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)

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)

Current Topics in Evolutionary Ecology (1 or 2)

Lill

May be repeated for credit.

Clark, Hormiga, Lipscomb, Ortí, Pyron

Prerequisite: BiSc 6210. (Fall and spring)

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)

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)

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)

Biogeography (4)

Pyron

Survey of methods, techniques, and theory in biogeography. Geological and paleontological aspects of biogeography; large-scale biogeographic patterns; speciation and phylogeography. Prerequisite: BiSc 2451 or 2452 or permission of the instructor. (Fall, odd years)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

Seminar: Genetics (3)

Staff

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)

Population Genetics (3)

Staff

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)

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)

Advanced Plant Ecology (3)

Staff

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)

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)

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)

Evolutionary Developmental Biology (3)

Hernandez

Developmental mechanisms involved in the morphological changes that occur during the course of evolution. (Spring)

Seminar: Neurobiology (3)

Staff

Study of current publications in functional neurobiology. May be repeated for credit with instructor's permission. (Spring, odd years)

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)

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)

Research (arr.)

Staff

Investigation of special problems. May be repeated for credit.

Thesis Research (3-3)

Staff

Advanced Reading and Research (arr.)

Staff

Limited to students preparing for the Doctor of Philosophy general examination. May be repeated for credit.

Dissertation Research (arr.)

Staff

Limited to Doctor of Philosophy candidates. May be repeated for credit.