All Biological Sciences Courses

2009-10 Bio Course Schedule

BIOL SCI 101-0 Biology in the Information Age
Fundamentals of the scientific process, using current events as illustrations. Choice of term project or tutorial. May not be taken for credit while or after taking any part of BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3.

BIOL SCI 103-0 Diversity of Life
Comparative survey of organisms, emphasizing adaptation and phylogenic relationships.

BIOL SCI 104-0 Plant-People Interactions
Biology and history of the interaction of humans and flowering plants.

BIOL SCI 109-0 The Nature of Plants
An introduction to plant adaptations for growth, survival, and reproduction; and an exploration of the importance of plants in the biosphere. 

BIOL SCI 110-1 Biology: Genetics and Evolution
Principles of genetics and evolution and their application. With laboratory. May not be taken for credit while or after taking 210-1. CHEM 101 recommended.

BIOL SCI 110-2 Biology: Molecular and Biochemical Biology
How genes direct synthesis of proteins; biochemistry. With laboratory. Prerequisite BIOL SCI 110-1. No credit while or after taking 210-2 or 210-3.

BIOL SCI 110-3 Biology: Physiology and Cell Biology
How cells and tissues function. With laboratory. Prerequisite: 110-2. No credit while or after taking BIOL SCI 210-2 or 210-3.

BIOL SCI 164-0 Genetics and Evolution
Principles of inheritance. May not be taken for credit while or after taking any part of BIOL SCI 110-1,2,3 or BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3.

BIOL SCI 210-1 Genetics and Evolutionary Biology
Lectures and laboratories in transmission and demic genetics; evolutionary biology. Prerequisites: MATH 220, MATH 224; CHEM 103 or CHEM 172.

BIOL SCI 210-2 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Lectures and laboratories in biochemical and molecular biology. Laboratory. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-1; CHEM 210-1.

BIOL SCI 210-3 Physiology and Cell Biology
Lectures and laboratories in how cells, tissues, and organ systems function. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 210-2.

Students taking the Biol_Sci 210 sequence also have the opportunity to participate in the Biology Advanced Conceptual Workshop. This workshop is associated with the 210 sequence, and is part of the Gateway Science Workshop (GSW) program. This optional, innovative program consists of advanced workshops wherein small diverse groups of students meet weekly to tackle conceptually-based, challenging problems related to the course material. The workshop groups are led by undergraduate peer facilitators who have successfully completed the sequence. Together students in each workshop group work cooperatively on important and fascinating problems, and engage in discussions with each other in a productive yet informal learning environment.

BIOL SCI 212-1 ISP Biochemistry
Synthesis and metabolism of organic molecules; structure and function of proteins. Laboratory. Prerequisite: CHEM 212-1.

BIOL SCI 212-2 ISP Molecular and Cell Biology
Cell biology, transcription, translation, regulation of gene expression. Laboratory. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 212-1

BIOL SCI 301-0 Biochemistry
Biochemistry with focus on metabolism, energetics, and control mechanisms. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 110-1,2,3 OR BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3; CHEM 210-2. Credit not allowed for both BIOL SCI 301 and 309.

BIOL SCI 302-0 Fundamentals of Neurobiology I
Cellular and biochemical approaches to the nervous system, focusing on neuron structure and function. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-3, PHYSICS 130-2 or 135-2.

BIOL SCI 303-0 Molecular Neurobiology
Mechanisms of signal transduction and synaptic plasticity; basic neurochemistry. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 302-0.

BIOL SCI 304-0 Developmental Neurobiology
Cellular aspects of nervous system development; relationship between structure and function. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 302.

BIOL SCI 305-0 Neurobiology Laboratory
Hands-on experience in the performance of classical experiments in cellular neurophysiology. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 302-0.

BIOL SCI 306-0 Fundamentals of Neurobiology II
Integrative approach toward understanding functioning of mammalian central nervous system. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 302-0.

