Biology (BIOL)

FACULTY
Gildensoph, Myers, Norton, Olson, Omodt, Palahnuik, Pellegrini, Phillips*, Rosen, Tweeten, Welter, Wygal (*department chair)

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

BIOL 1110 ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY 4 Cr.
A study of the nature of scientific inquiry and basic biological, chemical, ecological and earth science principles in the context of environmental issues. Areas of study may include: biodiversity, global climate change, acid rain, agriculture and the environment, air and water pollution, and the role of economics, politics and ethics in environmental concerns. Three hours of class and two hours of laboratory per week. Designed for nonmajors and the STEM minor. Typically offered fall semester. Also offered in Weekend College.

BIOL 1120 BIOLOGY OF WOMEN 4 Cr.
A study of the nature of scientific inquiry and basic biological principles in the context of issues relevant to women. Areas of study include reproductive anatomy and physiology, the cardiovascular system, genetics and sexual differentiation, women and cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, infertility, contraception, menopause, women and exercise, women and nutrition, and women and aging. Three hours of class and two hours of laboratory per week. Designed for nonmajors. Also offered as WOST. Also offered in Weekend College and during the summer. Some sections are writing intensive.

BIOL 1150 PLANTS, PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT 4 Cr.
A study of the nature of scientific inquiry and the fascinating world of plants, delving into their structure (anatomy), function (physiology) and importance to life on earth. In addition, horticultural topics such as proper nutrients, water and light necessary for good plant growth are interspersed with discussions of environmental issues such as acid rain, global warming and pollution. Laboratory sessions encompass field trips, soil and water testing, and hands-on horticultural procedures. Three hours of class and two hours of laboratory per week. Designed for nonmajors. Offered in alternate years. Also offered in Weekend College.

BIOL 1180 HUMAN GENETICS 4 Cr.
A study of classical and molecular genetics in the context of human genetic analysis, with particular emphasis on issues relevant to women and the impact of gender on genetics. Topics covered include Mendelian genetics, human pedigree analysis, human genetic disease, gene and chromosome structure, gene expression, regulation of gene expression, mechanisms of genetic variability, cancer genetics, recombinant DNA and genetic technology. The course also looks at the ethical, legal, economic and political dimensions of modern genetic technologies such as gene therapy, prenatal genetic screening, gene cloning, the human genome project, gene mapping and DNA fingerprinting. Three hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory per week. Designed for nonmajors. Offered in Weekend College.

BIOL 1210 GENERAL BIOLOGY I 4 Cr.
The initial course in a two-semester series of general biology classes designed for science majors. BIOL 1210 is taught as a theme-based course focusing on the nature of scientific inquiry and women’s biology. This course provides an introduction to anatomy and physiology, cell biology, developmental biology, genetics, microbiology and immunology in the context of women’s biology. Class meets three hours per week and involves lecture, discussion, and case studies. Laboratory involves semester-long research projects conducted by teams of students and meets for three hours each week with additional time as needed. Offered fall semester.

BIOL 1220 GENERAL BIOLOGY II 4 Cr.
Continuation of the general biology series. BIOL 1220 is taught around the theme of environmental issues and provides an introduction to ecology, plant biology and evolution in the context of major environmental problems. Class meets three hours per week and involves lecture, discussion and case studies. Laboratory involves investigative research projects conducted by teams of students and meets for three hours each week with additional time as needed. Offered winter semester. Prerequisite: Satisfactory completion of BIOL 1210 (C- or better) or instructor permission.

BIOL 2200 INTRODUCTION TO MICROBIOLOGY 4 Cr.
Study of microorganisms with special reference to those that cause disease. Topics include microbial structure, physiology, growth, genetics, mechanisms of pathogenicity, host defenses, and bacterial, viral, protozoan and fungal diseases. Three class and two laboratory hours per week. Intended for majors in health professions and foods and nutrition. Does not fulfill the requirements for the biology major. Offered fall semester, winter semester and during the summer. Prerequisite: One course in chemistry or permission of instructor.

BIOL 2510 HUMAN ANATOMY 4 Cr.
Anatomical structure of the human body. Fundamentals of cell structure and function. Major tissues of the body and their organization to form the organ systems: skeletal, muscular, nervous, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, urinary and reproductive. Does not fulfill the requirements for the biology major. Three class and two laboratory hours per week, with additional time for lab practicals. Offered fall semester and during the summer. Prerequisite: Sophomore status or permission of instructor.

BIOL 2520 HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY 4 Cr.
Physiologic function of the human body. Primary areas of study include muscular, neural, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, endocrine and reproductive systems. Does not fulfill the requirements for the biology major. Three class and two laboratory hours per week. Offered winter semester and during the summer. Prerequisites: Sophomore status or higher, high school chemistry course; BIOL 2510 preferred.

