Biology

BIO 102 HUMAN BIOLOGY IN HEALTH AND DISEASE
A course for non-science majors that focuses on selected functional systems of the body, the organs that compose them, and the interactions among them. Special attention will be given to disease processes. In these systems laboratory work (one three-hour session per week) will include studies of physiological concepts at the cellular and systems levels. This course is especially designed for students majoring in Social and Rehabilitation Services or Psychology, or students seeking background for courses in Anthropology and other social sciences. Lab Fee: $400.00. This course fulfills the Core Curriculum requirement for a science with a lab. (Fall, Spring)
Staff/Four credits

BIO 105 HUMAN HEREDITY
This course presents an introduction to the principles of human genetics. Major topics covered include cell division  and the distribution of genetic material, embryonic development and the role of teratogens; Mendel’s experiments, inheritance patterns in human families; the interaction of genes and the environment; the structure and function of DNA; personal genomics; and genetic technologies. An historical approach is used and most genetic principles are introduced by examples from human medical genetics. Two or three integrated lecture- laboratory sessions per week. Lab fee: $200 starting in 2018-19. This course fulfills the Core Curriculum science requirement for the Class of 2020 and after. (Fall, Spring) Staff/Three credits.

BIO 110 NUTRITION
This course will explore the basic principles of human nutrition. Topics to be covered include nutrient classes, nutritional guidelines, nutrition-related diseases and disparities in access to healthy foods. This course will also cover controversial topics in nutrition such as gmos and fad dieting. This will be an interactive course that will require students to use the scientific method and will include in- class research, data collection, presentations and discussions. The course will consist of two one-hour-and- fifteen-minute integrated lecture/laboratory sessions each week. Lab fee: $200 starting in 2018-19. This course fulfills the core curriculum science requirement for the Class of 2020 and after.
Staff/Three credits

BIO 115 MATTERS AND MYSTERIES OF YOUR BRAIN
The brain is the most complex and least understood organ in our bodies. It is fascinating to consider that the brain is required for a vast array of functions including learning and memory, motor movement, and perception of our environment. The brain’s vital role in our daily life is indisputable, yet we do not fully understand the fundamental underpinnings of brain function. For this reason, the brain is referred to as the last frontier of science. In this course, student-driven approaches will be used to explore what is known and what is not yet fully understood about brain function through the use of case studies of humans suffering from brain injury, hypothesis-driven experimentation, and critical examination of recent science findings as described by the media. Students will refine their practice of the scientific method while enhancing critical thinking skills. Lab fee: $200 starting in 2018-19. This course fulfills the Core curriculum science requirement for the Class of 2020 and after. Staff/Three credits

BIO 140 INQUIRY BIOLOGY FOR EDUCATORS
In this course, students learn fundamental concepts and models associated with three major subdisciplines of biology – genetics, ecology, and evolution. The course heavily emphasizes the use of open-ended, problem-solving methods of teaching and learning to help students develop their own functional understanding of the major concepts. A significant  part of students’ problem-solving work involves the use of computer technology, including the use of concept mapping and computer simulations to facilitate concept development. The course is intended for students planning on pursuing a career in elementary or middle school education. As such, particular attention is given to understanding common misconceptions that children have concerning learning about biological phenomena and considering the ramifications of these misconceptions for the development of effective classroom instruction. At least twice during the term, students will be expected to teach “mini” lessons in the biological sciences to visiting elementary school children. The course meets twice weekly in a 3-hour lab session. This course fulfills the Core Curriculum requirement for a science with a lab. (Fall, Spring)
Howe/Four credits

BIO 160 CONCEPTS IN BIOLOGY
An introductory course required of all science majors that emphasizes major concepts in biological science: structure and function, homeostasis, energetics, perpetuation, and evolution of living organisms. The laboratory will introduce students to the techniques and approaches used in biology. Three lectures and one laboratory period each week. Should be taken by intended science majors in the first year. Lab Fee: $400.00. This course fulfills the Core Curriculum requirement for a science with a lab. (Fall, Spring) Staff/Four credits

BIO 210 GENETICS
A brief survey of Mendelian and cytological genetics with most emphasis placed on recent advances in molecular genetics. Replication, translation, and transcription of the genetic material receive detailed study. Three lectures and one laboratory per week. Prerequisite: BIO 160 and a course in Biology or Chemistry. Should be taken before the Junior year. Lab Fee: $400.00 (Fall, Spring)
Crowley, Kraus, Theroux/Four credits

BIO 220 INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY
A survey of invertebrate animals from protozoans through invertebrate chordates, emphasizing their functional organization, modes of reproduction, ecological roles, and evolutionary relationships. In the laboratory, we will examine representative living and preserved specimens, concentrating on their structure and behavior. Three lectures and one laboratory or field trip each week. Prerequisite: BIO 160 or equivalent. Lab Fee: $400.00. (Spring)
Sholes/Four credits

