BIOLOGY (BIO)

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.

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. Two or three integrated lecture-laboratory sessions per week.

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. Two or three integrated lecture-laboratory sessions per week.

Biology is the science of life – and life happens all around us. In this course, we will explore fundamental concepts of biology using real-life examples encountered for example in your kitchen or backyard. We will focus on the principles of ecology and evolution, while tackling contemporary problems of global importance – climate change and biodiversity decline. The integrated laboratory experience consists of self-guided explorations of plants, animals, and other organisms commonly found in the Northeastern USA, as well as simple at-home experiments and simulations. This course aims to broaden your horizons and instill an appreciation for the creatures large and small with whom we share the world. By exploring the life that happens right outside your door, you will not only learn basic biological facts, but more importantly the ecological connections that make life on Earth possible and enjoyable! Two or three integrated lecture-laboratory sessions per week.

In this course, students learn fundamental concepts and models associated with three major sub-disciplines 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. The course includes a lab component and meets six hours a week.

An introductory course that provides a strong foundation in aspects of biological science that are particularly relevant to nursing students. The course focuses on the chemical basis of life, cell structure and function, genetic information, and energetics and regulation of living systems. Together with the laboratory, this class introduces students to techniques and approaches used in science. Three lecture periods and one laboratory meeting per week. Should be taken by nursing students in their first year.

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.

People have long struggled with the notion that humans have descended from non-human ancestors. In his 1871 volume Descent of Man, Charles Darwin comprehensively applies his views on evolutionary theory and shared ancestry, including his adaptive mechanisms of natural and sexual selection, to human beings. Using countless examples, rational arguments, and the voice and writing style of a Victorian gentleman, Darwin convincingly demonstrates that humans gradually evolved from animals. The book, therefore, challenges its readers with what it means to be human as Darwin addresses the emergence of language, culture, morality, notions of beauty, sexual attraction, and the origin of race from our animal ancestors. This course helps students learn to read Darwin’s rich text, to understand the extraordinary depth, collaborative style, and limitations of his science, to engage critically with the enduring questions and tensions the text raises, and to reflect on the ways that Darwin’s work still resonates in biology and culture today.

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.

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.

This course is taught at the New England Aquarium by faculty of the Marine Studies Consortium, though it has an Assumption instructor of record who acts as a liaison. Biology of Fishes covers aspects of the evolution, biology, ecology, taxonomy, physiology, and structure of fish. The diversity of extinct and extant fishes will be emphasized. Physiological, behavioral and morphological adaptations for life in the diverse habitats within water will be examined. The role of evolution as the driving force behind the great diversity of fishes will be a constant theme.

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.

Anatomy is the study of the structure of organisms. In this course we will study human anatomy in four regions: (i) back, (ii) upper and lower limbs, (iii) thorax, abdomen and pelvis, and (iv) head and neck. We will focus on anatomy of the human body and emphasize how structure affects function. Major topics covered in each region include muscles, bones, blood vessels and nerves. This course will consist of three one-hour lectures and one three-hour laboratory each week.

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.

Bioinformatics is the umbrella term for a wide range of methods and tools used to analyze large and complex biological data sets, especially DNA and RNA sequence data. This course introduces students to broadly applicable bioinformatic methods. Students will learn to access and use information from public databases, align homologous sequences, construct and interpret phylogenetic trees, and extract information from genomes using a variety of computational tools, including the use of basic command line interface. Relevant primary literature will be analyzed and discussed. The laboratory portion of the course is dedicated to practice with the analysis tools introduced in lectures, and to student projects. Students will work in groups to explore real data sets, select and apply suitable bioinformatic methods, interpret analysis results in the context of published works, and present their findings to the class. This course counts as an elective towards the Biology, Biotechnology, and Data Analytics majors. Three lectures and one laboratory per week.

This course is taught remotely by faculty of the Marine Studies Consortium, though it has an Assumption instructor of record who acts as a liaison. Biology of Whales explores the biology, ecology, conservation, and management of whales, dolphins, and porpoises.

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.

Sensory Systems provides an understanding of how organisms see, hear, smell, taste, and feel sensations. In this course, we discuss the physiological and cellular mechanisms that allow organisms to receive sensory information. We introduce reflex pathways in organisms with complex nervous systems, and then compare these to how organisms with reduced nervous systems carry out stereotyped behavior. These simpler examples of sensory processing and behavior provide a foundation to understand how information is processed by the early stages of central nervous systems for more complex behavior. Our focus is on the mechanisms and sensory pathways the nervous system uses to process sensory information and control movement. Using comparative animal model systems, topics include sensory transduction and the sensory physiology for the best known sensory systems (olfactory, visual, somatosensory, auditory, gustatory) and models of sensory processing. We also ask: what can we learn from animals with senses that primates are currently not known to have, such as magnetic and electric senses? These are currently active areas of animal research.

