Biological Sciences at UMBC

BIOL430	Biochemistry	Credits: 4 An introductory course describing the essential principles of biochemistry. Topics include the structure and characterization of biological macromolecules, the energetics and thermodynamics of coupled biological reactions, and enzymology. The most important metabolic pathways are described, emphasizing their cellular compartmentalization, integration and control. (Fall) Prerequisites: BIOL 100 and CHEM 352. Recommended: BIOL 303. Note: Also listed as CHEM 430.
BIOL600	Advanced Laboratory Projects in Biological Sciences	Credits: l-4 This course is primarily for graduate students at the M.S. level. It is designed to increase the student's familiarity with modern experimental techniques employed in the biological sciences. Students will be assigned to individually supervised laboratory projects. A detailed account of the progress of the project will be required.
BIOL601	Advanced Tutorial Projects in Biological Sciences	Credits: 1-4 Independent studies to be carried out by graduate students under the supervision of a faculty member. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
BIOL602	Introduction to Laboratory/Field Research	Credits: 1- 3 The purpose of this course is to introduce incoming graduate students to the breadth of possible research areas at UMBC. A student taking this course will do research for roughly half a regular semester in each of two or three professors' laboratories. This will provide the student with an acquaintance with laboratory techniques and faculty members in several areas before making a decision on his or her thesis advisor. One credit is earned per laboratory.
BIOL605	Advanced Topics in Comparative Animal Physiology	Credits: 4 This course takes a comparative approach to the study of how various selective pressures have resulted in the evolution of specific solutions to physiological problems. These solutions are viewed within the context of the fundamental limitations to biological evolution that are set by the physical and chemical properties of matter. The exact topic will change from semester to semester. Representative topics might include vision, temperature regulation and thermal tolerance, renal physiology, or cognitive neurophysiology. Most of the material covered will be from original research reports that will be evaluated critically by each student. Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor.
BIOL610	Management of Municipal Aquaria	Credits: 2 This course will focus on the organization and operation of aquaria and aquaculture facilities. The scientific and practical criteria used to select the mammals, fish, and invertebrates displayed at aquaria or the species grown commercially by aquaculture methods will be described, as will the taxonomy, ecology, population dynamics, collection methods, transportation, nutrition, methods of handling, and health maintenance of those species. Finally, the roles and missions of such facilities will be discussed, with particular attention to aquaria. This segment of the course will demonstrate how marketing and visitors' services as well as programs in education and research are used to meet civic responsibilities and public concerns.
BIOL611	Bacterial Physiology	Credits: 4 The combined approaches of bacterial genetics, molecular biology and biochemistry are applied to the study of bacterial physiological processes. An emphasis is placed on examining adaptation strategies used by bacteria upon encountering alterations in environment. Topics include mechanisms of transcriptional and pos translational control, regulation of carbon and nitrogen metabolism, biosynthesis, energy transduction, signal transduction systems, and bacterial development, Prerequisites: BIOL 302 and BIOL 303 or consent of instructor. BI0L 430 or CHEM 437 is recommended.
BIOL614 also BIOL414 for APMB	Eukaryotic Genetics and Molecular Biology	Credits: 4 Genetics and molecular biology of lower and higher eukaryotes and their viruses. The course will focus on the maintenance and expression of genetic material as it relates to cell growth and development. It will cover current topics in the molecular genetics of several lower and higher eukaryotes at an advanced level, including mechanisms of genetic control that operate at the level of DNA replication, transcription, and translation. Topics to include the molecular basis of phenomena such as gene amplification, global control of transcription initiation, protein sorting and secretion, control of yeast mating type as a model for development, the origin of antigen diversity, oncogenesis, pattern formation in Drosophila, sex determination in mammals. (Fall)Prerequisites: BIOL 302 and BIOL 303 or consent of instructor.
BIOL617	Cytogenetics	Credits: 4 A course designed to cover major topics in cytology and cytogenetics. Half lecture/seminar, half laboratory. The lecture material includes such topics as chromosome structure, rearranged chromosomes, aneuploidy, and supernumerary chromosomes, and chromosome behavior during meiosis. Prerequisites: BIOL 302, 302L, and 303 or permission of instructor.
BIOL620	Advanced Topics in Cell Biology	Credits: 4 A course designed to acquaint graduate students with contemporary problems of structure and function at the cellular level through a critical examination of the current literature. The course will include both lecture material, with an emphasis on the experimental basis of current knowledge, and presentations by students of oral and written reports on selected topics. The area covered in any semester will vary according to recent developments in the field and according to the interests of the students and faculty. The list of available areas includes: structure and function of biomembranes; composition, structure, and replication of chromosomes; assembly, growth, and reproduction of cytoplasmic organelles; cellular growth and division; regulation of cellular function; nuclear-cytoplasmic interactions. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: BIOL 303, and/or consent of the instructor.
BIOL622L	Biological Electron Microscopy	Credits: 3 Theory and practice of the study of biological materials with the high resolution of electron microscope. Specimens will be prepared for examination by a variety of modern procedures. These include: tissue and cell fixation, embedding for ultrathin sectioning; carbon film preparation, mounting of particulate materials and macromolecules; positive and negative staining; metal shadowing in the vacuum evaporator; critical point drying. An introduction to scanning electron microscopy will be provided. The photographic darkroom procedures required for the production of finished electron micrographs are included. Prerequisites: BIOL 303 and/or the consent of the instructor.
BIOL624	Structure and Function of Animal Tissues	Credits: 3 Function and microscopic anatomy of major vertebrate organ systems. Emphasis on correlation of structure and function, particularly at the level of the cell and tissue. Topics presented include: integumentary, digestive, urinary, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, reproductive, and immune systems. Prerequisites: BIOL 303, BIOL 303L and CHEM 352.
BIOL624L	Laboratory in Animal Tissue Structure	Credits: 1 This laboratory is designed to provide the advanced student with an intensive understanding of the structure of cells and tissues. Prepared slides of tissues are used to supplement and illustrate the materials presented in BIOL 424. Emphasis is placed in recognition of cell and tissue types. Drawing of cells and tissues is required. Prerequisite or concurrent: BIOL 424.
BIOL625	Immunology	Credits: 4 This course will pursue in depth the rapidly expanding areas of cellular, humoral, and tumor immunology. Following a brief overview of the immune system's response to exogenous antigen, the course will concentrate on such topics as: antibody production, structure, and gene organization; lymphocyte subpopulations; cell-cell interactions; cell-mediated immune responses; cell surface alloantigens; histocompatibility; immunogenetics; transplantation and tumor immunology. The exact content of the course will vary from year to year depending on the status of research in the field. Prerequisites: BIOL 302 and BIOL 303, or consent of the instructor; BIOL 430 is recommended.
BIOL626 also BIOL426 for APMB	Approaches to Molecular Biology	Credits: 4 This course will focus on the molecular biology of eukaryotic cells and will include such topics as the sequence organization of DNA and genes, chromosome structure, messenger RNA synthesis and processing, messenger RNA translation, and the regulation of the expression of genetic information. Prerequisites: BIOL 302 and BIOL 303, or consent of the instructor.
BIOL628	Computer Applications in Molecular Biology	Credits: 4 This course is designed as an introduction for biology and biochemistry students to the use of applications software in the analysis of DNA, RNA, and protein sequence data. The course will be taught in a lab/lecture format with 2 lecture hours and 4 lab hours per week. Topics will include operating systems, telecommunications with off-campus databases, specific software packages for general and analytical treatment of DNA, RNA, and protein sequence data. Some elementary programming will be included. Prerequisites: BIOL 302 and BIOL 303.