Biology

• CAS BI 645: Cellular and Molecular Neurophysiology
  CASBI 645 Cellular and Molecular Neurophysiology Undergraduate Prerequisites: graduate standing. 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, sleep and seizures. Three hours lecture, three hours laboratory, one hour pre-lab.
• CAS 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 that affect the survival of species are examined for temperate and tropical communities, as well as terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Ethical Reasoning, Oral and/or Signed Communication.
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  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
• CAS BI 649: Neuroscience Design Lab
  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 GRS NE 649.
• CAS BI 655: 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 671: Survey of Ecology, Behavior, Evolution, and Marine Biology
  Graduate Prerequisites: Biology graduate students, who have not yet taken their qualifying exam, in areas of Ecology, Behavior, Evolution, and Marine Biology. Others will be permitted at the discretion of the instructor. Introduces graduate students to current faculty and graduate student 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.
• CAS BI 681: Molecular Biology of the Neuron
  Topics include electrical properties of single neurons, how neurons propagate electrical signals and communicate in synaptic transmission. The course will also examine the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodevelopment and study synaptic plasticity in relation to learning and memory and disease. 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 696: First Year Graduate Seminar in Biology
  A seminar designed to help guide first-year Biology PhD students through their first semester as graduate students at BU.
• CAS BI 697: A Bridge to Knowledge: A Practical Seminar for First-Year Graduate Students in Biology
  Prerequisites: first-year MS or PhD students in Biology or MCBB, or first-time teaching fellows in Biology or MCBB. 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.
• CAS BI 701: Graduate Readings in Biology
  Graduate Prerequisites: consent of instructor, limited to BA/MS students and graduate students in the scholarly paper MS program. Library research on well-defined subjects determined in consultation with faculty member. Two such half courses may be used to partially satisfy the eight-full- course requirement for the MS degree in Biology.
• CAS BI 702: Graduate Readings in Biology
  Graduate Prerequisites: consent of instructor, limited to BA/MS students and graduate students in the scholarly paper MS program. Library research on well-defined subjects determined in consultation with faculty member. Two such half courses may be used to partially satisfy the eight-full- course requirement for the MS degree in Biology.
• CAS BI 714: Professional Development for Biology PhDs
  This course is targeted at post-advancement Biology/MCBB PhD students. It aims to help students develop or update Individual Development Plans and gain the skills and information to successfully complete their PhD and explore diverse career paths.
• CAS BI 719: Colloquium in Biogeoscience
  Graduate Prerequisites: MS or PhD standing. - Introduction to the field of 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.
• CAS BI 720: Practicum in Biogeoscience
  Graduate Prerequisites: MS or PhD standing. - Analysis and synthesis of the primary literature via in-depth case studies in 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.
• CAS 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.
• CAS BI 741: Neural Systems: Functional Circuit Analysis
  Prerequisites: (GRSBI755 OR GMSAN810 OR GMSNE700) or consent of instructor. An in-depth survey of powerful new approaches for understanding nervous system function, linking neural activity to behavior. Topics include anatomical connectivity, behavioral methods, and both recording and manipulating the activity of neural populations. Also offered as GRS NE 741.
• CAS BI 753: Advanced Molecular Biology
  An in-depth study of gene regulation in higher organisms, with a focus on nuclear functions. Topics include genome architecture, epigenetics, regulation of enhancer function, transcription initiation, RNA processing events, translation and dysregulation in cancer, with emphasis on reading primary literature and class discussion.
• CAS BI 755: Cellular and Systems Neuroscience
  Advanced survey course in neurobiology. Topics covered include cell biology of the neuron, neurophysiology, neuropharmacology, cell signaling, anatomical methods, development of the nervous system, and human neuroanatomy. Three hours lecture, one hour discussion.
• CAS BI 764: Urban Biogeoscience and Environmental Health Colloquium
  Graduate Prerequisites: Open to graduate students only and priority is given to students enrolled in the BU Graduate Program in Urban Biogeoscience and Environmental Health. Introduction to the fields of Biogeoscience and Environmental Health. Through weekly reading, discussions, and research presentations, students acquire a basic foundation in urban Biogeoscience and Environmental Health.
• CAS BI 791: Graduate Laboratory Rotations 1
  Graduate Prerequisites: Students must be first-year students in the PHD program in Biology or MCBB. Graduate students perform laboratory rotations with faculty with whom they may choose to perform their PhD dissertation research. Through critical reading, writing, laboratory meetings, faculty-student meetings and hands-on research, students are exposed to the faculty members research and laboratory environment.
• CAS BI 792: Graduate Laboratory Rotations 2
  Graduate Prerequisites: Students must be first-year students in the PHD program in Biology or MCBB and have completed GRS BI/MB 791. Graduate students perform laboratory rotations with faculty with whom they may choose to perform their PhD dissertation research. Through critical reading, writing, laboratory meetings, faculty-student meetings and hands-on research, students are exposed to the faculty members research and laboratory environment.