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| Biology (School of Science) |
| BIOL-1010 Introduction to Biology Introduction to animals, microorganisms, and plants. Discussion of problems associated with biological organization. The ecology of individuals and populations. Introduction to biochemical, evolutionary, genetic, physiological, and developmental principles. The course considers the biological components of various societal and individual problems. Laboratory teaches how science is done by students making observations and then developing and experimentally testing student formulated hypotheses. (Students cannot receive credit for both this course and BIOL-1040.) Fall term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-1020 Introduction to Biology Laboratory Laboratory teaches how science is done by students making observations and then developing and experimentally testing student formulated hypotheses. Fall term annually. 1 credit hour, 3 contact hours |
| BIOL-1040 Biology for Non-Majors Introduction to animals, microorganisms, and plants. Discussion of problems associated with biological organization. The ecology of individuals and populations. Introduction to biochemical, evolutionary, genetic, physiological, and developmental principles. The course considers the biological components of various societal and individual problems. This course meets with BIOL-1010 for lectures but in place of the laboratory, students will consider special topics in an additional class period. (Students cannot receive credit for both this course and BIOL-1010.) Fall term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-2120 Introduction to Cell and Molecular Biology Structural and functional relationships of cells are discussed with regard to similarities among all living organisms. Introduction to cellular biochemistry, metabolism and energy flow, cellular and Mendelian genetics, and the chemical basis of heredity. The laboratory exercises illustrate current concepts in cellular and molecular biology. Spring term annually. 4 credit hours, 6 contact hours |
| BIOL-2160 Introductory Biotechnology The application of biological principles and materials in the production of commercially important products. Fermentation, biocatalysis, hybridoma technology, and plant cell culture are treated in the history and development of modern biotechnology, including social aspects. Prerequisite: BIOL-1010 or BIOL-2120. Spring term even-numbered years. 3 credit hours |
| BIOL-2310 Microbiology The morphology and the physical and chemical activities of bacteria, yeasts, molds, and viruses. Laboratory work in techniques of microbiology. Quantitative aspects. Spring term annually. 4 credit hours, 6 contact hours |
| BIOL-2410 Embryology Anatomical, cellular, and molecular aspects of germ cell formation, fertilization, early development, morphogenesis, induction, and differentiation. Extra-embryonic adaptation and hormonal controls are also discussed, concluding with a summary of current concepts on eucaryotic gene expression and regulation. Prerequisite: BIOL-2120. Summer term annually; spring term odd-numbered years. 4 credit hours, 6 contact hours |
| BIOL-2500 Genetics and Evolution Mechanisms of inheritance in eukaryotes and prokaryotes; genetic mapping, gene expression, cloning and sequencing; quantitative and population genetics, and synthetic theory of evolution. Prerequisite: BIOL-2120. Fall, spring, summer session 2 annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-2900 Research in Biology Independent study program for the purpose of developing research skills under the guidance of a faculty member. This course may be repeated and it cannot count as a biology elective. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Fall, spring, and summer terms annually. 1 to 4 credit hours, 3 to 12 contact hours |
| BIOL-2930 Out-of-Classroom Experience in Biology Credit to be given for an out-of-classroom experience related to biology having intellectual content relevant to the student’s educational or career goals, subject to approval of a written proposal and a final report. The adviser (for biology majors) or, with permission, any Biology faculty member may serve as evaluator. For each out-of-classroom experience, a student may register only once for one to four credit hours. This course cannot be used as a Biology Elective. Fall, spring, and summer terms annually. 1 to 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-2980 Biomedical Research Independent research in health sciences, supervised by a faculty member, for the purpose of developing research skills. Open to students in the accelerated biomedical or biodental curriculums only. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Summer term annually. 6 credit hours |
| BIOL-2990 Research Thesis independent research, supervised by a faculty member, culminating in a written thesis. Cannot be used as a Biology Elective. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Fall, spring, and summer terms annually. 4 credit hours (maximum of 8), 12 contact hours |