BIOL SCI 309-0 Principles of Biochemistry
Biochemistry with focus on macromolecular structure and function, relevant gene expression, and photosynthesis. Use of current literature. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3, CHEM 210-1,2. Credit not allowed for both BIOL SCI 301 and 309.

BIOL SCI 310-0 ISP Quantitative Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Protein interaction with small molecules; protein tertiary structure determination. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 212-1.

BIOL SCI 311-0 ISP Neurobiology
Detailed look at membrane properties of single neurons and synaptic transmission. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 212-1,2.

BIOL SCI 312-0 (PBC 405-0) Ecosystem Ecology
Fundamental processes of ecosystem ecology, with an emphasis on terrestrial ecosystems in the context of global change. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3.

BIOL SCI 313-0 (PBC 425-0) Quantitative Methods for Ecology and Conservation
Approaches, methods, and techniques for analyzing datasets in ecology and conservation biology. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3.

BIOL SCI 315-0 Cell Biology
Relationship of shape, structural dynamics, and function with the cellular state and gene expression; cell-to-cell communication. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 110-1,2,3 OR 210-1,2,3.

BIOL SCI 316-0 (PBC 415-0) Spring Flora
Life cycles, vegetative and reproductive structures, and adaptations for pollination and fruit/seed dispersal of the wildflowers, trees and shrubs of oak woodland. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 110-1 or 210-1.

BIOL SCI 319-0 Biology of Animal Viruses
Virus structure, synthesis of viral nucleic acids and proteins, the interaction of the viral and nucleic acids and proteins, the interaction of the viral and cellular genomes. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3.

BIOL SCI 320-0 Animal Behavior
Evolutionary study of animal behavior, emphasizing theory but using field data to test or illustrate aspects of theory. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 110-1,2,3 or 210-1,2,3; a course in statistics.

BIOL SCI 321-0 Physical Biochemistry
Thermodynamic laws, diffusion, chemical equilibria, kinetics, and statistical thermodynamics. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3; CHEM 103 or 172; MATH 224; PHYSICS 130-1 or 135-1.

BIOL SCI 323-0 Bioinformatics
Utilization of informational and modeling techniques to explore evolutionary and other problems related to the genome. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3 and a course in statistics.

BIO SCI 324-0 Neurobiology of Biological Clocks
Daily and circadian biological clocks: research regarding their causation and adaptive significance. Prerequisite: BIO SCI 302-0.

BIOL SCI 325-0 Animal Physiology
Physiological principles and mechanisms responsible for the ability of animals to regulate variables in the steady state. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 110-1,2,3 or 210-1,2,3.

BIOL SCI 326-0 Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
Molecular and neural bases of memory. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 302.

BIOL SCI 327-0 Biology of Aging
Biological aspects of aging from molecular to evolutionary. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 110-1,2,3 OR 210-1,2,3 .

BIOL SCI 330-0 Plant Biology
Plant structure and physiology, evolutionary diversity of plants, study of the interaction of plants with one another, other organisms and their environment. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3.

BIOL SCI 331-0 (PBC 440-0) Soil Ecology
Laboratory and field methods of soil analysis to understand terrestrial ecosystem functions and processes. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3, BIOL SCI 330.

BIOL SCI 332-0 (PBC 430-0) Plant Conservation Genetics
Critical issues in the management and understanding of endangered plant populations. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3; BIOL SCI 330.

BIOL SCI  333 (PBC 410-0) Plant-Animal Interactions
Ecology of interactions among members of the Plant and Animal Kingdoms, including mutualisms (e.g., pollination, seed dispersal) and antagonisms (e.g., herbivory, parasitism). Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 210-1.

BIOL SCI 334-0 Soils and the Environment Soil development and morphology; physical, chemical, hydrologic, and biological properties of soils. Prerequisites: 210-1,2,3; CHEM 103 or 172.

