Courses

• GRS BI 622: Biochemistry II (CM)
  Cell metabolism, with special emphasis on the uptake of food materials, the integration and regulation of catabolic, anabolic and anaplerotic routes, and the generation and utilization of energy. Lectures will include consideration of events in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. Three hours lecture, four hours lab, 1 hour discussion.
• GRS BI 623: Marine Biogeochemistry
  Oceanic nutrient and biogeochemical cycling in the context of the marine response to global change. Links between local and global scales are emphasized. Topics include oceanic productivity, iron limitation, oceanic glacial carbon dioxide budget, biogenic particle fluxes, oceanic glacial-interglacial biogeochemistry.
• GRS BI 642: Physiology and Biochemistry of Reproduction
  Physiology and biochemistry of the ovarian cycle, spermatogenesis, and fertilization. Hormonal control of gametogenesis and gestation. Biochemistry of accessory sex glands. Fertility and sterility. Problems of population control, birth control, and abortion. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. (Offered alternate years)
• GRS BI 643: Terrestrial Biogeochemistry
  The patterns and processes controlling carbon and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Links between local and global scales are emphasized. Topics include net primary production, nutrient use efficiency, and biogeochemical transformation.
• GRS BI 645: Cellular and Molecular Neurophysiology
  Cellular and molecular basis of neural excitability and synaptic transmission. The molecular understanding of ion channels is extrapolated to higher brain functions such as learning, memory, and sleep. Three hours lecture, three hours lab.
• GRS BI 646: Biology of the Cell Cycle
  Temporal organization and regulation of cellular function. Includes theory and analysis of methodologies applicable to cell proliferation kinetics, cell synchrony, and FACS sorting; molecular genetics, biochemistry, and physiology of cell cycle phses. Emphasis is placed on the molecular regulation of growth and differentiation in eukaryotic organisms, from yeast to humans. Readings in original research literature. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion.
• GRS BI 648: Biodiversity and Conservation Biology
  The study of biological diversity and modern methods to protect endangered plant and animal species. The environment, population, genetic, and human factors which affect the survival of species examined for temperate and tropical communities, as well as terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion.
• GRS BI 655: Developmental Neurobiology
  Fundamental principles of developmental neurobiology. Course stresses molecular mechanisms that underlie early neural development, differentiation, process outgrowth, and behavior. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion.
• GRS BI 671: Survey of Ecology, Behavior, Evolution, and Marine Biology
  Introduces graduate students to current faculty and research in ecology, behavior, evolution, and marine biology. Students and faculty share expertise and establish collaborations, helping the Department of Biology to leverage its most important asset: intellectual capital.
• GRS BI 681: Molecular Biology of the Neuron
  The study of interactions between neurotransmitters and receptors in the nervous system. Topics include electrical properties of neurons, a survey of neurotransmitters, molecular structure and function of receptors, synaptic transmission, intracellular signaling, and the molecular biology of sensory transduction.
• GRS BI 697: A Bridge to Knowledge: A Practical Seminar for First-Year Graduate Students in Biology
  A seminar for first-year biology and MCBB graduate students. Basic pedagogical theory and professional development topics are covered. The course is intended to help students become effective teachers and members of the graduate community. Also offered as GRS MB 697.
• GRS BI 699: Teaching College Biology I
  The goals, contents, and methods of instruction in biology. General teaching-learning issues. Required of all teaching fellows.
• GRS BI 702: Graduate Readings in Biology
  Library research on well-defined subjects determined in consultation with faculty member.
• GRS BI 708: Biochemical and Molecular Aspects of Development
  Aspects of eukaryotic animal and plant development as they are currently understood on a biochemical or molecular level are discussed in detail. The usefulness of generalizing from the data available and possible generalization to less well understood systems are discussed. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion
• GRS BI 719: Colloquium in Terrestrial Biogeoscience
  Introduction to the field of Terrestrial Biogeoscience through weekly research presentations and discussions with GRS faculty and distinguished guests. Students also meet weekly with lead faculty member to discuss primary literature related to each presentation. Also offered as GRS ES 719 and GRS GE 719.
• GRS BI 720: Practicum in Terrestrial Biogeoscience
  Analysis and synthesis of the primary literature via in-depth case studies in terrestrial biogeoscience. Students meet weekly with faculty to read papers from the primary literature, synthesize results, and prepare a peer-review quality paper on the case study. Also offered as GRS ES 720 and GRS GE 720.
• GRS BI 735: Advanced Cell Biology
  Current understanding of essential topics and important problems in modern cell biology, with emphasis on recent experimental findings, research strategies and approaches, and new techniques for investigating how cells work. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion.
• GRS BI 753: Advanced Molecular Biology
  In-depth analysis of current topics in molecular biology regarding the flow of information in the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. Focus on primary literature. Includes genomic flexibility, signal transduction to the nucleus, chromatin structure, gene expression, cell cycle checkpoints, health-related topics.
• GRS BI 755: Cellular and Systems Neuroscience
  Survey course in neurobiology. Topics covered include cell biology of the neuron, development of the nervous system, synaptic plasticity, learning and behavior, and network modeling. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion.
• GRS BI 756: Systems and Behavioral Neuroscience
  Team taught survey course in neuroscience. Topics to be covered include cortical structures, information processing, synaptic plasticity, learning and memory, and perception. Lectures will draw on reading from current scientific literature.

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