41 - 50 of 66 results for: BIO

Core course appropriate for advanced undergraduate students and graduate students with prior knowledge of calculus and a college physics course. Introduction to how physical principles offer insights into modern biology, with regard to the structural, dynamical, and functional organization of biological systems. Topics include the roles of free energy, diffusion, electromotive forces, non-equilibrium dynamics, and information in fundamental biological processes.

Fungi are critical, yet often hidden, components of the biosphere. They regulate decomposition, are primary partners in plant symbiosis and strongly impact agriculture and economics. Students will explore the fascinating world of fungal biology, ecology and evolution via lecture, lab, field exercises and Saturday field trips that will provide traditional and molecular experiences in the collection, analysis and industrial use of diverse fungi. Students will chose an environmental niche, collect and identify resident fungi, and hypothesize about their community relationship. Prerequisite: BIO 81, 85 recommended.

NOTE: This course will be taught in-person on main campus, in hybrid format with Zoom options. The goal of this course is to learn the foundations of ecological modeling with a specific (but not exclusive) focus on marine conservation and sustainable exploitation of renewable resources. Students will be introduced to a range of methods - from basic to advanced - to characterize population structure, conduct demographic analyses, estimate extinction risk, identify temporal trends and spatial patterns, quantify the effect of environmental determinants and anthropogenic pressures on the dynamics of marine populations, describe the potential for adaptation to climate change. This course will emphasize learning by doing, and will rely heavily on practical computer laboratories, in R and/or Phyton, based on data from our own research activities or peer reviewed publications. Students with a background knowledge of statistics, programming and calculus will be most welcome. Formally BIOHOPK 143H and 243H.

The inference of key molecular evolutionary processes from DNA and protein sequences. Topics include random genetic drift, coalescent models, effects and tests of natural selection, combined effects of linkage and natural selection, codon bias and genome evolution. Prerequisites: Biology core or BIO 82, 85 or graduate standing in any department, and consent of instructor.

Animal behavior with an emphasis on social and collective behavior. How do animals interact with each other and the rest of the world around them? This is a project-based course in a seminar format, including class discussion of journal articles, and independent research projects based on observing the behavior of animals on campus. Prerequisites suggested: Biology or Human Biology core or BIO 81 and 85 or consent of instructor; BIO/ES 30. Recommended: some background in statistics.

This course will cover a range of genetic and genomic approaches to studying human phenotypic variation and disease. We will discuss the genetic basis of Mendelian and complex diseases, as well as clinical applications including prenatal testing, and pediatric and cancer diagnostics. The course will include lectures as well as critical reading and discussion of the primary literature. Prerequisite: BIO 82 or equivalent. Open to advanced undergraduate students.

The neurochemistry and neurophysiology of changes in brain activity and conscious awareness are associated with changes in the sleep/wake state. Behavioral and neurobiological phenomena include sleep regulation, sleep homeostasis, circadian rhythms, sleep disorders, sleep function, and the molecular biology of sleep. Preference to seniors and graduate students.

Modern research approaches tightly integrate experimentation with data analysis and mathematical modeling to provide unprecedented insights into the organization and functioning of living systems. This course explores the quantitative basis of major cellular processes and their coordination to form a cohesive physiological entity that is capable of rapid growth and acclimation to changing environments. Weekly lectures will be accompanied by 'dry lab sessions' in which students analyze experimental data sets and discuss the challenges of accomplishing rigorous and reproducible research. As such, students will actively develop a fundamental skill set of quantitative biology which includes knowledge in coding, dynamical systems modeling, and statistics. Assumes basic (but not advanced) familiarity with math, e.g. MATH51. Enrollment by permission of the professor, apply at https://forms.gle/j6ocJs8fQFPK1GGLA.

Seminar. Quantitative models for the evolution of socially transmitted traits. Rates of change of learned traits in populations and patterns of cultural diversity as a function of innovation and cultural transmission. Learning in constant and changing environments. Possible avenues for gene-culture coevolution.