BIOL SCI 338-0 Field Methods in Plant Conservation
Hands-on experience in plant conservation practices with professionals in the Chicago area. Exposure to many conservation issues and field techniques. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 210-1.

BIOL SCI 341-0 Population Genetics
Processes that affect allele frequency change and thus cause evolution. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3; a course in statistics.

BIOL SCI 342-0 Evolutionary Processes
Natural selection, patterns of descent, methods of classification, origin of species and higher taxonomic categories, and evolutionary developmental biology. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-1,2; one course in statistics.

BIOL SCI 344-0 Vertebrate Morphology and Ontogeny Laboratory
Vertebrate phylogeny illustrated via comparative morphology; anatomical/functional and ontogenetic considerations; dissections. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 110-1,2 or 210-1,2.

BIOL SCI 345-0 Topics in Evolutionary Biology
Topics vary, but always deal with the biology of a major group of organisms. With laboratory. May be repeated for credit with a different topic. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 110-1,2 or 210-1,2.

BIOL SCI 346-0 Field Ecology
An intensive experience in field ecological research. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 110-1, BIOL SCI 164, or BIOL SCI 210-1; a course in statistics.

BIOL SCI 347-0 Conservation Biology
Evolution, ecology, and conservation of patterns of biological diversity. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 164, BIOL SCI 110-1 or 210-1; a course in statistics.

BIOL SCI 348-0 Plant Population Genetics
Evolutionary processes at the plant population level. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3 and BIOL SCI 330.

BIOL SCI 349-0 (PBC 402-0) Plant Community Ecology
Abundance, distribution, diversity, and scaling in plant communities in space-time. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3 and BIOL SCI 330.

BIOL SCI 350-0 (PBC 401-0) Plant Evolution and Diversity Laboratory
Modern systematics emphasizing application and major themes in the evolution of vascular plants. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3 and BIOL SCI 330.

BIOL SCI 353-0 Molecular Biology Laboratory
Project-based approach to learning lab skills in eukaryotic molecular biology. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3.

BIOL SCI 356-0 Endocrinology
Physiology and biochemistry of hormones and glands of internal secretion in vertebrates; endocrine glands. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3.

BIOL SCI 358-0 Physiology Laboratory
Experiments in several physiological systems. Design, techniques, data analysis, and report writing emphasized. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 325-0.

BIOL SCI 359-0 Environmental Physiology Laboratory
Experiments investigating how physiological systems of humans and other organisms respond to environmental variables. Data analysis and report writing emphasized. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3.

BIOL SCI 361-0 Protein Structure and Function
Structure and function of proteins; X-ray crystallography and NMR. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 301 or 309; PHYSICS 130-1,2,3 or 135-1,2,3.

BIOL SCI 377-0 Sensory Neurobiology
Physiological processes in sensory receptor cells; chemical senses, vision, hearing and lateral line organs. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3.

BIOL SCI 378-0 Functional Genomics
Patterns of gene expression and their causes. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3.

BIOL SCI 390-0 Molecular Biology
Nucleic acid structure; DNA mutation, repair, recombination, replication, restriction, and modification; translation. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3.

BIOL SCI 391-0 Developmental Biology
Molecular mechanisms underlying early embryonic development, including establishment of the body and organogenesis. Discussion of original literature. Prerequisites: BIOL SCI 210-1,2,3.

BIOL SCI 392-0 Developmental Biology Laboratory
Experimental approach to development - from gametogenesis to the differentiation of specialized cell types. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 391-0.

BIOL SCI 395-0 Molecular Genetics
Exploration of recent advances that have revolutionized the fields of gene expression and cell regulation. Discussion of articles and primary research papers. Prerequisite: BIOL SCI 390-0.

BIOL SCI 399-0 Independent Research
Supervised individual research open only to juniors and seniors meeting specified requirements. Prerequisite: One quarter of 398 pertaining to the same project.

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