BSCI 410 Molecular Genetics (3 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 222 and CHEM 233 or (CHEM 231 and CHEM 232).
An advance genetics course emphasizing the molecular basis of gene structure and function in the context of modern approaches to the genetics of humans and model organisms.
BSCI 411 Bioinformatics and Integrated Genomics (4 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: Minimum grade of C- in BSCI 222. Recommended: BSCI 410
Computational methods for the study of biological sequence date in comparative biology and evolution. Analysis of genome content and organization. Database searching, pairwise and multiple and multiple sequence alignment, phylogenetic methods, pattern recognition and functional inference. Functional and comparative genomic approaches.
BSCI 412 Microbial Genetics (4 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 223 and BSCI 222.
A laboratory/lecture based course that covers the fundamentals of mutation, mobile genetic elements and transmission genetics of microbial organisms using both classical and molecular approaches.
Two hours of lecture and six hours of laboratory per week.
BSCI 417 Microbial Pathogenesis (3 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 222 and BSCI 223.
Current research in microbial pathogenesis and the molecular and cellular basis of bacterial disease. Comprehensive overview of the molecular basis of pathogenesis with a focus on model microbial systems to illustrate mechanisms of disease pathogenesis. Topics covered: how microorganisms attach to and enter cells; how host cells are damaged by microbial products; how the host responds to invasion; and host-pathogen evolution.
BSCI 420 Cell Biology Lectures (3 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 222, BSCI 330 and CHEM 233.
Molecular and biochemical bases of cellular organization and function in eukaryotes.
BSCI 421 Cell Biology (4 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 330, BSCI 222 and CHEM 233.
Molecular and biochemical basis of cellular organization and function in eukaryotes.
Three hours of lecture and four hours of laboratory per week.
BSCI 424 Pathogenic Microbiology (4 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 223.
The role of bacteria and fungi in the diseases of humans with emphasis upon the differentiation and culture of microorganisms, types of disease, modes of disease transmission, prophylactic, therapeutic, and epidemiological aspects.
Two hours of lecture and four hours of laboratory per week.
BSCI 425 Epidemiology and Public Health (3 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 223.
History, characteristic features of epidemiology; the important responsibilities of public health; vital statistics. Two hours of lecture and one hour of discussion/recitation per week.
BSCI 426 Membrane Biophysics (3 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 330; and PHYS 122 or PHYS 142; and MATH 130 or MATH 140.
Quantitative aspects of biology and the use of mathematical descriptions of biological phenomena. The focus will be on membrane structure, transport, and bioenergetics.
BSCI 430 Developmental Biology (3 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 222 and BSCI 330
Structural, functional and regulatory events and mechanisms that operate during development to produce an integrated, multicellular organism composed of a multitude of differentiated cell types.
BSCI 434 Mammalian Histology (4 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 330 and BSCI 440 or permission of department.
A study of the microscopic anatomy, ultrastructure and histophysiology of tissues and organs of mammals.
Two hours of lecture and six hours of laboratory per week.
BSCI 437 General Virology (3 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 222 or permission of department.
Discussion of the physical and chemical nature of viruses, virus cultivation and assay methods, virus replication, viral diseases with emphasis on the oncogenic viruses, viral genetics, and characteristics of the major virus groups.
BSCI 442 Plant Physiology (4 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 105 and CHEM 233 or (CHEM 231 and CHEM 232).
A survey of the general physiological activities of plants.
Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week.
BSCI 443 Microbial Physiology (3 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: Grade of C- or better in BSCI 223 and (BCHM 461 or BCHM 463).
Microbial cellular and population growth. Fermentation metabolism, physiology of anaerobiosis, and energy conservation and transformation in bacterial membranes. Efficiency of energy utilization for growth. Membrane structure and transport. Bacterial chemotaxis. Regulation of bacterial chromosome replication, RNA and protein synthesis. Control of metabolic pathways.
BSCI 451 Physical Chemistry for Biologists (3 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 330.
Mechanistic and quantitative aspects of chemical and physical processes, including diffusion, ligand-receptor binding, DNA melting, sedimentation, redox reactions, kinetics, fluorescence, osmosis, and electrophoresis.
BSCI 460 Plant Ecology (3 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 106.
Course Description: The dynamics of populations as affected by environmental factors with special emphasis on the structure and composition of natural plant communities, both terrestrial and aquatic.
BSCI 461 Plant Ecology Laboratory (2 credits) - UMCP
Pre- or corequisite: BSCI 460.
Course Description: The application of field and experimental methods to the qualitative and quantitative study of vegetation and ecosystems.
Three hours of laboratory per week.
Two or three field trips per semester.
BSCI 462 Population Ecology (3 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisites: BSCI 106 and MATH 130.
Theory of population growth and regulation, life tables, and theory of competition and predation, evolution in ecological settings, community structure and dynamics.
BSCI 463 Laboratory and Field Ecology (2 credits) - UMCP
Pre- or co-requisite: BSCI 462 and a course in statistics.
Laboratory and field exercises involving problems of contemporary ecological interest; population density regulation, community structure, and spatial pattern diversity in both terrestrial and aquatic systems.
BSCI 464 Microbial Ecology (3 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 223; and CHEM 241 and (CHEM 242 or CHEM 243).
Interaction of microorganisms with the environment, other microorganisms and with higher organisms. Roles of microorganisms in the biosphere. Microorganisms and current environmental problems.
BSCI 465 Behavioral Ecology (3 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 106 and BSCI 222.
How natural and social environments shape individual behavior. The influence of evolution on patterns of individual adaptation. Use of the evolutionary paradigm to investigate specific problems in animal and human behavior.
BSCI 467 Freshwater Biology (4 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: permission of department.
Biology and ecology of freshwater invertebrates in lotic and lentic habitats, their adaptation to aquatic life, their function in aquatic ecosystems, and their relationship to environmental deterioration. Laboratory will include field trips, demonstrations, and identifications.
Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week.
BSCI 471 Molecular Evolution (3 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 222 or permission of department.
Patterns of DNA sequence variation within and between species, caused by nucleotide changes and the movement of transposable elements. Theories of molecular evolution, such as the neutral theory. Molecular clock' hypothesis: its importance as a practical empirical tool in molecular genetics and systematics and its theoretical foundation.
BSCI 472 Evolutionary Biology of Plants (3 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 106 and BSCI 222.
Evolution in plant populations. The pace, pattern, and mechanisms of evolution will be discussed within a genetic and ecological framework. Some emphasis will be placed on processes that are unique to the evolution of plants.
BSCI 473 Marine Ecology (3 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 207. Courses in evolution and animal behavior are strongly recommended.
A detailed analysis of the evolutionary ecology of marine invertebrates; emphasis on testing of theories and on current literature.
BSCI 474 Mathematical Biology (4 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: MATH 220 and MATH 221 or (MATH 131 and MATH 130).
Mathematical methods for analyzing deterministic and stochastic biological processes from a variety of areas (including population and evolutionary biology, neurobiology, physiology and morphogenesis). Qualitative aspects of dynamical systems which are usually given as difference or differential equations. The computer program Mathematica will be used to obtain the numerical solutions of these equations.
Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory per week.
BSCI 485 Protozoology (4 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: One year of biology.
Basic conceptual treatment of free-living and parasitic protozoan functional morphology, life history, and systematics. The laboratory will stress observations of protozoa, living and stained, collected from diverse habits.
BSCI 494 Animal-Plant Interactions (3 credits) - UMCP
Prerequisite: BSCI 106 and or permission of department).
Theoretical, conceptual and applied aspects of the ecological interactions between plants and animals.