BIO 230 PLANT BOTANY
This course provides an introduction to the biology of plants. Among the topics considered are the role of plants in the biosphere, plant form and function, and the evolution of plants. In the laboratory, students examine representatives of the major groups of plants and learn the fundamentals of plant tissue culture techniques in order to study plant growth and development. Field work includes trips to a variety of local habitats. Three lectures and one laboratory or field trip each week. Prerequisite: BIO 160 or equivalent. Lab Fee: $400.00. (Fall, even-numbered years) Sholes/Four credits

BIO 240 HUMAN ANATOMY
Regional anatomy of the mammalian form as evidenced in the dissected domestic cat. Lectures compare the cat with the human body and relate structure to function. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory period per week. Prerequisite: BIO 160 or equivalent. Lab Fee: $400.00. (Fall) McCready/Four credits

BIO 250 MICROBIOLOGY
Microorganisms, especially bacteria and viruses, are studied with respect to their morphological characteristics, growth and metabolism, genetics and environmental significance. The role of microorganisms as pathogens and the control of microorganisms are also considered. Laboratory techniques include sterilization, isolation, and culturing. Three lectures and one laboratory per week. Prerequisite: BIO 210. Lab Fee: $400.00. (Fall)
Dugan/Four credits

BIO 275 SPECIAL TOPICS IN BIOLOGY
This special topics course will explore an area of biology using the literature, and if appropriate, a cross-disciplinary approach. The course will allow the students and faculty an opportunity to investigate areas of biology that are not part of the regular curriculum.
Staff/Three credits

BIO 291 INTERNSHIP IN BIOLOGY
Directed study within an internship program. The student will be expected to keep a journal detailing the internship. The student will also be expected to write a paper (usually approximately 10 pages in length) summarizing an area related to the internship experience. An evaluation by the on-site supervisor will be considered when determining the grade. The student will be required to have a G.P.A. of 3.0 to enroll.
Staff/ Three credits

BIO 310 ANIMAL BEHAVIOR
This course will initially approach the study of animal behavior from the physiological perspective: the neural basis of behavior (the nervous circuits responsible for sensory input and integration and motor output) will be studied in some detail. Subsequently, the emphasis will shift to the contribution of ecological, developmental, and evolutionary forces to shaping the ultimate behavior output. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory each week. Lab fee $400.00. Prerequisite: BIO 220 or BIO 240. (Fall)
Cromarty/Four credits

BIO 320 ORGANIC EVOLUTION
This course is an introduction to genetic changes in populations over time and to the models and evidence we use to identify and explain those changes. Topics include: influence of the environment, genotype-phenotype connections, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, genetic variation, genetic drift, in-breeding, natural selection, gene flow, speciation, phylogeny, macro-evolutionary trends, and the fossil record. Prerequisite: BIO 210. (Spring) Sholes/Three credits

BIO 340 MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR BIOLOGY
This course focuses on the structure and function of the eukaryotic cell. The role of cellular membranes in basic physiological processes is discussed in detail. The physiological roles of the extracellular matrix, the cytoskeleton, and various subcellular structures are also addressed. Finally, the student will be introduced to the processes that govern cellular division and cellular evolution. When possible, the course topics are related to the development of various human maladies, such as cancer and AIDS. The laboratory exposes the students to several classical techniques used in cell biology and to a number of modern methods used by protein chemists and molecular biologists. Prerequisite: BIO 210 or permission of the instructor. Lab Fee: $400.00. (Spring)
Crowley, McCready, Pickering/Four credits

BIO 350 MARINE MAMMALS: BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
This course is designed to familiarize students with the biology and natural history of marine mammals. Emphasis is placed on whales, dolphins, and seals of the western North Atlantic, but species from all over the world will be discussed. Topics to be considered include evolution, anatomy, behavior, field identification, the history of whaling, and contemporary conservation problems. Hands-on activities include one evening laboratory work (harbor porpoise or seal dissection) and marine mammal survey on Massachusetts Bay. Prerequisites: BIO 160 and two additional biology course. (Fall)
Marine Studies Consortium/Three credits

BIO 360 ECOLOGY
In this course, students interpret published data, critique some original papers, and participate in class discussion on the following topics: limits on species distributions, demography, population growth and regulation, interactions of species, energy flow, nutrient cycling, community dynamics, succession, and patterns of species diversity. In laboratory, students participate in class exercises, and design, perform, and report their own group  field projects. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory per week. Lab Fee: $400.00. Prerequisite: Two Biology courses or permission of instructor. (Fall, odd-numbered years)
Sholes/Four credits

BIO 370 GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY
Human and animal physiology, with a comparative approach to the study of muscle contraction; blood circulation and respiration; metabolic and temperature controls; digestion and excretion; and nervous, sensory, and endocrine functions. The laboratory exercises focus on the investigation of basic concepts of animal and human physiology at the cellular and systems levels. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory period each week. Lab Fee: $400.00. Prerequisites: BIO 240 or permission of instructor. (Spring)
Cromarty, Lemons/Four credits

BIO 380 THE BIOLOGY OF CANCER
This course will explore the biology of cancer. Beginning with an examination of the personal, social and economic consequences of this disease, it will move to a focus on the cellular and molecular biology of cancer. Specially, it will study the nature of cancer, the role of viruses in cancer, cellular oncogenes, cellular signaling mechanisms, tumor suppressor genes, and the maintenance of genomic integrity. Other topics to be examined include: the cell cycle, apoptosis, cellular immortalization, tumorigenesis, angiogenesis and metastasis. Finally, this course will examine how modern molecular medicine is being used to treat cancer. Prerequisites: BIO 160, BIO 210, BIO 340. (Fall) Theroux/Three credits.

