12277

BIO 112 Biology of Infectious Disease

John Ferguson LAB:

. . W . F M . . . .

1:30 -3:30 pm 1:30 – 4:30 pm

RKC 101 RKC 112

SCI

Cross-listed: Global & International Studies; Science, Technology, & Society Both morbidity and mortality due to infectious disease declined steadily during the 20^th century in developed nations, but remain high in poorer nations. Students examine the reasons for this tenuous disparity as they study the agents of bacterial, viral, protozoan, and metazoan disease. Diseases covered include anthrax, typhoid fever, cholera, botulism, tetanus, bubonic plague, Lyme disease, leprosy, tuberculosis, influenza, smallpox, rabies, yellow fever, polio, AIDS, malaria, African sleeping sickness, and schistosomiasis, among others. Many of the readings are relatively nontechnical case histories, but the biology underlying each condition is thoroughly developed. This course is of interest to those aiming for a career in the health professions, but is also designed to provide liberal arts students with some degree of medical literacy in these health issues. The laboratory portion introduces students to bacteria and viruses that are relatively nonpathogenic for humans. Prerequisite: experience in high school biology and chemistry. Class size: 20

12883

BIO 123 Sex and Gender

Felicia Keesing

. . W . F

9:30 - 11:30 am

RKC 114/115

SCI

Cross-listed: Gender and Sexuality Studies; Science, Technology, & Society Why are there so many differences in the social behaviors of men and women? Why are there two sexes? Why do women get depressed more often than men but commit suicide less often? Why are women, on average, shorter than men? Why do they live longer? Students in this course, intended for nonscientists, examine the biological bases of sex and gender. They consider evidence for hypotheses that attempt to explain differences in behavior between males and females, including data from behavioral studies on both humans and other animals. The genetic and hormonal determinants of sex and gender are investigated, and the arguments for how and why sex evolved in the first place are considered, especially in light of the strong evolutionary advantages of self-cloning. No specific science or mathematics background beyond algebra is required.

12278

BIO 130 Field Study in Natural History

William Maple

. T . Th .

1:30 -5:00 pm

RKC 114

SCI

Cross-listed: Environmental & Urban Studies Designed to acquaint the interested nonscience student with the plants and animals that make the Bard campus their home, including trees and shrubs in their winter condition and fall wildflowers.  Animal tracks and bird migrations also are objects of study. Although the course includes some lab work on preserved specimens, especially during severe weather, most class meetings are field trips. Participants must have clothing appropriate to the weather and terrain: good walking shoes or boots, warm clothing and rain gear. Some Saturday field trips and early morning meetings may be required.

Class size: 15

12279

BIO 142 Organismal Biology

William Maple LAB:

. . W . F . . . . F

10:10 - 12:10 pm 1:30 -4:30 pm

RKC 102 RKC 114

SCI

Cross-listed: Environmental & Urban Studies, Global & Int’l Studies An introduction to organismal biology and ecology, primarily for those who intend to continue in biology; also open to interested students not majoring in science. Topics include population genetics, evolution, vertebrate embryology and anatomy, and animal phylogeny, taxonomy, and ecology. Biology 142 may be taken before Biology 141, if necessary. Students majoring in biology are strongly encouraged to enroll in Chemistry 142 concurrently. Prerequisite: passing score on part I of the Mathematics Diagnostic. Class size: 20

12280

BIO 144 Biostatistics

Kristin Hultgren

. T . Th .

3:10 -6:00 pm

RKC 102

MATC

Cross-listed: Environmental & Urban Studies, Global & Int’l Studies This course introduces students to the statistical methods biologists use to describe and compare data. Students will learn methods 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

12281

BIO 151 From Genes to Traits

Michael Tibbetts

. . W . F

1:30 -4:30 pm

RKC 111/112

SCI

Cross-listed: Global & Int’l Studies; Science, Technology & Society This course takes an introductory look at the relationships between genetics, environment, and biochemistry. It is intended for students with a strong interest in science and is appropriate for biology majors. The course will begin with an examination of heredity in both classical and modern molecular contexts. It will then focus on the relationships between genes and proteins, and the complex biochemical interactions that produce a phenotype. The course will culminate in a discussion of the ways in which the environment interacts with multiple genes to influence complex traits, for example schizophrenia, and the modern methods applied to the problem of identifying the genetic components of these traits. The laboratory will provide an opportunity to examine some of the principles discussed in the lecture in more detail and to become acquainted with some of the methodologies and instrumentation found in a modern biology laboratory. Prerequisite: passing score on part I of the Mathematics Diagnostic, and experience in high school biology and chemistry. Class size: 16

12282

BIO 153 Global Change Biology

Eric Keeling LAB:

M . W . . M . . . .

10:10 - 11:30 am 1:30 -4:30 pm

RKC 101 RKC 114

SCI

Cross-listed: Environmental & Urban Studies; Global & Int’l Studies This course will investigate global environmental change from a biological and ecological perspective. Topics will include dynamics of the carbon and nitrogen cycles, land-use change and urbanization, ocean acidification and eutrophication, biodiversity, and global climate change. Lab activities will focus on local environments as case studies of global ecological change and include site visits, field studies, data analysis, and modeling exercises. Class size: 16

12283

BIO 201 Eukaryotic Genetics

Michael Tibbetts

M . W . .

