Imagine a world where your DNA is sequenced for free and any human gene can be altered at will. The goal of this course is to address the question: can our society be better prepared for this transformation in science? Is genetic privacy achievable or genetic discrimination avoidable? Who owns your genes? Do your genes drive your medical future? Classes involve student perspectives and discussions with experts in science, policy, ethics and law.

This course uses a student-centered approach to explore the diverse careers available to life science PhD students. Students will identify their skills and experiences that match with professional opportunities, and they will develop a career individual development plan to guide their career planning. This class is open to all life science PhD students after the 2nd year in their program. This class is part of the PhD Plus Career Design series.

New course in the subject of biology.

This course introduces grad students to a breadth and depth of concepts and theories in modern ecology and evolutionary biology. The couse is co-taught by two BIOL faculty each fall, with different faculty rotating into the course in alternate years, providing expertise in molecular population genetics, genomics, phylogenetics, integrative biology, speciation, microevolution, life-history evolution, and mating systems.

Introduces professional skills to first-year graduate students in the life sciences. This includes personal skills such as research management, ethics training and career awareness. Skills for communicating in science include small grant writing, poster creation and presentation. Emphasis will be placed on developing a scientific community that recognizes and values diversity.

This course for advanced undergrads focuses on Alzheimer's disease research. The first 3 weeks are didactic. The remainder of the course emphasizes a "journal club¿ format where teams of students lead research paper discussions. Assessment: how well students lead/ participate in journal club discussions, periodic quizzes, and a final exam. Requirements: Students must have completed BIOL 3000 AND BIOL 3050 or PSYC 2200 or PSYC 3200. Anti-Requisite: BIOL 4559 topic: Neurodegenerative Diseases.

This course will explore case studies of research on phenotypes that emphasize the insights and advances gained by bringing a multilevel integrative approach to a target question. Students will learn to apply an integrative perspective to their own research topics by developing a research proposal that expands across levels. This class is open to all life science PhD students with recommendation for those in their 1st or 2nd year.

Independent study under the direction of a Biology faculty member for students to read and critically assess primary research papers and current reviews in a focused area of the life sciences. Directed readings and discussions can be used to explore how contemporary topics and research areas can be incorporated into other formal courses. Students will have the opportunity to develop both scientific writing and oral presentation skills.

Independent wet-lab or dry-lab research for Biology majors, under the supervision of a University of Virginia faculty member in the Department of Biology, with emphasis on experimental design, data acquisition, and data interpretation. Instructor permission required; prior completion of any one of BIOL 3000, BIOL 3010, or BIOL 3020 strongly recommended.

This intensive, graduate-level course is designed to provide a foundational understanding of the principles underlying the development, genetics, and molecular-cellular biology of the nervous system. Over the span of the semester, students will engage with three core areas of neuroscience: Genetics in Neuroscience, Neurodevelopment, Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) of Neurons.