| BIOL-4260 Cell Biology Biochemical and morphological evidence underlying current models of cell structure and function. Topics covered include roles of membranes in cell compartmentation, organelle structure and biogenesis, vesicle transport, secretion, cytoskeleton, motility, signaling, mitosis, and cell cycle regulation. Distinctive characteristics of differentiated mammalian cells are examined. The format includes faculty lectures, computer-based tutorials, and student presentations. Prerequisite: BIOL-4760 or permission of instructor. Spring term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4270 Human Physiology I Introduction to fundamental physiological processes, and their mechanism of action in human organismal systems. Membrane structure and function, transport mechanisms, action potentials, and synaptic transmission. Skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle structure, function, and control. Sensory receptors and neural coding. The nervous system. Fall term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4280 Human Physiology II Study of basic physiological principles in human and higher mammalian organisms. Emphasis on interaction and control of physiological systems, their control and interaction. Introduction to circulatory, renal, respiratory, digestive, reproductive, and hormonal systems. Prerequisite: BIOL-4270. Spring term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4290 Human Physiological Systems Study of basic physiological principles in human and higher mammalian organisms. Emphasis on interaction and control of physiological systems. Introduction to neural, motor, sensory, circulatory, renal, respiratory, reproductive, and hormonal systems. Non-Majors only. No prerequisite. Fall term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4310 Industrial Microbiology A survey of the uses of microorganisms in production of commercially important products, decomposition of wastes, and control of nuisance microorganisms. Development of fermentation processes, types of fermentation equipment, product recovery, and fermentation economics are discussed. Prerequisites: BIOL-2310 and BIOL-4760 or CHEM-2250, or permission of instructor. Spring term odd-numbered years. 3 credit hours |
| BIOL-4320 Geomicrobiology Microbial activities on rock and minerals; in soils and sediments. Microbial relationships to fossil fuels. Pertinent topics in limnology and marine microbiology. Prerequisite: BIOL-2310 or BIOL-6310 or ERTH-1010, or permission of instructor. Spring term annually. 3 credit hours |
| BIOL-4360 Introductory Virology Natural history of virus diseases. In vitro virus-cell interactions. Physical and chemical properties of viruses and their nucleic acids. Prerequisite or corequisite: BIOL-2310 or BIOL-2500. Fall term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4370 Introduction to Microbial Physiology Unique aspects of the physiology of bacteria and blue-green algae are considered. Fine structure and function, metabolism and reproduction are integrated into a common framework at the molecular and cellular level. Specific topics include microbial transport, heterotrophy, fermentation, autotrophy, nitrogen, sulfur and carbon metabolism, microbial growth and morphogenesis in the prokaryotes. Prerequisites: BIOL-2310 and BIOL-4760. Spring term odd years. 3 credit hours |
| BIOL-4380 Introduction to Microbial Genetics An introduction to mechanisms of gene transfer in bacteria. Mutant selection and genetic manipulations using classical and recombinant DNA techniques will be discussed. Life cycles of bacteriophage are studied. Discussion of original journal articles will be used to supplement other course material. Prerequisites: BIOL-2120, BIOL-2500. Fall term even-numbered years. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4390 Introductory Medical Microbiology A discussion of pathogenic bacteria. Major topics are the biology, mechanisms of pathogenicity, laboratory identification of these organisms, and the various mechanisms of host defense. Organisms pathogenic for man are stressed. Fall term odd-numbered years. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4410 Plagues, Politics, and People The origin of plagues old and new are the main theme of this course. Through such sources as the Bible and Shakespeare we also see how previous societies have responded to epidemics in ways that are very similar to what we are experiencing now with AIDS, a disease that has and will impact the civilized world like none other in history. An overview of the basic principles of microbiology are woven into the story. Spring term annually. 1 credit hour |
| BIOL-4420 Introductory Immunology An introduction to immune responses, antigen-antibody reactions, antibody structure and formation, blood groups, and antibody-mediated and cell-mediated hypersensitivity. Prerequisites: BIOL-2120 and BIOL-2310. Fall term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4430 AIDS: Paradise Lost AIDS, with its combination of sex, death, and celebrities, holds a strong fascination for our society. The AIDS story is a complex one, shaped by a number of forces. While the primary focus is on the biology of the HIV virus and its interface with the immune system, we do not neglect how social, technical, administrative, political, legal, and economic factors mold the AIDS story. Student presentations of current topics in the AIDS epidemic will be an integral part of the course. (Cross listed as PSYC-4630. Students cannot obtain credit for both this course and PSYC-4630.) Prerequisite: BIOL-2120. Spring term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4440 Microbial Ecology A study of the interactions between microbes and their environments. Discussion includes the physiological ecology of microorganisms (effects of physical parameters on microbial distribution and activities in nature), dispersal mechanisms in nature, associations with higher organisms, and the role of man in manipulating microbial activities. Prerequisite: BIOL-2310 or permission of instructor. Fall term annually. 3 credit hours |
| BIOL-4510 Molecular Genetics Mechanisms of gene action and inheritance at the molecular level. Submicroscopic structure of the cell. Relationships between cell structure and function. Mechanisms of protein and nucleic acid synthesis. Prerequisite: BIOL-2500. Fall term annually. 3 credit hours |
