Biology

Biology courses numbered 100-139 and 200-239 are not open to Biology majors.

BIOL 100 — Modern Concepts of Biology — 4 credits

(Requires concurrent enrollment in lecture and lab) Exploration of the practical impact which modern biological concepts have on our lives. Topics include cell function, genetics, plant and human biology, genetic engineering, cancer, AIDS and dying. Provides a framework for making informed ethical decisions regarding pertinent biological issues. Three hours lecture; two hours lab. Fall only.

BIOL 101 — (E) Introduction to Biological Science — 3 credits

Introduction to fundamental concepts, principles and theories of modern biology. Discussion and application of the scientific method in discovery and learning, discussion of experimental and statistical techniques, examination of the historical and cultural fabric of biological science, and discussion of the impact of biological research and development on modern society. Three hours lecture.

BIOL 105 — (E) Biodiversity — 3 credits

An examination of the variety of animal and plant species, especially in the two most diverse ecosystems: the coral reef and the tropical rain forest. The foundations of biological diversity will be studied: ecology, systematics, evolution and biogeography. Current topics will be discussed, such as deforestation, human population growth, endangered species and global warming. Three hours lecture.

BIOL 108 — (E) History of Life on Earth — 3 credits

(Requires concurrent enrollment in lecture and lab) Sequence of appearance of life on earth based on the geological record. Topics include the origin of life on earth, patterns and processes of the fossil record, and an introduction to the diversity of life, past and present. Three hours lecture.

BIOL 110 - 111 — (E) Structure and Function of the Human Body — 8 credits

(Requires concurrent enrollment in lecture and lab) A general study of the anatomy and physiology of the human organism, emphasizing the body's various coordinated functions from the cellular level to integrated organ systems. Three hours lecture, two hours lab each semester.

BIOL 141 - 142 — (E) General Biology — 9 credits

(Requires concurrent enrollment in lecture and lab) A comprehensive study of the nature of living organisms, both plant and animal, their structure, function, development and relationships, including the problems of development, heredity and evolution. Three hours lecture, three hours lab each semester.

BIOL 195 — (E) Tropical Biology (O, P) — 3 credits

Study of tropical communities with emphasis on the coral reef. Introduction to a variety of other tropical areas, such as sandy beaches, turtle grass beds, mangrove swamps, tide pools, rocky shores, and rain forests. Approximately two weeks will be spent at a biological station in the American tropics. Swimming proficiency required. Intersession only.

BIOL 196 — African Photo Safari (O,P)—3 credits

Natural history of Eastern Equatorial Africa with special emphasis on the delicate ecological balance between plant and animal communities. The savannah plains, tropical mountain forests, northern frontier and Great Rift Valley will be visited for first-hand study of the tremendous diversity of fauna and flora. Intersession only.

BIOL 201 — (E) Anatomy & Physiology — 3 credits

(Prerequisite: BIOL 101) An introduction to the biochemical, cellular, tissue and organismal organization of selected body functions; structure in relation to function is emphasized. Three hours lecture.

BIOL 202 — (E) The ABC’s of Genetics — 3 credits

Heredity for the non-science major, with emphasis on the human. Provides the background necessary for the non-scientist to understand his/her own hereditary background and to have informed opinions about societal issues related to genetics. Includes Mendelian, molecular, and population genetics, evolution, genetic diseases, genetic engineering, etc. Three hours lecture.

BIOL 210 — Introductory Medical Microbiology — 3 credits

(Pre- or co-requisites: BIOL 110-111, CHEM 110-111; requires concurrent enrollment in lecture and lab) Fundamentals of microbiology, including structure, function, identification, pathogenesis, epidemiology and control of microorganisms with emphasis on human pathogens. Two hours lecture, two hours lab. Fall only.

BIOL 241 — Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy (O) — 5 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142; requires concurrent enrollment in lecture and lab) Structure and phylogeny of vertebrate organ-systems, emphasizing and comparing vertebrate structures in relation to their functions. Amphioxus, shark, necturus, and the fetal pig are subjected to detailed laboratory study. Three hours lecture, four hours lab. Fall only.

