BIOL

This course provides a laboratory/field research experience for sophomores under the direction of a faculty mentor. Students may initiate a project or join a research project in the mentor's lab. Student and mentor fill out a departmental contract. A written research paper and a reflective summary of the research experience must be submitted for a final grade. Students are strongly encouraged to take BIOL 201 before choosing a research project. May be repeated up to 1 unit.

This course introduces MCB majors who did not take BIOL 211 (General Ecology) to important statistical concepts, experimental design, and data analysis tools that are covered in BIOL 211. Topics of study include: Introduction to the software R and RStudio, and introduction to basic statistical tests and data analysis and graphing using R and Excel.

This course is an introduction to wet lab methods and approaches commonly used in molecular and cell biology. General methodological areas taught include, but are not limited to: calculations and preparation of solutions, UV-visible light spectrophotometry, PCR, preparation and analysis of proteins and nucleic acids by gel electrophoresis and blotting. This lab-based course is centered around a faculty member's area of scholarly interest and expertise, and students learn and practice methods by a project-oriented approach.

An introduction to the interactions of individuals in a population, populations in a community, and communities in ecosystems. Laboratories are designed to illustrate ecological principles and give experience in approaches and techniques of ecology. Experimental design, quantitative data analysis, and statistics are emphasized throughout the course.

This course is designed to provide a general overview of natural history museum practices that support the main functions of these institutions: research and education. Natural history museums are invaluable archives of Earth's biodiversity and were the primary locus for biological research in the 18th and 19th centuries. The vast collections of specimens in natural history museums provide a temporal and geographic record of life unmatched by written or illustrated accounts.

This course introduces Biology majors to the professional activities of departmental faculty and staff. It includes a series of presentations by Biology faculty relating their interests in both teaching and research, with a description of current research projects. It also includes orientation to the research support facilities provided by the Biology Department.

This course explores the mechanisms of evolution and the vast diversity of life to which it gave rise. The characteristics that define different groups of organisms, and the evolutionary relationships among these groups are explored. Structure and function relationships are emphasized throughout the course. Laboratory is required. Some labs involve the dissection of plants, animals, and fungi. Some labs may involve the collection and sacrificing of zooplankton and insects as well as the handling of plant and animal parts obtained from a supermarket.

This course examines genetic alterations that contribute to cancer and how they disrupt normal regulation of cell growth. Several specific mechanisms that promote cancer progression are examined in detail, providing a platform for thoughtful consideration of current therapeutic approaches.

Molecular Biology focuses on the structure, organization, and regulation of genetic material at the molecular level. This course emphasizes modern analyses of genomes and transcriptomes while also introducing students to contemporary techniques used to manipulate gene expression or edit the genome.

Contemporary theories on differentiation and descriptive patterns of development with emphasis on animals. The laboratory deals with a variety of invertebrates and vertebrates including some experiments with living materials. Alternative exercises are provided for students who prefer not to work with living animals.