Biology

• CAS BI 449: Neuroscience Design Lab
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI315 OR CASBI325 OR CASNE203) ; or consent of instructor. - Design and build devices for neuroscience experiments. Interface sensors with computers using Arduino microprocessors. Guided exercises followed by independent design projects to quantify human sensory and motor performance, or emulate animal sensory-motor circuits. All levels of programming experience accepted. Also offered as CAS NE 449.
• CAS BI 450: Senior Research in Biology 1
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: senior standing. - First semester senior research including training in the use of research literature and active participation at group meetings. Application through the Biology Department. Students conduct research under supervision of a faculty mentor. Attendance at group meetings required. Minimum 12 hrs/wk in lab or fieldwork, data analysis, and writing. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and/or Signed Communication, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS BI 451: Senior Research in Biology 2
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: senior standing and either BI 340, BI 350, BI 450, or full-time summer UROP. - Second semester research with senior standing, including the use of the research literature. Application through the Biology Department. Students conduct research under supervision of a faculty mentor. Students expected to attend group meetings and take a lead and make creative contributions to projects. Minimum 12 hrs/wk in lab or fieldwork, data analysis, and writing. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Creativity/Innovation, Research and Information Literacy.
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  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Research and Information Literacy
• CAS BI 452: Senior Research in Biology 3
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI315) First Year Writing Seminar (e.g., WR 100 or WR 120); senior standing a nd either BI 340, BI 350, BI 450, or full-time summer UROP. - Third semester research with senior standing, including the use of research literature. Application through the Biology Department. Students conduct research under supervision of a faculty mentor. Attendance at group meetings and final report required. Students expected to take a lead and make creative contributions to projects. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Creativity/Innovation.
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  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Writing-Intensive Course
• CAS BI 453: Senior Research in Biology 4
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: senior standing and CAS BI 352 or 452. ; Undergraduate Corequisites: (CASBI497 OR CASBI498) - Fourth semester research with senior standing. Application through the Biology Department. Students conduct research under supervision of a faculty mentor. Attendance at group meetings and final report required. Minimum 12 hrs/wk in lab or fieldwork, data analysis, and writing. Students develop research presentation skills in co-requisite seminar course, BI 497 or BI 498.
• CAS BI 455: Developmental Neurobiology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASBI 203 or CASBI 325 or CASNE 203 or consent of instructor. - Fundamental principles of developmental neurobiology, stressing molecular mechanisms that underlie early neural development, differentiation, process outgrowth, and behavior. Two hours lecture, two hours paper presentation and discussion..
• CAS BI 459: BIOCHEM-2 LEC
  BIOCHEM-2 LEC
• CAS BI 471: Readings in Biology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior or senior standing, consent of instructor, and completed applic ation. - Intensive library research on well-defined topic in biological sciences, chosen with a faculty member. May be taken as preparation for Undergraduate Research/Honors Research. Not a Biology/BMB major/minor elective and cannot be combined with another 2-credit course for elective credit.
• CAS BI 472: Readings in Biology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior or senior standing, consent of instructor, and completed applic ation. - Intensive library research on well-defined topic in biological sciences, chosen with a faculty member. May be taken as preparation for Undergraduate Research/Honors Research. Not a Biology/BMB major/minor elective and cannot be combined with another 2-credit course for elective credit.
• CAS BI 475: Urban Ecology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASEE100 OR CASEE101) and one of the following: CAS BI 306, CAS BI 443 or GRS BI 643, CAS EE 456 or GRS EE 656, or CAS BI 530 or CAS EE 530; or consent of instruc tor. - The biophysical environments and ecology of urban settlements. Key topics include the physical environment, patterns in human population growth and development, ecosystem structure and function, global change, urban environment pollution and management, and sustainable urban development. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Historical Consciousness, Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration.
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  • Historical Consciousness
  • Scientific Inquiry II
  • Teamwork/Collaboration
• CAS BI 481: Molecular Biology of the Neuron
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASBI 203 - Topics include electrical properties of neurons, a survey of neurotransmitters, molecular structure and function of receptors, synaptic transmission, intracellular signaling, and the molecular biology governing neurodevelopment and neurological disorders. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. 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.