| BIOL-4540 Bioinformatics I The course covers concepts and methods related to information processing in biological systems. Concepts covered include homology, identity and similarity; mechanisms and measures of molecular evolution; introduction to data bases (e.g., GenBank, PDB); search algorithms (BLAST); pairwise sequence alignment using dynamic programming (GAP, BestFit); progressive methods for multiple alignment (CLUSTAL, PILEUP). Selected topics include molecular biology applications (shotgun sequencing analysis, PCR primer design). Prerequisites: MATH-1020, BIOL- 4620, BIOL- 4760. Fall term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4550 Bioinformatics II The course covers use of homology to extract information about structure and function from amino acid sequences. Concepts covered include structural homology, structural motifs and data bases, homology modeling of macromolecules, energy minimization and relaxation, molecular docking, and introduction to molecular dynamics. Prerequisite: BIOL-4540 (Bioinformatics I). Spring term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4620 Molecular Biology Nucleotide biosynthesis; structure, replication, transcription, and translation of nucleic acids; reassociation of nucleic acids; molecular cloning, sequencing, and endonuclease mapping of DNA; control of gene expression in bacteria and higher organisms. Prerequisite: BIOL-2120 and BIOL-2500 (or concurrent). Spring term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4630 Molecular Biology II This course will provide students with an in-depth examination of the molecular mechanisms involved with gene regulation. The goal of this course will be to expose students to the complexity of regulation of specific biological phenomena, emphasizing current areas of research interest. Examples of semester topics include aspects of immunity, the cell cycle and oncogenes, phage replication and infection, and cellular growth and development. Prerequisites: BIOL-4720, BIOL-4760. Fall term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4700 Freshwater Ecology Quantitative examination of major biological fresh water communities. Delineation of the physical and chemical regimes under which aquatic organisms exist. Basic limnological processes are studied to define aquatic systems of differing physical characteristics. Nutrient chemistry analyses of waters of varying acidity, alkalinity, and chemical loadings are related to their trophic status. Microcosm stimulation experiments delineate nutrient and food chain perturbations. Laboratory is taught at the Darrin Fresh Water Institute at Lake George and various field locations in the Adirondacks for two weeks during August. Prerequisite: BIOL-1010 or equivalent or permission of instructor. Summer term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4710 Biochemistry Laboratory Major principles of biochemistry are illustrated, as students purify and analyze specific proteins. Experience is obtained with various techniques including tissue extraction, chromatography, ultracentrifugation, spectrophotometric analysis, and electrophoresis. The course includes extensive hands-on laboratory work, as well as the writing of in-depth reports, and is qualified as a writing-intensive course. (Students cannot obtain credit for both this course and BCBP-4710.) Prerequisite: BIOL-2120. Spring term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4720 Molecular Biology Laboratory The techniques of gel electrophoresis, restriction enzyme mapping, and molecular hybridization are applied to the study of bacterial plasmids and mammalian genes. This is a writing-intensive course. Prerequisite: BIOL-2120. Fall term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4740 Cell and Developmental Biology Laboratory This course examines the biological roles of the extracellular matrix and cytoskeletal proteins in human normal and cancer cells. Experimental techniques include cell culture, immunofluorescence microscopy, computer image analysis, and various biochemical methods. This is a writing-intensive course. Prerequisite: BIOL-2120. Spring term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4760 Molecular Biochemistry I Part I of a two-semester sequence focusing on the chemistry, structure, and function of biological molecules, macromolecules, and systems. Topics covered include protein and nucleic acid synthesis, enzymology, mechanisms of catalysis, regulation, lipids and membranes, carbohydrates, bioenergetics, and carbohydrate metabolism. This course is taught in studio mode. (Students cannot obtain credit for both this course and either BCBP-4760 or CHEM-4760.) Prerequisites: CHEM-2250 or CHEM-2210 and BIOL- 2120 or equivalent. Fall term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4770 Molecular Biochemistry II The second semester of the molecular biochemistry sequence. Topics include lipids and lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism and the coenzymes involved in this metabolism, nucleic acid synthesis and chemistry, protein synthesis and degradation, integration of metabolism, photobiology, and photosynthesis. This course is taught in studio mode.(Students cannot obtain credit for both this course and either BCBP-4770 or CHEM-4770.) Prerequisite: BIOL-4760 or permission of instructor. Spring term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4850 Principles of Ecology A study of the fundamental principles of the ecology of plants and animals. Interrelationships between organisms and their environments are discussed as well as material and energy balances in the ecosystem. Emphasis on the biology of populations (producers, consumers, and decomposers). Prerequisite: BIOL-2120 or BIOL-1010. Fall term annually. 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-4870 Environmental Toxicology A study of the origins, transport, fate, and effects of toxic chemicals in the environment. Includes discussion of selective toxicity, biochemical modification, and tissue interactions for several classes of toxic chemicals. Prerequisites: BIOL-1010 and BIOL-2120. Spring term even-numbered years. 3 credit hours |
