BIOL 295 - Topics in Biology

Credits: 1
Planned Offering: Fall, Winter

Prerequisites: BIOL 111 and 113, at least junior standing and departmental consent. Seminar topics vary with instructor and term. Sample topics include: genetics, molecular genetics, virology, evolutionary biology, history of medicine, biology of aging, ecology, cancer, reproductive strategies, neuroendocrinology, microbiology and immunology. These are in-depth studies of restricted topics within the broad areas indicated by the titles, involving critical review of literature, discussion and oral and/or written presentation. One such seminar is required of each major pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree, and no more than two may be counted toward the 30 credits in biology required for the major. May be repeated for degree credit with permission and if the topics are different.

Topics for Winter 2012:

BIOL 295-01: You Are What You Eat! (1). With ever increasing rates of juvenile and adult obesity occurring in western society, understanding energy homeostasis is becoming even more important for biologists, as well as for society at large. We will explore the physiological literature to determine how energy homeostasis has been disturbed by our society’s eating habits and lifestyle, and discuss ways in which it can be re-balanced. I’Anson

BIOL 295-02: Infectious Disease (1). This seminar concerns the biology of the various plagues affecting human society throughout history. Simurda

Topics for Fall 2011:

BIOL 295-01: Experiments in Ecology (1). Research in ecology is no different than research in any other area of biology, except that the laboratory is much larger. Experiments still have to be done with replication and controls, and hypotheses are subject to rigorous testing in the same way that they are in physiology or genetics. We will present and discuss examples of experimental research from the ecological literature. Hurd.

Bio 295-02: The Biology of Alcohol (1). Why do humans consume intoxicating alcohol, and what are its physiological effects? What are the possible benefits and detriments to human health? We will read a variety of primary and review literature which examines the impact of alcohol on modern humans. Cabe.

Bio 295–03: Mysteries of Autism (1). In the past few decades, autism has gone from being virtually undescribed to being diagnosed in nearly 1 of every 150 children in the U.S. But most aspects of autism - from its biological basis to its apparent recent increase – remain very poorly understood. In this class, we will read and discuss the most up-to-date published research on autism, focusing on neurobiology, genetic and environmental associations, and broader patterns of epidemiology. Marsh