Courses

Courses I am teaching (or have taught).  Please consult the official calendar for the most up-to-date  information on these courses and their prerequisites.

Undergraduate

BIOL101 - Organisms in their Environment

A comparative approach to the three Domains of life, including structure, diversity, physiology, and ecology. This course is designed for biology majors, pre-professional students, secondary education science students, and those wanting two semesters of biology.  BIOL100 recommended.

BIOL402 - Evolution

This course explores the evidence supporting evolution as a scientific theory, its role as the main unifying theory of biology, and how biologists use evolution to guide research. Topics covered include molecular evolution, phylogeny, the history of life, natural selection and adaptation, the evolution of life histories, speciation, and macroevolution.

Prerequisites: BIOL205

BIOL406 - Genomics and Bioinformatics

This course covers the fundamental theories and bioinformatic methodologies underlying comparative, evolutionary, and functional genomics, with examples from bacteria, plants, animals and humans.

Prerequisites: CS110 and BIOL305

BIOL457 - Environmental Microbiology

This course focuses on understanding the interactions of microorganisms with their environment. Topics include ecology, diversity, and biotechnological applications of microbial communities, including those from extreme and unusual environments. The use of molecular approaches to identify and characterize microbial communities will be emphasized. 

Prerequisites: BIOL275 and BIOL288

BIOL490BM - Independent Research Project - Microbial Genetics and Genomics I

This research-based course provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to learn basic laboratory and/or computational techniques, and develop the necessary  scientific skills that will allow them to initiate their own unique research project. 

Prerequisites:  **Permission of the Instructor is required to register.

BIOL490BO - Independent Research Project - Microbial Genetics and Genomics II

This advanced research-based course provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to conduct their own independent research.  Topics include, but are not limited to, microbial pathogenicity, disease determinants, host-microbe interactions, and antibiotic production and resistance.  Students may also choose to explore unique research questions in genetics or evolutionary, comparative, and functional genomics using only bioinformatic and computational approaches. 

Prerequisites: BIOL490BM, **Permission of the Instructor is required to register.**

Past Courses

BIOL220 - Introductory Microbiology

This is an introductory microbiology course covering microbial structure, physiology, genetics and environmental relationships, mainly with respect to bacteria, but also in part with the fungi, Rickettsiae, and viruses. Basic concepts of the immune response will also be covered. 

Prerequisites: BIOL100, BIOL101, CHEM104

Graduate

BIOL835AK - Microbial Pathogenesis

A directed readings course that allows graduate students to explore advanced concepts in microbial pathogenesis, virulence, and host specificity, and their relationship to emerging infectious diseases. 

BIOL830AL - Principles of Applied and Environmental Microbiology

A directed readings course for graduate students that will allow students to explore various topics in applied and environmental microbiology. 

BIOL830AG - Topics in Molecular Genetics

A directed readings course that allows graduate students to explore advanced topics in molecular genetics.

BIOL880AK - Genomics and Bioinformatics

This course covers the fundamental theories and bioinformatic methodologies underlying comparative, evolutionary, and functional genomics, with examples from bacteria, plants, animals and humans.