pm-4:30 pm

RKC 102 RKC 111 / 112

LS

SCI

Cross-listed: Global Public Health To fully understand the major systems of the human body, in the context of both healthy and diseased state, one must examine aspects of the biological, chemical, and physical properties contributing to their function. This course will utilize MCAT style questions and case studies as a platform to learn scientific theories and principles in basic biology, genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology and other sub disciplines. In laboratories, students will gain hands on experience in testing these principles. Additionally, students will practice evaluating evidence, interpreting and presenting data, and various ways of science communication. This course is intended as both the entry to the biology major as well as an introductory biology course for students intending on applying to medical/dental/veterinary school post-graduation. Prerequisites: students must have taken high school biology and chemistry, and passed the Mathematics Diagnostic exam. Class size: 20

91725

BIO 201 Genetics and Evolution

Michael Tibbetts

M W 8:30 am-11:30 am

RKC 111 / 112

LS

SCI

Cross-listed: Global Public Health; Mind, Brain, Behavior This course is an introduction to the mechanisms of inheritance and the generation of diversity in eukaryotic organisms. This course takes a modern approach to the study of genetics in which classical ideas about genotype, phenotype and inheritance are integrated into the modern molecular and genomic understanding of the processes involved in the generation of diversity. In addition to discussions of the molecular mechanisms involved in DNA replication, recombination, the generation and repair of mutations, and the relationship between genotype and phenotype, special consideration is given to our understanding of the processes involved in generating population-level variation in complex traits and how this understanding can help us identify the myriad genetic and non-genetic factors influencing these traits. The laboratory consists of a semester long project involving the genetic manipulation of a model organism’s genome to address one or more topics in the course. Prerequisite: One biology course at the 140 level or higher.

Class size: 20

91726

BIO 202 Ecology and Evolution

Felicia Keesing

W F 8:30 am-11:30 am

RKC 114 / 115

LS

SCI

Cross-listed: Environmental & Urban Studies This core course for biology majors is an introduction to the general principles of ecology and evolution that, with genetics, form the core of biological understanding. In addition to studying foundational ideas in both ecology and evolution, we will explore modern topics at the boundary between these two areas. We will consider, for example, how genetic variation among individual organisms can influence ecological interactions, and how these interactions can influence fitness. We will focus on a mechanistic understanding of processes, using model-building to inform that understanding. Prerequisite: Successful completion of a course in biology numbered 140 or above. Class size: 20

91727

BIO 208 Biology Seminar

Felicia Keesing

Th 12:00 pm-1:00 pm

RKC 103

1 credit This course will provide students with broad exposure to biology through the biology visiting speaker seminar series. Students will hear about the wide-ranging research interests of invited biologists and have opportunities to interact informally with them. The course is graded Pass/Fail and students are responsible for short follow-up assignments for at least 80% of the talks. Recommended for all biology majors and other interested students. Class size: 65

91728

BIO 244 Biostatistics

Gabriel Perron

M W 1:30 pm-4:30 pm

RKC 115

MC

MATC

Cross-listed: Environmental & Urban Studies; Global Public Health; Mathematics This course introduces students to the statistical methods biologists use to describe and compare data. Students will learn methods that are appropriate for different types of data. Topics covered include elementary probability and statistics, characteristics of frequency distributions, hypothesis testing, contingency tests, correlation and regression analysis, different ways to compare means, nonparametric tests, and an introduction to multivariate tests. This course is intended for sophomore and junior biology majors, although it is open to students of all years.  One objective of the course is to provide biology majors the statistical background they need to analyze data for their own senior research; biology students should take this course before their senior year, if possible. Notice, though, that the topics in this course are applicable to many advanced courses. Prerequisite: passing score on part I of the Mathematics Diagnostic and at least one introductory biology course. Class size: 20

91730

BIO 308 Plant Ecology

Cathy Collins

T Th 1:30 pm-4:30 pm

RKC 114 / 115

LS

SCI

Relying on primary literature to guide course discussion, we will study plant populations and communities through the lens of key species interactions such as herbivory, completion, pollination, plant-fungal mutualisms, and plant-pathogen interactions.  We will also explore the ways in which species diversity is generated and maintained at local and landscape spatial scales, and how plant community ecology theory can be applied to habitat restoration. The laboratory component of this course will include observational, experimental, and modeling approaches to studying plants. We will also make use of publicly available long-term data to address questions at landscape (or global) scales and develop skills for analyzing large data sets. Prerequisite: upper college standing in Biology. Class size: 18

91754

BIO 340 Metagenomics

Gabriel Perron

T Th 1:30 pm-4:30 pm

RKC 111 / 112

LS

SCI

How does the extensive genetic diversity of microbes affect human and animal health? How do anthropogenic actions such as antibiotic pollution affect key microbial populations found in soil, waterways, and hosts? This research intensive course uses metagenomics, a set of methodologies combining next-generation sequencing and computational biology, to study microbial communities as a whole. More specifically, students will learn how to use advanced bioinformatics tools to analyze and vizualize large data sets generated by DNA sequencing. Students will also use multivariate statistics to characterize changes in microbial diverstiy resulting from differences in selective environments. As a final project, students will be responsible to design and conduct their own metagenomics study using a system of their own choice. For example, students will be able to study the effect of antibiotic pollution on the microbiome of an animal hosts or to study the effect of salt concentration on food fermentation. The course format aim to create an immersive research experience where students will study the applications of bioinformatic tools to important public health issues, while taking an active role in an ongoing research program. Prerequisite: Upper College standing in biology, or permission of instructor. Class size: 16. Class size: 20

91731

BIO 408 Advanced Conservation Biology

Bruce Robertson

W 1:30 pm-3:30 pm

RKC 200

Cross-listed: Environmental & Urban Studies 2 credits The once entirely scientific field of conservation biology has found itself becoming highly interdisciplinary. Successful conservation ventures still require notable expertise in ecological, evolutionary and behavioral sciences, but need to integrate economic, psychological, sociological and political considerations in order to be successful. This course will focus entirely on case studies in the conservation of plant and animal species, and even entire ecosystems, to explore the interplay and relative importance of these different disciplines in the success or failure of conservation ventures. This primarily discussion-based class will focus on the review and discussion of readings and other documentation of modern topics in conservation in the United States, Central America, Africa and mainland China. Discussion and writing assignments will focus on conservation science as a central pillar, with the goal of understanding how that science and its implementation and prioritization must respond to the constraints and opportunities associated with politics, religion, local livelihoods and even the need to militarize conservation efforts. Class size: 16

91732

BIO 419 Biotechnology & Infectious Disease

Brooke Jude

M 9:30 am-11:30 am

RKC 200

Cross-listed: Global Public Health 2 credits As World populations rise, so do pathogens capable of causing human disease. These infectious diseases can be defined as a type of “wicked problem,” in which no clear solution exists, due to their complexity. To manage this increase in infectious disease cases, current biotechnological advances can be used to design more effective methods for detecting, treating and preventing infectious diseases. These new methods often are possible to deploy in areas at a lower cost, or in locations where resources may be limited. This class will examine primary literature and review papers to learn about all angles of infectious disease management. This includes, but is not limited to: development of assays for low- level detection, application of nanosized agents for drug delivery, and design of novel vaccines for emerging infectious diseases, including Ebola, Zika, SARS, and cholera. Students will help design and run class sessions, present papers in a journal club style format, and produce formal short and long writing assignments based on the primary literature. Prerequisites: completion of BIO201 Genetics and Evolution, or permission of the instructor. Class size: 16