BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Professors R.K. Packer, R. Donaldson, J.R. Burns, D.L. Lipscomb (Chair), K.M. Brown, J.M. Clark, L.C. Smith, G. Hormiga
Associate Professors H. Merchant, D.E. Johnson, E.F. Wells, R.P. Tollo, C.A. Forster, P. Hernandez, J.T. Lill, G. Ortí
Assistant Professors D.W. Morris, A. Jeremic, H.G. Döbel, I. Eleftherianos
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, prerequisites listed with the Master of Science, above, plus satisfactory completion of the General Examination in at least three areas of biological sciences. The program of study and fields of study are determined in consultation with an advisory committee appointed for each candidate.
Major research areas: cell and molecular biology; systematics, evolution, and ecology.
With permission, a limited number of upper-division undergraduate courses in the department may be taken for graduate credit; additional course work is required. See the Undergraduate Programs Bulletin for course listings.
| 6204 |
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 2330 or equivalent. (Fall, even years) |
| 6205 |
Seminar: Current Topics in Cell and Molecular Biology (1 or 2) |
Smith, Donaldson, Eleftherianos, Jeremic |
| |
May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: BiSc 2202 or 3209. (Spring) |
| 6206 |
Current Topics in Evolutionary Ecology (1 or 2) |
Lill |
| |
May be repeated for credit. |
|
| 6207 |
Seminar: Current Topics in Systematic Biology (1 or 2) |
Clark, Hormiga, Lipscomb, Ortí |
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Prerequisite: BiSc 6210. (Fall and spring) |
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| 6208 |
Bioenergetics (3) |
Merchant |
| |
Study of energy fixation and transfer in ecosystems and of their role in behavior, evolution, population dynamics, and species interactions. Prerequisite: BiSc 2454 or permission of the instructor. (Fall, odd years) |
| 6209 |
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 2450 or equivalent. (Spring) |
| 6210 |
Phylogenetic Systematics (4) |
Hormiga, Ortí |
| |
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. Prerequisite: BiSc 2450 or equivalent. (Fall) |
| 6211 |
Biogeography and Coevolution (3) |
Staff |
| |
Survey of methods and techniques used in biogeography. Geological and paleontological aspects of biogeography; large-scale biogeographic patterns; coevolution. Prerequisite: BiSc 2451 or 2452 or permission of the instructor. (Fall, odd years) |
| 6213 |
Descriptive Systematics: Documenting Biodiversity (3) |
Hormiga |
| |
Study of those aspects of systematic biology concerned with description and inventory of biodiversity. Prerequisite: BiSc 6210. (Fall, odd years) |
| 6214 |
The Phylogenetic Basis of Comparative Biology (3) |
Hormiga |
| |
The use of phylogenetic hypotheses to study questions in evolutionary biology and ecology. Prerequisite: BiSc 6210; Stat 1127 or equivalent. (Fall, even years) |
| 6215 |
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 2450 or equivalent; BiSc 2332 recommended. (Spring, odd years) |
| 6216 |
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. Prerequisite: BiSc 6210 or equivalent. (Spring) |
| 6218 |
Innate Immunity (3) |
Smith |
| |
Discussion of innate immune systems in a wide variety of organisms; from sponges to vertebrates plus higher plants. Prerequisite: BiSc 3212; recommended BiSc 2202, 2207, 3209, 2330. (Spring) |
| 6225 |
Molecular Phylogenetics (4) |
Ortí |
| |
Lecture (3 hours), computer laboratory (2 hours). Review of molecular phylogenetic methods including data recovery, alignment, weighting, character optimization, and phylogenetic inference methods. Prerequisite: BiSc 2207, 2450, and 6210 or equivalent. (Spring) |
| 6227 |
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 2207 or equivalent. (Fall, odd years) |
| 6228 |
Population Genetics (3) |
Johnson |
| |
Origin, maintenance, and possible significance of genetic variation in populations. Selection, genetic drift, and population structure are emphasized. Both theoretical and applied aspects of population genetics are discussed. Prerequisite: BiSc 2207 or equivalent. (Fall) |
| 6230 |
Human Genetics (3) |
Staff |
| |
Genetic mechanisms of transmission and expression of human traits, with emphasis on biochemical and cytogenetic aspects. Prerequisite: BiSc 2207 or equivalent; previous course work in cell biology or cell biochemistry strongly recommended. (Spring) |
| 6242 |
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 2455 or 2458. (Spring) |
| 6243 |
Seminar: Ecology (3) |
Merchant, Lill |
| |
In-depth study of selected topics, including reports on original publications. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: BiSc 2454 or equivalent. (Fall, odd years; spring, even years) |
| 6249 |
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) |
| 6251 |
Evolutionary Developmental Biology (3) |
Hernandez |
| |
Developmental mechanisms involved in the morphological changes that occur during the course of evolution. (Spring) |
| 6252 |
Seminar: Neurobiology (3) |
Staff |
| |
Study of current publications in functional neurobiology. May be repeated for credit with instructor's permission. (Spring, odd years) |
| 6274 |
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 2207. (Fall and spring) |
| 6275 |
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 2202 or 2207 or 2337 or equivalent and permission of instructor. Laboratory fee. (Fall, even years) |
| 6295 |
Research (arr.) |
Staff |
| |
Investigation of special problems. May be repeated for credit. |
| 6998-99 |
Thesis Research (3-3) |
Staff |
| 8998 |
Advanced Reading and Research (arr.) |
Staff |
| |
Limited to students preparing for the Doctor of Philosophy general examination. May be repeated for credit. |
| 8999 |
Dissertation Research (arr.) |
Staff |
| |
Limited to Doctor of Philosophy candidates. May be repeated for credit. |
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