BIOL 2650 UNDERSTANDING MEDICAL RESEARCH: DRUGS, DEVICES AND COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES 4 CR.
This course deals with the basics of clinical research and how the efficacy and effectiveness of drugs, devices and other medical therapies are tested. The course also includes a section on drug physiology and reviews the specific physiology underlying representative clinical trials. Students should be able to critically evaluate clinical trial literature at the end of the course. Not recommended for majors. One three-hour lecture/lab session per week. Also offered in Weekend College. Does not meet core lab science requirement. Prerequisites: BIOL 2520 or equivalent (Human Physiology) and one statistics course. Recommended: BIOL 2510 or equivalent (Human Anatomy).

BIOL 2800 CELL BIOLOGY 4 Cr.
Study of the structure and function of plant, animal and bacterial cells, cellular organelles and compartmentalization, properties of cell membranes, signal transduction, intracellular processing and transport of macromolecules, intercellular junctions, cytoskeleton, extracellular matrix, cell cycle and control of cell division. Three class and three laboratory hours per week. Offered fall semester. Prerequisites: Satisfactory completion of BIOL 1220 and two CHEM courses (C- or better).

BIOL 2900 GENETICS 4 Cr.
Principles of classical and modern molecular genetics. Topics include the study of Mendelian genetics, prokaryotic, viral and fungal genetics, gene and chromosomal structure, gene expression and genetic engineering. Three class and three laboratory hours per week. Offered winter semester. Prerequisites: Satisfactory completion of BIOL 1220 and two CHEM courses (C- or better)

BIOL 2994 TOPICS 4 Cr.
The subject matter of the course is announced in the annual schedule of classes. Content varies from year to year but does not duplicate existing courses.

BIOL 3050 ECOLOGY (E) 4 Cr.
Study of the interrelationships between organisms and their environment within the framework of the various levels of ecology: organismal (including physiological and behavioral ecology), population, community and ecosystem ecology. Class periods are a mixture of lecture, discussion based on text readings and current literature, and problem-based learning. Laboratory includes lab and field investigations and the use of computer simulations and modeling, with a focus on developing skills in hypothesis formation, observation and measurement, data analysis and presentation in ecological systems. Three class and three laboratory hours per week, with additional time for field trips. Offered fall semester in alternate years with BIOL 3300. Prerequisites: BIOL 1220, 2800, 2900 and a course in statistics.

BIOL 3100 PLANT BIOLOGY (P) 4 Cr.
A study of plants in which all representatives of the kingdom are included with special emphasis on flowering plants. Such areas as physiology, morphology, reproduction, life cycles and ecological implications are covered in-depth. Three class and three laboratory hours per week. Offered fall semester in alternate years with BIOL 3450. Prerequisites: BIOL 1220, 2800, 2900.

BIOL 3120 COMPARATIVE VERTEBRATE ANATOMY (A) 4 Cr.
Variations in vertebrate structure; phylogenetic history of the vertebrates; anatomical principles, dissection laboratory. Three lectures and three laboratory hours per week. Offered fall semester in alternate years with BIOL 3140. Prerequisite: BIOL 1220. Prerequisite with concurrency: BIOL 2800.

BIOL 3140 COMPARATIVE ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY (A) 4 Cr.
Exploration of fundamental themes in physiology (homeostasis, structure-function relationships, consequences of scale, feedback systems) in an integrative and comparative context. Laboratory time provides hands-on, experimental engagement with these same issues. Six hours of class time per week with discussion and lab time combined. Offered fall semester in alternate years with BIOL 3120. Prerequisites: BIOL 1220, 2800.

BIOL 3200 ANIMAL BEHAVIOR (A) 4 Cr.
A study of animal behavior including behavioral development, physiological mechanisms of behavior, the adaptive value of behavior and the evolution of behavior. Class periods are a mixture of lecture, discussion and small group work based on text readings and current literature. Laboratory focuses on developing skills in observation, description, measurement and analysis of behavior in a variety of animals. Three class and three laboratory hours per week. Offered alternate years. Prerequisites: BIOL 1220, 2800, 2900 and one statistics course.

BIOL 3210 BIOLOGY OF MICROORGANISMS 4 Cr.
A study of microbial structure, physiology, growth and control of growth, with particular emphasis on bacteria and viruses. Topics include genetics and biotechnological applications, pathogenicity, microbial diseases and host responses. Microbiological concepts and laboratory techniques are integrated in a hands-on, interactive approach to learning. Two three-hour sessions per week. Offered on alternate years in fall semester. Prerequisites: BIOL 1220, 2800, 2900.

BIOL 3220 IMMUNOLOGY 4 Cr.
Problem-based learning about the cells and tissues of the immune system and how they interact to generate an immune response. Topics include antibody structure and function, nature of antigens, innate immunity, humoral and cellular immunity, immunological responses to transplantation and tumors, immunopathology, immunodeficiencies, hypersensitivity and immunological technologies. Techniques discussed and applied to research questions in the laboratory include Western blotting, ELISA, immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, use of transgenic mice and adoptive transfer techniques in immunological research, and flow cytometry. Three class and three laboratory hours per week. Offered in alternate years with BIOL 3350. Prerequisites: BIOL 1220, 2800, 2900.