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  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Research and Information Literacy
  • Scientific Inquiry II
• CAS BI 494: Topics in Biology 4
  Topics and prerequisites vary.
• CAS BI 497: Honors in Biology Seminar
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: For students taking CAS BI 401, BI 402, BI 453, or BB 453. - A 2-credit weekly research seminar for students in CAS BI 401, BI 402, BI 453, or BB 453 in the Fall semester. Students learn and present digitally produced descriptions of their research and prepare their theses for defense under the guidance of the Research and Honors Committee. A minimum grade of B+ in BI 402 and this course or BI 498 is required to graduate with honors. Students participate in only one course, either BI 497 or BI 498. Effective Fall 2020, this course carries a single unit in the follow Hub area: Digital/Multimedia Expression.
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  • Digital/Multimedia Expression
• CAS BI 498: Honors in Biology Seminar
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: For students taking CAS BI 401, BI 402, BI 453, or BB 453. - A 2-credit weekly research seminar for students in CAS BI 401, BI 402, BI 453, or BB 453 in the Spring semester. Students learn and present digitally produced descriptions of their research and prepare their theses for defense under the guidance of the Research and Honors Committee. A minimum grade of B+ in BI 402 and this course or BI 497 is required to graduate with honors. Students participate in only one course, either BI 497 or BI 498. Effective Fall 2020, this course carries a single unit in the follow Hub area: Digital/Multimedia Expression.
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  • Digital/Multimedia Expression
• CAS BI 500: Shark Biology & Conservation
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: some background in ecology and/or evolution recommended. - Explores the natural history and behavior of sharks and their relationship to other animals in the ecosystem. Conservation of sharks and other elasmobranchs is crucial to ecosystem function and requires accurate scientific knowledge to implement the best conservation practices. 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.
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  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Research and Information Literacy
  • Scientific Inquiry II
• CAS BI 503: Neuroimmunology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CAS BI 203/NE 102 or BI 213 and BI 325/NE 203 - Neuroimmunology is a burgeoning field in neuroscience. This course examines current topics including the role of glia in brain development, health, and disease, glia-neuron crosstalk, impact of stress and environment on the neuroimmune system, and cell trafficking into the brain.
• CAS BI 504: Advanced Evolutionary Analysis
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (CASBI309) or permission of instructor. - Modern concepts, controversies, and analytical approaches in evolutionary biology. Topics include adaptation, natural and sexual selection, species and species formation, phylogenetics, origin of evolutionary novelty, adaptive radiation, basic population and quantitative genetics, development and evolution. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion.
• CAS BI 505: Evolution and Development
  This course focuses on the evolution of development. We explore how biodiversity arises by examining the intersection of development, genetics, evolution and ecology. Topics include: the origin of novel traits, developmental constraints, heterochrony, epigenetic inheritance, evolution of gene networks, developmental systems drift and the evolution of complex traits. We also cover common tools used in Evo Devo research, including: RNAseq, RNA interference, CRISPR/Cas-9 and in situ hybridization.
• CAS BI 506: Phenotypic Plasticity
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: senior standing, CAS BI 107; and one of the following: BI 303, BI 309, BI 315, or BI 410; or consent of instructor. - Explores the flexible phenotype as a product of development and target of natural selection, addresses phenotypic plasticity in ecological interactions and evolutionary diversity, evolution and mechanisms of plasticity, plasticity in ecology, diversification of life, and conservation in a changing environment.
• CAS BI 507: Diversity of Sex
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: senior standing, WR 120 or equivalent; and one of the following: CAS B I 225, BI 309, BI 315, BI 407, or BI 410; or consent of instructor. - Examines the integrative and comparative biology of sex and sexes based on readings drawn from recent primary literature, review papers, and book chapters. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Oral and/or Signed Communication.
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  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Writing-Intensive Course