BIOL 243 — The Human Body (O) — 5 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142; requires concurrent enrollment in lecture and lab) Structure and function of the principal organ systems in mammals, emphasizing the human condition. The cat is subjected to detailed study in the laboratory. Three hours lecture, four hours lab. Spring only.

BIOL 245 — General Physiology (O) — 4.5 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142, CHEM 112-113; requires concurrent enrollment in lecture and lab) Physiological processes underlying functioning of the animal organism. Study of irritability, excitation, conduction, contractility, cellular physiology, and functions of mammalian organsystems. Three hours lecture, three hours lab.

BIOL 250 — Microbiology (C, O, M) — 5 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142, CHEM 112-113; requires concurrent enrollment in lecture and lab) Structure, function, growth, reproduction, heredity and relationships of bacteria, yeasts, molds, viruses; a brief survey of pathogens, life cycles of parasitic microzoa; introduction to disease and immunology. Three hours lecture, four hours lab; not open to Nursing majors.

BIOL 255 — Animal Nutrition and Metabolism (C,O) — 3 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142, concurrent enrollment in CHEM 233, if not already successfully completed) A survey of concepts and disciplines within the nutritional sciences. Lectures and discussion address basic sciences, biological factors, and current controversies including physiological systems directly and indirectly influencing nutrition and metabolism, nutrients and their metabolism, energy balance, food technology, and agribusiness. Spring semester.

BIOL 260 — Genetics (G) — 4.5 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142) Mendelian, cyto-, population and evolutionary, and basic molecular genetics; emphasis on eucaryotes. Three hours lecture, three hours lab.

BIOL 263 — Genetic Engineering (G) — 5 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142; requires concurrent enrollment in lecture and lab) Study of the nature and function of the gene with emphasis on the experimental evidence which gave rise to the present concepts of genetic engineering. Strong emphasis is placed on recombinant DNA techniques in both lecture and laboratory. Three hours lecture, three hours lab.

BIOL 272 — Invertebrate Biology (O,P) — 5 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142; requires concurrent enrollment in lecture and lab) Structure and function of the major groups of invertebrates with emphasis on their evolutionary relationships. Labs focus on the diversity of invertebrate forms and include field trips. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Fall, odd years.

BIOL 273 — Marine Ecology (P) — 3 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142) Diversity of marine habitats and of the organisms that inhabit them. Lectures and discussion address the physical and biological factors that influence the distribution and ecology of organisms in the various marine environments, including intertidal, estuarine, benthic, coral reef, and open ocean communities. The effects of humans on the sea will be assessed. Three hours lecture.

BIOL 344 — Principles of Immunology (C,O,M) — 4.5 credits

(Prerequisite: BIOL 250 strongly recommended for 344 lecture, required for 344 lab) The basic molecular, cellular and organismal aspects of the immune response, emphasizing chemical and functional bases of antigens and immunoglobulins, cellular and humoral response, tolerance, immune deficiency, hypersensitivity, autoimmunity, blood groups, transplantation. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Spring only.

BIOL 345 — Comparative Animal Physiology (P,O) — 3 credits

(Prerequisite: BIOL 245) The physiological principles involved in adaptations of animals to their environment from a comparative viewpoint; osmotic control, temperature regulation, nerve and muscle physiology, sensory perception, etc. Three hours lecture.

BIOL 346 — Endocrinology and Reproduction (C,O) — 3 credits

(Prerequisite: BIOL 245) The mammalian endocrine system; emphasis on molecular mechanisms of hormone action, feedback control of hormone production, integration with other physiological systems, and reproductive endocrinology. Three hours lecture. Spring only.