8:30 - 11:30 am

RKC 111/112

SCI

Cross-listed: Mind, Brain & Behavior; Global & Int’l Studies 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. . This is a writing intensive course. Regular short writing assignments will be required, along with two 10-page essays (see below). We will meet for weekly hour-long writing labs. General goals are to help with the development, composition, organization, and revision of analytical and exploratory prose; the use of evidence to support an argument; strategies of interpretation and analysis of texts. Students will be responsible for their mechanics of grammar and documentation. Prerequisite: One biology course at the 140 level or higher. Class size: 16

12285

BIO 204 Introduction to Physiology

John Ferguson LAB:

. T . Th . . . . Th .

8:00 - 10:00 am 1:30 -6:00 pm

RKC 111 RKC 112

SCI

Cross-listed: Global & Int’l Studies The focus of this course is the relationship between the physical and chemical functions of various organs and organ systems to overall homeostasis, with an emphasis on human physiology. Systems examined include the central and peripheral nervous systems, muscle, the heart and blood vessels, blood, the lungs, the kidneys, the digestive system, the endocrine glands, and the reproductive systems. Laboratory work provides practical experience in relevant topics of human physiology. This course is appropriate for those interested in a career in the health professions and others interested in animal biology. Prerequisites: Biology 141-142, Chemistry 141-142; Chemistry 201-202 is recommended concurrently. Class size: 20

12286

BIO 208 Biology Seminar

Michelle Hersh

. . . Th .

11:50 -1:10 pm

RKC 103

SCI

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: 60

12287

BIO 309 Invertebrate Zoology

Kristin Hultgren LAB:

M . W . . . T . . .

1:30 -2:50 pm 8:30 - 11:30 am

RKC 102 RKC 114

SCI

In this course, we will take a comparative approach to studying zoology, with a special focus on marine invertebrates and aquatic invertebrates native to the Hudson Valley. We will also learn how to use different phylogenetic tools to study ecology, evolution, comparative morphology, biogeography, and speciation of different invertebrate groups. Laboratories will include comparative anatomy of different invertebrate phyla, DNA extraction and sequencing, and working with phylogenetic analysis software. This course will also include one or two field trips. Prerequisites: Biology 202 (Ecology and Evolution); Biology 201 (or permission of the instructor). Class size: 16

12288

BIO 311 Field Ornithology

Philip Johns

M . . . .

8:30 - 11:30 am

RKC 114

Cross-listed: Environmental & Urban Studies; Mind, Brain & Behavior (2 credits) Birds are one of the most diverse taxa of vertebrates, live on every continent (including Antarctica), and in nearly every environment (including aquatic and marine). They have enormous biological and behavioral complexity. The Hudson Valley is a major flyway for migratory birds. In this class we will explore the birds of the region almost entirely through laboratory and field studies. Class will meet once each week for an extended laboratory period, but has no formal lecture time. We will have weekly outings around campus, occasional field trips, and at least one other field excursion. Students will participate in one major class project and one major individual project, as well as frequent quizzes. This class is intended for biology majors who have had Bio 201 or 202 but is open to other students with the approval of the instructor. Class size: 15

12289

BIO 315 Advanced Evolution

Philip Johns LAB:

. T . Th . . . . Th .

3:10 -4:30 pm 8:30 - 11:30 am

RKC 101 RKC 112

SCI

Cross-listed: Environmental & Urban Studies; Mind, Brain & Behavior Evolution is one of the primary ties that bind the discipline of biology together.  "Nothing in biology makes sense except in light of evolution", someone observed.  In this class we will examine how biologists study evolution on several levels.  We will examine the various forces of evolution.  We will use population and quantitative genetics to address fundamental questions in biology.  We will examine patterns of evolution within and among populations, across species, and we will learn tools that let us address cross-species comparisons.  Although this is not a paleontology class, we will examine evolutionary patterns through time.  We will also examine what evolution can reveal about other disciplines, such as medicine, and how modern genomic and bioinformatic techniques both rely on evolutionary principles and have revolutionized how evolutionary biologists do our jobs.  This class includes a laboratory and one or two field trips. Class size: 16

12513

BIO / HR 337 Epidemiology: A Human Rights Perspective

Helen Epstein

. . . Th .

1:30 - 3:50 pm

HEG 201

SSCI

See Human Rights section for description.

12290

BIO 406 Cholera: Pandemics, Pathology, and Molecular Mechanisms

Brooke Jude

. . . . F

1:30 -3:30 pm

RKC 115

SCI

2 credits A microbe that caused seven worldwide pandemics and continues to plague human populations, Vibrio cholerae and the disease it causes, will be studied in this upper level seminar. The course will examine the historical significance of cholera, the environmental and socioeconomic factors that influence outbreaks, and the complex molecular genetics that allow this microbe to be so effectively pathogenic. Students will read and analyze topically relevant primary, secondary, and historical literature, as well as participate in group-work, give oral presentations, and produce original writing on the topic. Prerequisites: BIO201 is required. CHEM201/ 202, BIO302, and BIO303 are helpful, but not essential. Class size: 15

12291

BIO 408 Biology of Microbiomes

Felicia Keesing

. . W . .

1:30 -3:30 pm

RKC 200

SCI

2 credits In this seminar, we will explore the rapidly expanding literature on “microbiomes”, the microbiological communities that live on, in, and around other organisms. We will briefly discuss how technology has changed our ability to characterize these communities and then turn to how variation in the composition of the microbiome can affect an organism.  Using examples from humans as well as many other species, we will particularly focus on how microbiomes affect organismal health and ecological interactions. Class size: 15