BIOL 3250 HISTOLOGY (A) 4 Cr.
Microscopic anatomy of vertebrate tissues and organs with emphasis on humans. Includes discussions on tissue function and histogenesis. Laboratory includes processing tissue samples for examination as well as a microscopic survey of tissues in organ systems. Three class and three laboratory hours per week. Offered alternate years. Prerequisites: BIOL 1220, 2800, 2900.

BIOL 3300 EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY (E) 4 Cr.
A study of the patterns and processes of evolution. Major topics include evolutionary history, variation in natural populations, mechanisms of evolution (population and quantitative genetics) and adaptation. Laboratory work may include experimental analysis of mechanisms of evolution, interpretation of evolutionary patterns found in the fossil record and experimental study of molecular evolution. Three class and three laboratory hours per week. Offered winter semester in alternate years with BIOL 3050. Prerequisites: BIOL 1220, 2800, 2900 and a course in statistics.

BIOL 3350 MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 4 Cr.
Problem-based learning about cell structure and function at a molecular level. Topics include structural and functional genomics with emphasis on regulatory and structural sequences, genomic and cDNA libraries, SNPs, bioinformatics, RNA processing, regulation of gene expression, cell networks, siRNA and microRNAs, microarray technology, protein conformation and functional domains, post-translational modification of proteins, proteomics, and molecular applications in medicine and forensics. Techniques applied to research questions in the laboratory include Western blotting, DNA sequencing, PCR, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and protein purification. Three class and three laboratory hours per week. Offered in alternative years with BIOL 3220. Prerequisites: BIOL 1220, 2800, 2900.

BIOL 3400 PRINCIPLES OF METABOLISM: APPLIED BIOCHEMISTRY 4 CR.
With a focus on human metabolism, this course explores biochemical functioning as it relates to physiology — incorporating examples from nutritional and health sciences. Topics include protein structure and function, biochemistry of lipids, carbohydrate metabolism, and the role of DNA and RNA in protein synthesis. Included is a discussion of techniques in molecular biology and how the use of these techniques relates to both nutrition and healthcare. Three class hours per week. Same as CHEM 3400. Prerequisites: CHEM 1110, 1120, 2010, 2020.

BIOL 3450 PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY (P) 4 Cr.
This class offers an in-depth look into how plants function. You will gain insight into plant metabolism and biochemistry relating to growth, development and responses to the environment. Three class and three laboratory hours per week. Offered in alternate years with BIOL 3100. Prerequisites: BIOL 1220, 2800, 2900.

BIOL 3850 BIOPSYCHOLOGY (A) 4 Cr.
The study of biological mechanisms underlying behavior. Examines the anatomy, physiology and pharmacology of the nervous system in relation to sensation, movement and cognition. Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory (including independent student research) each week. Same as PSYC 3850. Offered in alternate years. Prerequisite: BIOL 1220 and a course in statistics.

BIOL 4602 or 4604 INTERNSHIP 2 or 4 Cr.
Structured out-of-class learning experience that takes place on or off campus and includes a substantial work component. An internship involves you in a particular profession in an exploratory way to test career interests and potential. To initiate an internship experience, you need to meet with the internship coordinator in the Career Development Office and then with your faculty advisor. It is highly recommended that you complete the internship prior to January of your senior year. Prerequisites: Instructor and department chair permission.

BIOL 4684 DIRECTED STUDY 4 Cr.
Directed study is provided for students whose unusual circumstances prohibit taking a regularly scheduled course but who need the material of that course to satisfy a requirement. Availability of this faculty-directed learning experience depends on faculty time and may be limited in any given term and restricted to certain courses. Prerequisites: Faculty, department chair and dean approval.

BIOL 4850 SENIOR SEMINAR 2 Cr.
A capstone course designed to refine students’ abilities to access and critically read scientific literature, write a review article and give oral presentations. Topics vary but encompass areas of current biological research. Offered fall semester, winter semester and during the summer. Prerequisites: Senior standing and two BIOL courses at the 3000 level or permission of instructor.

BIOL 4912 or 4914 RESEARCH 2 or 4 Cr.
Research-based learning experience designed in collaboration with a faculty member. Prerequisites: Faculty and department chair approval.

BIOL 4952 or 4954 INDEPENDENT STUDY
Prerequisite: Faculty and department chair approval.

BIOL 4994 TOPICS 4 Cr.
The subject matter of the course is announced in the annual schedule of classes. Content varies from year to year but does not duplicate existing courses. Prerequisites: BIOL 1210, 1220, 2800, 2900.

URL: http://minerva.stkate.edu/academiccatalog0709.nsf/pages/biology
This page was created on 05/07/2007 and last updated on 11/07/2007.
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