BIOL 347 — Exercise Physiology (O) — 3 credits

(Prerequisite: BIOL 245) Study of anatomical and physiological effects of exercise, centering around control of physical performance by capacity to generate energy through aerobic and anaerobic pathways; includes effects of heredity, age, nutrition, training and environment on performance. Emphasizes the multidimensional role of exercise in weight control, cardiovascular fitness, stress management, fatigue, strength, etc. Three hours lecture/demonstration. Spring, odd years.

BIOL 348 — Neurophysiology (C, O) — 4½ credits

(Prerequisite: BIOL 245, or, for neuroscience majors, PSYC 231) Study of the organization and function of the neuron, neural circuits, and the major sensory and motor components of the central nervous system; bioelectric phenomena, synaptic transmission; the neural basis for higher functions such as cognition, memory, and learning. Three hours lecture; three hours lab.

BIOL 349 — Plant Physiology (C, O, P) — 5 credits

(Prerequisite: BIOL 141 or 101 or permission of instructor) Functional anatomy and physiology of plants, including structure, photosynthesis, respiration, mineral nutrition, water relations, productivity, growth and differentiation, transport, stress physiology, and energy flow. Three hours lecture, Three hours lab. Lab is writingintensive (W). Spring, odd years.

BIOL 350 — (W) Cellular Biology (C, M) — 5 credits

Study of structure and function in eukaryotic cells. Emphasis on biomolecules, cell organelles, cell motility, signaling, and cell physiology. The cellular basis of human physiology and disease will also be discussed. Labs focus on experimental studies of cellular structure and function using techniques of modern cell biology. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Lab fulfills a writing-intensive (W) requirement.

BIOL 351 — Developmental Biology (C, O, M) — 5 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142; requires concurrent enrollment in lecture and lab) Development of vertebrates and invertebrates from gametogenesis through organogenesis. Emphasis on cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in differentiation, morphogenesis, and determination of the body plan. Labs focus on experimentation with living, developing organisms. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Spring only.

BIOL 352 — Histology (C) — 5 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142; BIOL 241 strongly recommended; requires concurrent enrollment in lecture and lab) Microscopic structure and function of the four basic vertebrate tissues. Emphasis will be placed on mammalian tissues. Lectures include historical, theoretical and practical perspectives. Laboratories include examination of tissues through the use of loan sets of slides as well as demonstrations and exercises in basic preparation of tissues for microscopic examination. Three hours lecture, four hours lab. Fall only.

BIOL 354 — Special Histology — 5 credits

(Prerequisites: CHEM 232-233, BIOL 352) Microscopic recognition and functional correlations of the major vertebrate organ systems. Enrollment is limited to preserve informal and flexible working conditions appropriate to advanced histological work. This course is customized to the participants' needs. Options include in-depth training in techniques or indepth analysis of a particular organ system. Two hours lecture, five hours lab. Spring only.

BIOL 358 — Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology (C, M) — 3 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142) Introduces Biology and Neuroscience majors to the cellular and molecular biology of the vertebrate nervous system. Includes ion channel structure and function, synthesis, packaging and release of neurotransmitters, receptor and transduction mechanisms, intracellular signalling, cell-to-cell communication, glial cell function, and neural growth and development. Three hours lecture.

BIOL 361 — Molecular Biology I (M, G) — 5 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142, CHEM 232; corequisite: CHEM 233; requires concurrent enrollment in lecture and lab) Structure and function of prokaryotic cells from a molecular viewpoint. Study of biomacromolecule structure and function; bacterial DNA replication, transcription, translation and how these processes are regulated. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Spring only.

BIOL 362 —(W) Molecular Biology II (M, G) — 5 credits

(Prerequisite: BIOL 361 or CHEM 350) Structure and function of eukaryotic cells and organisms from a molecular viewpoint. Study of eukaryotic genome and gene organization, DNA packaging and replication, RNA transcription and splicing, translation into proteins and how these processes are regulated. Discussion of HIV, cancer, and evolution on the molecular level. Three hours lecture, three hours lab optional. Fall only. Lab fulfills a writing-intensive (W) requirement.