BIO 390 EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY
This advanced course is designed to provide students with applied knowledge relative to the human’s physiologic responses to acute and chronic exercise stress. Students basic knowledge of neuromuscular physiology, energy metabolism, cardiovascular and respiratory physiology will be honed to focus on human exercise response with the focus of the course being on applications to exercise training and programming, sport, nutrition, youth, aging and disease. Laboratory exercises will enable practical skills to be gained in measuring and testing for physiological markers of human readiness and response to exercise. Prerequisites: BIO240 and BIO370. Lab Fee: $400.00. Caron/Four credit

BIO 410 INTRODUCTORY IMMUNOLOGY
The focus of this course is the biology of the immune response. Topics include immunoglobulin structure, the generation of antibody diversity, and the cellular basis of the immune response. Disorders of the immune system, such as allergies, autoimmune diseases, and AIDS are also considered. In the laboratory, students learn tissue culture and such immunologic techniques as SDS gel electrophoresis; Western blotting; ELISA fluorescent antibody staining; isolation and study of B cells, T cells and macrophages; mixed lymphocyte reactions; and hemolytic plaque assays. Three lectures and one laboratory per week. Lab Fee: $400.00. Prerequisites: BIO 340, CHE 131–132. (Spring, even-numbered years)
Dugan/Four credits

BIO 415 PRINCIPLES OF NEUROSCIENCE
This course introduces students to the rapidly growing field of neuroscience, which is the study of the nervous system. Our nervous system shapes our every thought, emotion and sensation. Students will gain an understanding of the underlying neural basis of how we perceive the world. This course begins with an anatomical approach and then integrates physiological, cellular, molecular and functional approaches. Topics range from how cells in the brain communicate with one another, to current diagnostic and research technology, to the biological basis of movement, and includes the study of disease and injury to the brain, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and stroke. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory each week. Lab Fee $400. Prerequisites: BIO 370 or BIO 340 or permission of the instructor. (Fall)
Lemons/Four credits

BIO 420 DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
This course covers the principles and concepts of growth, morphogenesis, and differentiation in developing animals. We will discuss the major features of embryonic development from fertilization through organogenesis. Particular attention is given to how the regulation of specific genes contributes to development of an embryo. The lab will allow the student to explore techniques used by developmental biologists. Students will also have the opportunity to develop an independent project. Prerequisite BIO 340 or permission of the instructor. (Spring, odd-numbered years)
Lemons/Four credits

BIO 430 COMPARATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
This course combines a brief review of fundamental principles of animal physiology with an in-depth discussion of how these principles are modified and shaped by environmental and ecological pressures. The functional significance of physiological adaptation to an animal’s environment is emphasized by describing various mechanisms of regulation of physiological variables (temperature, metabolism, oxygen consumption, water retention, circadian rhythms) in extremely different environmental conditions. Three lectures and one three-hour laboratory each week. Prerequisite: BIO 370 or permission of instructor. Lab fee: $400.00. (Fall, alternate years) Cromarty/Four credits

BIO 440 BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THEORY AND PRACTICE
This course integrates the disciplines of cellular biology, molecular biology, and protein chemistry through a series of related experiments. The course will expose students to: 1) recent journal articles within the scientific literature; 2) selected methods, techniques, and instruments used in biotechnology; and 3) strategies that can be employed to solve interesting biological problems. The laboratory experience will introduce the student to DNA amplification by the polymerase chain reaction; oligonucleotide-directed site specific mutagenesis; gel electrophoresis; isolation of protein, DNA and RNA; gene cloning; DNA sequencing; cell culture; gene expression in mammalian cell lines; and Southern hybridization analysis. Class meets six hours per week for lecture, laboratory, and discussion. Lab Fee: $400.00. Prerequisites: CHE 202 and BIO 340. (Spring) Theroux/Four credits

BIO 480 SEMINAR IN LIFE SCIENCES
An overview of a defined scientific topic (such as the process of cell division) will be presented, and then recently published articles on this topic will be discussed in detail. As part of the course requirements, each student will be asked to present one or more assigned journal articles to the class. The course is designed to increase the student’s knowledge of an active area of scientific inquiry and to enhance the student’s reading, data analysis, and oral presentation skills. Prerequisites: Seniors or second semester juniors who have completed BIO 160 and five additional biology and chemistry courses, and permission of instructor. Staff/Three credits

BIO 490–491 INDEPENDENT STUDY
Directed study or experimental research. Prerequisites: Six courses in Biology and consent of instructor. The student is expected to have a G.P.A. of 3.0 to enroll. (Offered by arrangement)
Staff/Three credits each semester