Two-hour, weekly discussion of recent advances in biology; attend biology seminars, interact with seminar speakers, explore the philosophy and practice of science, and learn skills in oral and written research presentation. Prerequisite: Fourth-year DMP in Biology.

An exposure to the working techniques and interactions of the modern Biological Laboratory. Required of all first-year biology graduate students.

Two-hour, weekly discussion of recent advances in biology; attend biology seminars, interact with seminar speakers, explore the philosophy and practice of science, and learn skills in oral and written research presentation. Prerequisite: Fourth-year DMP in Biology.

A weekly discussion and workshop co-organized by participating faculty to provide guidance and advice to students on completing their research or independent study and writing their thesis. Occasional seminars and opportunities to meet outside speakers will continue in this semester. This course will be taken in the fourth year. Prerequisite: DMP in Human Biology.

The extraordinary diversity of the southern Appalachians will be used to explore the world of plants. We will visit unique mountain habitats to study the different species assemblages in these ecologically wide-ranging sites. Based upon our observations and analyses, we will critique contemporary views of the most effective conservation units (individual, population, species, family, habitat) and the methods used to achieve conservation goals.

Emphasis on the functions and integration of human nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, and renal systems in maintaining homeostasis, and by extension, health. Normal function, from cells to organs, of each system provides a foundation for study of mechanisms that lead to dysfunction and the identification of potential therapeutic targets and strategies.

One of the most important characteristics of life is the ability to reproduce. In order to produce new life, multicellular organisms evolved specialized cells whose only purpose is reproduction ¿ the germ cells. Germ cells are the only cells that persist from one generation to the next and are often called immortal. We will decipher how these totipotent stem cells function in order to faithfully create the next generation of organisms.

This course will provide an in-depth exploration of the field of regenerative biology, focusing on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying tissue regeneration and repair in animals. We will explore the cellular basis of different types of regeneration and search for shared molecular mechanisms. With an eye towards the future, we¿ll also explore the implications for advancing regenerative medicine.

This course introduces students to foundational and modern neuroscience research techniques through laboratory investigations. Neuroscience is explored at the molecular, systems, and behavioral level. Topics covered include neuroanatomy, electrophysiology, biopotentials, development, histology, and microscopy. An emphasis is placed on structure-function relationships, experimental design, and application of techniques in research.

We will focus on the ecology and evolution of reptiles and amphibians, leveraging their diversity in the southeastern US. In both the field and laboratory, we will study 1) the evolutionary relationships among reptiles and amphibians, 2) key evolutionary innovations that characterize each major lineage, 3) reptile and amphibian systems in ecological and evolutionary research, and 4) location and identification of reptiles and amphibians.