BIOL 364 — Virology (M) — 5 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142, CHEM 232-233) A detailed survey of viruses important to animals and plants, including structure, replication, pathogenicity and diagnostic techniques. Strong emphasis is placed on the molecular biology of viruses in both lecture and lab. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Fall only.

BIOL 370 —(W) Animal Behavior (P, O) — 4.5 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142) Classification of behavior types, development, functional advantages and evolution of behavior, and social and physiological aspects studied in lower and higher organisms. Three hours lecture, two hours lab. Spring only. The laboratory fulfills a writingintensive requirement (W).

BIOL 371 — Ecology (P) — 5 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142) Study of physical, chemical, and biological factors that influence the distribution and abundance of organisms and determine the relationships among organisms from the population to the ecosystem level. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Fall only.

BIOL 375 — Evolution (G, P) — 3 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142) A consideration of the theories of evolution and evidences for them in plants and animals. Population genetics and the adaptiveness of various organic traits will be discussed. Three hours lecture. Fall only.

BIOL 379 — Biostatistics —3 credits

(Prerequisite: MATH 103) Data analysis and statistical techniques in biology and medicine; probability and frequency distributions, descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, and various parametric and nonparametric statistical tests. Use of one or more computerized statistical programs. Three hours lecture. Spring only.

BIOL 384 — Special Topics in Biology — 2-4 credits

Study of selected topics in biology, varying from year to year in accord with student/faculty interest and current research advances. May include such topics as sensory reception, membrane biology, population genetics, etc.

BIOL 393-394 — Undergraduate Research — Variable credit

(Prerequisite: 12 credits in Biology) Individual problems for advanced students with sufficient background in biological and physical sciences.

BIOL 445 — Mammalian Physiology (C, O) —3 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 245, CHEM 232-233) Molecular, cellular, and tissue aspects of selected organ systems not normally covered in General Physiology, including calcium and skeletal homeostatic systems, integumentary system, gastrointestinal system, and aspects of nervous, endocrine, reproductive, and lymphatic systems. Three hours lecture.

BIOL 446 — Cardiovascular Physiology (O) — 3 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 245, PHYS 120 or 140) The physiological and biophysical bases of cardiovascular function, including cardiac electrophysiology and mechanics; regulation of the heart and the peripheral circulation; hemodynamics; solute and fluid exchange; and cell-cell interactions governing white blood cell transit. Special circulations will highlight the role of cardiovascular regulation in overall physiological function. Three hours lecture.

BIOL 450 — Electron Microscopy (C) — 5 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141-142; requires concurrent enrollment in lecture and lab) Introduction to the mechanics of the electron microscope with emphasis on standard laboratory techniques, including preparation of materials, sectioning, viewing and photographic analysis. One hour lecture, six hours lab.

BIOL 471 — Applied Ecology (P) — 3 credits

(Prerequisite: BIOL 371) The application of ecological principles and concepts to environmental problems, including consideration of their origins, effects on living systems, and potential solutions. Consideration of such issues as biodiversity, habitat degradation and loss, conservation biology, ecosystem management, wildlife ecology, agroecology, pollution, and global climate change. Three hours lecture.

BIOL 472 — Systems Ecology (P) — 3 credits

(Prerequisite: BIOL 371) The study of ecosystem dynamics and their relationship to the functioning of the biosphere. A quantitative approach to ecosystem structure and function, emphasizing the use of simulation and conceptual models. The course will involve opportunities to construct and test simulation models. Three hours lecture. Spring, even years.

BIOL 473 — Estuarine Ecology (O, P) — 5 credits

(Prerequisites: BIOL 141 or 101 or permission of instructor) The ecology of marine and estuarine systems, including soil chemistry, halophyte physiology, tidal marsh ontogeny, ecosystem function and the consequences of human alteration of the coastal zone. Lab includes a weeklong field trip during Spring Break to Sapelo Island, Georgia, and Cocodrie, Louisiana. Three hours lecture, three hours lab. Spring, even years.