General principles of biology focusing on the basic chemistry of life, cell biology, molecular biology, and genetics in all types of living organisms. Particular emphasis will be given to links between the fundamental processes covered and current challenges of humankind in the areas of energy, food, and health.

The goal of this course is to convey a basic understanding of human genome science and in so doing, to learn of its impact on treatment of human disease and discernment of aspects of human identity. Our current understanding of the structure and function of genes will allow a personalized treatment for many diseases, but just how such advances are applied will involve ethical as well as scientific considerations. We will discuss how the field of genetics has been changed dramatically by the ability to clone and sequence genes, and then to be further transformed by massive sequencing of whole genomes. A major part of the course will be devoted to how these advances have led to understanding and treatment of genetic disease and cancer. We will also discuss the tremendous potential (and dangers) of gene editing advances. Finally, we will explore how genomics has allowed an understanding of deep human history, as well as the ability to decipher one's more immediate ancestry. Readings will be from a number of books written for an informed general audience rather than from a textbook. The seminar should be of interest to those who would like to fulfill their Living World General Education requirement, and particularly also to those who eventually might be interested in taking courses in the Life Sciences but initially would like an introductory seminar-type approach within a focused area.

Introductory computational biology course designed for both biology students and computer science, engineering students. The course will cover fundamentals of algorithms, statistics, and mathematics as applied to biological problems. In particular, emphasis will be given to biological problem modeling and understanding the algorithms and mathematical procedures at the "pencil and paper" level. That is, practical implementation of the algorithms is not taught but principles of the algorithms are covered using small sized examples. Topics to be covered are: genome annotation and string algorithms, pattern search and statistical learning, molecular evolution and phylogenetics, functional genomics and systems level analysis.

We will use the Area de Conservacion Guanacaste (ACG) in Costa Rica as a living laboratory and case study in how to effectively foster community based environmental stewardship of natural ecosystems. This is an immersion course that broadly covers four major themes including: 1, biodiversity; 2, conservation philosophies and practices; 3, primary ecosystems within the Costa Rican ACG and their major species composition; and 4, fundamentals of field ecology (terrestrial and marine) including the practice and implementation of the scientific method. Students will learn how to develop and conduct research experiments via field-based activities, and will gain familiarity with a diversity of terrestrial and marine organisms including insects, endemic and invasive species of terrestrial flora and megafauna, corals, algae, invertebrates, fish, sea turtles and marine mammals. Additional topics covered will include fundamentals of oceanography, ecological and evolutionary principles as applied to ecosystem structure, function, and biodiversity, and environmental and management challenges of the Costa Rican ACG and tropical ecosystems globally.

This course will focus on the molecular basis of neurological diseases, exploring in detail key papers that cover topics including defining the disease genes, development of animal models that provide mechanistic insight, and seminal findings that reveal molecular understanding. Diseases covered will include neurological diseases of great focus today such as Alzheimer's, Fragile-X and autism, dementia, motor neuron degeneration, and microsatellite repeat expansion disorders. The course will provide a perspective from initial molecular determination through current status. Students will gain an understanding of how the molecular basis of a disease is discovered (from classical genetics to modern genomics) and how such diseases can be modeled in simple genetic systems for mechanistic insight. The course will be comprised of lectures with detailed analysis of primary literature and in-class activities. Grading will be based on class participation, exams, and written papers.

An introduction to marine biology and oceanography. Topics will include chemical and physical oceanography, a survey of form, function and phylogeny of algae, invertebrates and vertebrates, and an examination of ecological and evolutionary principles as applied to marine organisms and ecosystems.

Integrative seminar on current biological research for first-year PhD students.

This course will survey the discipline of molecular genetics. Two broad areas will be considered: 1) Molecular biology: DNA replication, transcription, translation, and the regulation of gene expression in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems and genomics and 2) Genetics: basic Mendelian & molecular genetics.

This course will survey the discipline of molecular genetics. Two broad areas will be considered: 1) Molecular biology: DNA replication, transcription, translation, and the regulation of gene expression in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems and genomics and 2) Genetics: basic Mendelian & molecular genetics.