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 cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 to enroll.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Using a critical examination of the primary literature as a tool, this course explores landmark advances within the field of neuroscience. Students gain a deeper understanding of neurobiological themes such as neurophysiology, neuroplasticity, neural development and communication between select model animal systems. Classic articles that are foundational to the field of neuroscience are thoroughly dissected to gain an historical appreciation of advances in the field. These are contrasted with recent articles to appreciate the advances in neuroscience research techniques. By contrasting major historical advances with more recent work, students weigh the implications of these findings at the time of publication and learn to critically assess the significance of recent findings. Students gain a deeper understanding of highlighted milestone advances in neurobiology.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Directed study or experimental research.

Provides an interdisciplinary, state-of-the-art introduction to biotechnology. Covers the molecular foundations of biotechnology, molecular microbiology, receptor pharmacology, drug development processes, biotech process development and scale-up, drug approval and regulatory affairs, genomics, microarray analysis, proteomics, computational biology, molecular modeling, analytical biotechnology, and bioterrorism and biotechnology. This course is offered at Northeastern University as BIOT 5120.

Covers the principles and concepts involved in the development of mammalian and other types of cell culture processes for the manufacturing of biopharmaceutical products such as monoclonal antibodies and recombinant proteins. Topics include protein expression and clone generation, batch and perfusion processes and media development, bioreactor operations and scale-up, and innovations in cell culture processes. Regulatory concepts include quality assurance in a cGMP environment. This course is offered at Northeastern University as BIOT 5631.

Exposes students to the business of biotech from scientific discovery startup through its product launch and subsequent organizational and scientific pipeline growth. Topics include scientific discovery, biotech-related funding and organizational structures, regulatory and clinical trial considerations, biotech alliances, patient access, ethics and compliance, and commercialization and growth while meeting unmet patient or consumer needs in this highly regulated industry. Although the focus is on the highest regulated standards in biopharma, the course also touches upon various aspects of other biotechnology domains. This course is offered at Northeastern University as BIOT 5219.

Introduces selected key skills and techniques central to life sciences research. Combines hands-on training in basic laboratory skills with lecture and live demonstration. Laboratory exercises highlight the importance of precision/accuracy in dispensation of liquids and in the preparation of solutions and standards, documentation and record keeping, and maintaining a safe and sterile work environment while performing scientific research. This course is offered at Northeastern University as BIOT 5145.

Describes proteins (what they are, where they come from, and how they work) in the context of analytical analysis and molecular medicine. Discusses the chemical properties of proteins, protein synthesis, and the genetic origins of globular proteins in solution, membrane proteins, and fibrous proteins. Covers the physical intra- and intermolecular interactions that proteins undergo along with descriptions of protein conformation and methods of structural determination. Explores protein folding as well as protein degradation and enzymatic activity. Highlights protein purification and biophysical characterization in relation to protein analysis, drug design, and optimization. This course is offered at Northeastern University as CHEM 5620.

Integrates biochemistry and molecular biology in the cellular context. Includes the organization and replication of genomes, principles and methods for genetic manipulation, the regulation of gene expression, and the structure and function of organelles. Emphasizes protein synthesis, including translation, post-translational modifications, and translocations of proteins within the cells and secretion. This course is offered at Northeastern University as BIOL 6299.

Explores the principles of experimental design and statistical analysis. Emphasizes research in the molecular and biological sciences and biotechnology. Topics include probability theory, sampling hypothesis formulation and testing, and parametric and nonparametric statistical methods. This course is offered at Northeastern University as BIOT 6214.

Focuses on the fundamental programming skills required in the bioinformatics industry. Focuses on Python and R as the main programming language used. Topics include string operations, file manipulation, regular expressions, object-oriented programming, data structures, testing, program design, and implementation. Includes substantial out-of-classroom assignments. This course is offered at Northeastern University as BINF 6200.

Offers the first semester of a two-semester sequence on the use of computers in bioinformatics research. Offers students an opportunity to work with current methods and computational algorithms used in contemporary sequence analysis. Teaches practical skills necessary to manage and mine the vast biological information being generated and housed in public databases. Emphasizes the use of Python as the primary computer language and requires students to learn and understand basic computer logic and syntax, including an introduction to scalars, arrays, hashes, decision statements, loops, subroutines, references, and regular expressions. A focus on fundamental skills, including the command line interface found in the Linux operating system, is designed to prepare students for second-semester applications. This course is offered at Northeastern University as BINF 6308.

Designed to build upon the core topics covered in BINF 6308, i.e., use of the computer as a tool for bioinformatics research. Builds upon the Python language fundamentals covered during the first semester but requires students to apply these fundamentals to a semester-long project. The project includes protein family analysis, multiple sequence analysis, phylogeny, and protein structure analysis. Additionally, students have an opportunity to learn to build, load, connect, and query custom MySQL databases, and parse command line flags. This course is offered at Northeastern University as BINF 6309.

Introduces the concepts of probability and statistics used in bioinformatics applications, particularly the analysis of microarray data. Uses statistical computation using the open-source R program. Topics include maximum likelihood; Monte Carlo simulations; false discovery rate adjustment; nonparametric methods, including bootstrap and permutation tests; correlation, regression, ANOVA, and generalized linear models; preprocessing of microarray data and gene filtering; visualization of multivariate data; and machine-learning techniques, such as clustering, principal components analysis, support vector machine, neural networks, and regression tree. This course is offered at Northeastern University as MATH 7340.