Courses

The listing of a course description here does not guarantee a course’s being offered in a particular semester. Please refer to the published schedule of classes on the Student Link for confirmation a class is actually being taught and for specific course meeting dates and times.

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  • 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 EE 539. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
    • Scientific Inquiry II
    • Creativity/Innovation
  • CAS BI 541: Coral Reef Resilience and Restoration
    Caribbean coral reefs have fallen into ruin. Students develop methods to restore reef health by applying genomics, life history theory, landscape ecology and climatology. This course is an advanced follow-on to CAS BI/ES 539 (Coral Reef Dynamics), and includes field work in Belize. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy.
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
    • Research and Information Literacy
  • CAS BI 542: Neuroethology
    An in-depth study of the neural mechanisms underlying natural behaviors in animals, integrating perspectives from behavioral ecology and neurobiology. Behaviors that are central to fitness will be studied in detail, including the sensory and motor bases of prey detection, predator avoidance, communication, courtship, navigation, and migration. A wide variety of non- model organisms such as honey bees, owls, bats, and crickets will be discussed. Lectures are integrated with student-led discussions of relevant research papers. Effective Spring 2021, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Scientific Inquiry II, Research and Information Literacy.
    • Scientific Inquiry II
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
    • Research and Information Literacy
  • CAS BI 545: Neurobiology of Motivated Behavior
    Neural circuits and neuroendocrine mechanisms controlling reproductive, parental, and affiliative behaviors, decision making, ingestive behaviors and metabolism, circadian rhythms, pain perception, and reward in animals, with an emphasis on vertebrates. Lectures are integrated with 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. Effective Fall 2019, this course is part of a Hub sequence.
    • Part of a Hub sequence
  • 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. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Teamwork/Collaboration.
    • Teamwork/Collaboration
  • 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 1
    Synthesis, structure, function, regulation of macromolecules (DNA, RNA, protein). Prokaryotic and eukaryotic molecular biology. Topics include: replication, repair, recombination, transcription, translation, 5-methylcytosine, transcription factors, DNA looping (enhancer- promoter, insulator, etc.), histone modification/chromatin remodeling, non-coding RNA. Discussion of genetic and recombinant DNA techniques, including CRISPR/Cas9.
  • CAS BI 553: Molecular Biology 2
    This course focuses on eukaryotic gene regulation. Course topics include genome organization and DNA rearrangement, RNA interference and noncoding RNAs, gene editing, mouse transgenic approaches, signal transduction pathways, chromatin structure, and cell cycle. Research articles will be discussed.
  • 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 565: Functional Genomics
    This paper- and problem-based course focuses on functional genomics topics such as genetic variation, genome organization, and mechanisms of transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene regulation. Up-to-date methods include NGS, genome editing, ChIP-seq, chromatin accessibility assays, transcriptomics, and proteomics. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Writing-Intensive Course, Critical Thinking.
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
    • Critical Thinking
    • Writing-Intensive Course
  • 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. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Creativity/Innovation.
    • Scientific Inquiry II
    • Creativity/Innovation
  • 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. Students may not receive credit for more than one of the following courses: CAS BI 327, CAS BI 576, and GMS BT 520.
  • CAS BI 577: Quantitative Approaches in Molecular Biology
    Introduces biology graduate students and upper division undergraduate students to concepts and bioinformatics tools necessary for quantitative analysis of biological problems. Students learn the programming language Python, analyze next generation sequencing and transcriptomic data.
  • 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 EE 578. Effective Fall 2019, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy.
    • Oral and/or Signed Communication
    • Research and Information Literacy
  • 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.
  • CAS BI 581: Seminar in Biology
    Informal discussion and student reports on subjects of current interest based on an intensive study of the literature. Topics and prerequisites vary. Not for Biology major or minor credit unless two sections of BI 581/582 are taken. Two topics are offered Fall 2020. Section B1: Grant Writing. Seminar course in preparing a research grant proposal. Section H1: Neurobiology of Brain Disorders. Review recent topics and readings in the field of neurodegeneration.
  • CAS BI 582: Seminar in Biology
    Informal discussion and student reports on subjects of current interest based on an intensive study of the literature. Topics and prerequisites vary. Not for Biology major or minor credit unless two sections of BI 581/582 are taken. Two topics are offered Spring 2020. Section B1: Community Ecology (Pre-reqs: BI 107 and senior or graduate standing; or consent of instructor. Some background in ecology and/or evolution recommended.) Seminar course designed to discuss patterns and mechanisms of community assembly, including models of species interaction and causes and consequences of diversity. Section B2: Introduction to Mentoring (Pre-req: SED SC 521) This course helps experienced Learning Assistants (LAs) learn, understand, and practice mentoring strategies with first-semester LAs.

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