| BIOL-4940 Readings in Biology Selected readings in the biological literature to supplement the scientific background of undergraduate students. Cannot be used as a Biology Elective. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Fall, spring, and summer terms annually. 1 to 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-6310 Microbiology An intensive review of the basic concepts of cellular organization, intermediary metabolism, and respiration in microorganisms. Particular emphasis is placed on the relationship between microorganisms and man. Spring term annually. 4 credit hours, 6 contact hours |
| BIOL-6330 Bacterial Physiology Discussion of the physiology of microorganisms. Emphasis placed upon bacteria with pertinent aspects of yeasts, molds, and viruses. Topics cover cell anatomy, growth and reproduction, general metabolism, and microbial enzyme systems. Prerequisite: BIOL-2310. Spring term odd-numbered years. 3 credit hours |
| BIOL-6360 Microbial Genetics A survey of the current status of microbial genetics (bacteria, viruses, and fungi), including discussions of methods and findings in the areas of mutation, adaptation, transformation, transduction, conversion, and recombination. Prerequisites: BIOL-2500 and BIOL-6330. Fall term even-numbered years. 3 credit hours |
| BIOL-6370 General Virology Morphology, physiology, and genetics of viruses affecting bacterial, plant, and animal hosts. Some animal diseases of viral etiology considered. Experimental approach is stressed. Fall term annually. 3 credit hours |
| BIOL-6390 Medical Microbiology Conducted in conjunction with BIOL-4390, with extra readings, etc. Fall term odd-numbered years. 3 credit hours |
| BIOL-6410 Bioinformatics I: Sequence Analysis This studio course covers concepts and methods related to information processing in biological systems. concepts covered include homology, identity, and similarity; mechanisms and measures of molecular evolution; introduction to databases (e.g., GenBank, PDB); search algorithms (BLAST and FASTA); pairwise sequence alignment using dynamic programming (Gap, BestFit); progressive methods for multiple alignment (Pileup, ClustalW); and special topics in sequence analysis. Prerequisites: BIOL-1010, college-level math, or permission of the instructor. Fall term annually. 3 credit hours |
| BIOL-6420 Bioinformatics II: Molecular Modeling This studio course covers use of homology to extract information about structure and function from amino acid sequences. Concepts covered include structural homology, structural motifs and databases, homology modeling of macromolecules, energy minimization and relaxation, water considerations, molecular docking and molecular dynamics. Prerequisites: BIOL-6410 and BIOL-4760 or BCBP-4760 or CHEM-4760 or equivalent, or permission of instructor. Spring term annually. 3 credit hours |
| BIOL-6680 Applied and Environmental Microbiology A survey of applied aspects of microbiology including the application of microorganisms in industrial processes and the roles played by microorganisms in the environment. Emphasis is placed on ways in which microorganisms can be manipulated and controlled for human advantage. Current literature regarding manipulation and regulation of microbial activities is discussed. Prerequisite: BIOL- 2310 or permission of instructor. Spring term even-numbered years. 3 credit hours |
| BIOL-6690 Advanced Molecular Biology Replication, transcription, and translation of genetic information in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. Molecular cloning, sequencing, and reassociation of nucleic acids. Current topics in the literature, based on original research papers. Spring term annually. 3 credit hours |
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BIOL-6720 Molecular Biology of Plants The course will cover several topics that are currently at the forefront of study of the molecular biology of flowering plants. These include: (1) the organization of DNA sequences in nuclear chromosomes and in those of mitochondria and chloroplasts; (2) the regulation of transcription and translation of tissue-specific and environmentally-sensitive genes; (3) gene expression in the development and functioning of chloroplasts and mitochondria; (4) methods of transformation of plants and the use of transgenic plants to answer questions of basic plant molecular biology and development; and (5) the engineering of new traits in plants. The course assumes a familiarity with basic biochemistry and molecular biology. Taught jointly with the State University of New York at Albany. Fall term even-numbered years. 3 credit hours |
| BIOL-6900 Seminar in Biology Weekly discussion of selected topics in biology by graduate students and staff. Fall and spring terms annually. 1 credit hour |
| BIOL-6940 Readings in Biology Readings in the current literature designed to supplement the background of the student and provide greater depth in the area of his or her specialty. Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Fall, spring, and summer terms annually. 1 to 4 credit hours |
| BIOL-6990 Master’s Thesis Active participation in research, under the supervision of a faculty adviser, leading to a master’s thesis. Grades of IP are assigned until the thesis has been approved by the faculty adviser and accepted by the Office of Graduate Education to be archived in a standard format in the library. Grades will then be listed as S. 1-9 credit hours |
| BIOL-9990 Dissertation Active participation in research, under the supervision of a faculty adviser, leading to a doctoral dissertation. Grades of IP are assigned until the dissertation has been publicly defended, approved by the doctoral committee, and accepted by the Office of Graduate Education to be archived in a standard format in the library. Grades will then be listed as S. Variable credit hours |
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Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), 110 8th St., Troy, NY 12180. (518) 276-6000 Please direct questions regarding this site to catalog@rpi.edu. |