Courses

• CAS BI 530: Forest Ecology
  The major biotic and abiotic factors influencing forest ecosystem composition, structure, and function. Role of solar radiation, hydrology, soils, succession, and management of forest ecosystems. Includes New England case study. Three hours lecture plus discussion. Meets with CAS GE 530.
• CAS BI 531: Ichthyology: Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution of Fish (EBE)
  A comprehensive introduction to fish biology and systematics. Emphasis on phylogenetic relationships, ecology, and behavior. Labs include morphological studies of specimens and behavioral studies of live fishes. This course is a prerequisite for the field course.
• CAS BI 535: Translational Research in Alzheimer’s Disease
  An introduction to translational research focused on Alzheimer's disease, with particular emphasis on the search for new therapeutic targets, from observations of pathogenic phenotypes in patients to the development of appropriate animal and cellular models of the disease. Also offered as CAS NE 535.
• CAS BI 539: Coral Reef Dynamics: Shallow Waters, Deep Time
  Tropical reefs-- diverse, complex, and ancient-- exhibit lawful cycles of growth, degradation, and regeneration. Explore these through observations on the Belize Barrier Reef in fossil reef environments and through laboratory experiments. Insights are applied to reef conservation in today's changing world. Also offered as CAS ES 539.
• CAS BI 543: Global Ecology
  Explores the many biospheric threads that link and exchange throughout the earth. Themes include life systems as a geological force, bacteria as a global organism, the major impacts of algae, and climate change update. Three hours lecture.
• CAS BI 545: Neurobiology of Motivated Behavior
  Molecular and neuroendocrine mechanisms controlling reproductive and parental behaviors, ingestive behaviors and metabolism, and circadian rhythms, pain perception, and reward in vertebrates. Three hours lecture plus student-led discussions of relevant research papers. Also offered as CAS NE 545.
• CAS BI 546: Marine Megafaunal Ecology: Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and Surrounding Waters
  Marine macrofauna: whales, seals, seabirds, fishes, turtles, jellies, and people in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Evolution, food webs, and distributional ecology; physical and human influences on foraging and movement behavior. Student research builds ecosystem-based science for Sanctuary management.
• CAS BI 550: Marine Genomics
  Covers the evolution of genomes, the architecture of gene networks, and the connection between genotype and phenotype in marine organisms, as well as the technical development of modern genomics. Student research projects utilize modern genomics experimental approaches.
• CAS BI 551: Biology of Stem Cells
  Views on stem cell research range from assumptions of a potential cure for most diseases to fears that it will depreciate the value of human life. This course equips students with the science that underlies this discussion, including the biological properties of stem cells and the experimental hurdles to utilization in regenerative medicine.
• CAS BI 552: Molecular Biology I (CM)
  Synthesis, structure, and function of biologically important macromolecules (DNA, RNA, and proteins). Regulation and control of the synthesis of RNA and proteins. Introduction to molecular biology of eukaryotes. Discussion of molecular biological techniques, including genetics and recombinant DNA techniques. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion.
• CAS BI 553: Molecular Biology II (CM)
  Continuation of CAS BI 552 with emphasis on eukaryotes. General areas of focus include genome organization, mechanisms of gene regulation, and cell signaling. Topics including genomics, mouse transgenics systems, signal transduction, chromatin structure, and cell cycle.
• CAS BI 554: Neuroendocrinol
  This course description is currently under construction.
• CAS BI 560: Systems Biology
  Examines critical components of systems biology, including design principles of biological systems (e.g., feedback, synergy, cooperativity), and the generation and analysis of large-scale datasets (e.g., protein- protein interaction, mRNA expression).
• CAS BI 563: Sensory Biology of Aquatic Animals
  Underwater signals, physics of signal transmission, receptors, sense organs, animal behavior. Focus on student-generated research projects: design, animal care, data collection, analysis and presentation. A one-month block course in the BU Marine Semester.
• CAS BI 569: Tropical Marine Invertebrates
  Explores the diversity of marine invertebrates, including body plans, feeding biology, reproductive strategies, and developmental programs. Field biodiversity surveys and behavioral studies in shallow water tropical marine environments, especially seagrass beds and mangrove. Part of the Marine Semester. Cannot be taken for credit in addition to CAS BI 547.
• CAS BI 572: Advanced Genetics
  An in-depth study of eukaryotic genetics, ranging from the history and basic principles to current topics and modern experimental approaches. Genetics of Drosophila, C. elegans, mice, and humans are explored in detail, including readings from primary literature. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion.
• CAS BI 576: Carcinogenesis
  Covers multiple aspects of cancer biology with a focus on molecular mechanisms underlying cancer development and progression, and the implications for therapy. Topics include oncogenes, tumor suppressors, apoptosis, angiogenesis, metastasis, mouse models, and chemotherapy. Emphasis on current research.
• CAS BI 578: Marine Geographic Information Science
  Introduction to marine geographic information systems and spatial analysis for conservation, management, and marine landscape ecology. Comparative examples from Gulf of Maine and tropics. Solve problems in coastal zoning and marine park design, whale and coral reef conservation. Also offered as CAS GE 578.
• CAS BI 579: Progress in Ecology, Behavior, Evolution, and Marine Biology 1
  Facilitates presentation and discussion of research ideas, preliminary data, and research progress by all graduate students in Ecology, Behavior, Evolution, and Marine Biology (EBE-MB). All EBE-MB graduate students are encouraged to participate every semester, but receive two credits toward the degree only once, for CAS BI 579 or for CAS BI 580.
• CAS BI 580: Progress in Ecology, Behavior, Evolution, and Marine Biology 2
  Facilitates presentation and discussion of research ideas, preliminary data, and research progress by all graduate students in Ecology, Behavior, Evolution, and Marine Biology (EBE-MB). All EBE-MB graduate students are encouraged to participate every semester, but receive two credits toward the degree only once, for CAS BI 579 or for CAS BI 580.

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