101      Diversity of Life Explores organismic diversity, functional morphology, embryogenesis and ecology from an evolutionary perspective. Enrollment is restricted to aquatic resources students. Three credits and a laboratory. Visit the Course Homepage here. 

102      Introductory Cell Biology Explores cell biology (organelle structure and function) and basic genetics. Enrollment is restricted to human nutrition and aquatic resources students. Three credits and a laboratory. Visit the Course Homepage here. 

105      Basic Cell Biology Covers basic cell biology and genetics with a human orientation. Enrollment is restricted to nursing students. Three credits and a tutorial. 

115      Microbes in Human Biology An introduction to microorganisms from a human and environmental perspective. This course deals primarily with viruses, bacteria and fungi and their interactions with the human species. Topics include bacterial structure, function and diversity, disease and antibiotics, and aspects of applied microbiology. Limited to students of nursing. Prerequisites: BUOL 105; CHEM 150 completed or concurrent. Three credits and a tutorial. 

201      Animal Biology An introduction to major groups of animals emphasizing the structure, physiology and way of life of certain species. Three credits and a laboratory. 

202      Plant Biology An introduction to the diversity, form and function of plants emphasizing the biology of land plants. Organisms are treated from the perspectives of evolution, reproduction, physiology, and ecology. Three credits and a laboratory. 

203      Introductory Ecology An introduction to the fundamental concepts of ecology, focusing on factors affecting the abundance and distribution of plant and animal populations. Three credits and a laboratory. 

204      Introductory Genetics An introduction to the mechanisms of inheritance, structure of the genome, and genetic analysis. Concepts emphasized include DNA structure and function, gene regulation, mutation, repair, linkage and gene manipulation. Laboratory involves problem solving and performing genetic crosses with fruit flies. Three credits and a laboratory.
Visit the Course Homepage here. 

220      Current Topics in Biology (for Arts students) Topics include: life in its relationship to the physical world; heredity and evolution, with emphasis on the human organism; ecological problems posed by pollution, the depletion of natural resources; social behavior from a biological perspective. Available only to arts students in their third or fourth year or with permission of the instructor. Six credits, no laboratory.

251      Human Anatomy and Physiology I An integrated study of the Integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous and endocrine systems of the human body. The course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive working knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of these systems, which can be applied to their particular programs. Enrollment is limited to students in human kinetics, human nutrition, or nursing. For students not taking CHEM 100 or 150 a tutorial will be required. Three credits and a laboratory. 

252      Human Anatomy and Physiology II An integrated study of the cardiovascular, respiratory, urinary, reproductive and digestive systems of the human body. The course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive working knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of these systems, which can be applied to their particular programs. Enrollment is limited to students in human kinetics, human nutrition, or nursing. For students not taking CHEM 100 or 150 a tutorial will be required. Three credits and a laboratory. Credit may be awarded for only one of BIOL 304 and 252. 

301      Form and Function in Animals This course will introduce and apply the physical concepts required to understand form and function in the complexity of biological processes. Prerequisite: PHYS 100. three credits and a laboratory. Visit the Course Homepage here. 

302      Evolution An introduction to the evolutionary process. Lecture topics will include: natural selection and adaptation, Darwin and his detractors, the process of speciation, methods of phylogenic reconstruction, human evolution. Prerequisite: 18 credits in BIOL. Three credits and an evening tutorial. 

304      Vertebrate Physiology This course provides integrated information on how organs work, embellished with examples from 'primitive' and 'advanced' vertebrates, including the human, with the overarching theme of the functional evolution of vertebrates. Systems covered include neural, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, acid-base, reproductive, and endocrine. Credit may be awarded for only one of BIOL 304 and 252. Three credits and a laboratory. 

307      Field Biology A lecture, laboratory, and field based course providing practical experience in the observation, collection, identification and quantification of organisms in nature. The course is held for two weeks in May, and will emphasize field ecology, and deal with some or all of the following groups of organisms: birds, small mammals, fish, plants, marine algae, marine invertebrates, insects. Three credits and a laboratory. 

311      Marine Biology I An introductory course in marine biology emphasizing photosynthetic organisms in an ecological context. Lectures will introduce oceanographic principles but will emphasize the ecological and functional roles of primary producers in marine communities such as plankton, kelp forests, intertidal zones, and salt marshes. The processes associated with structuring of marine communities and humanity's impact on the ocean are also stressed. Three credits and a laboratory. 

312      Marine Biology II A continuation of Marine Biology I but focused on animal life in the ocean. Lectures will emphasize ecological and functional relationships among organisms in selected marine ecosystems such as coral reefs, intertidal zones and deep sea. Human utilization of and impact on marine resources will also be discussed. Prerequisites: BIOL 311, 342. Three credits and a laboratory. 

315      Introductory Microbiology A course providing a broad perspective on the microbial world and its role in the biosphere. The diversity, morphology, and physiology of prokaryotic microorganisms will be discussed. Laboratories will stress basic microbiological techniques including microscopic examination, isolation from natural environments, enumeration and examination of physiology. Human nutrition may only take his course upon completion of BIOL 105 (102), CHEM 221 and 255. Three credits and a laboratory. 

317      Molecular Biology An introduction to the major biological molecules, their isolation and analysis. Topics to be discussed include the theory and techniques of cell breakage, molecular analysis and quantification by manipulation of DNA. Laboratories will be a practical application of some of the techniques described in lectures. Prerequisites: BIOL 315, CHEM 221 and 255. Three credits and a laboratory. Not offered 1999-2000. 

320      Biology of Cancer An introduction to the problem of cancer, emphasizing the cellular and molecular biology of carcinogenesis in humans and model systems. The multicausal, multistep nature of the process will be highlighted, including the role of viruses, oncogenes, carcinogens and ionizing radiations. Students are required to prepare a critical article on an aspect of cancer research. Three credits and a tutorial. Prerequisite: BIOL 395. Visit the Course Homepage here. 

321      Environmental Ecology of Mariculture This course explores the environmental implications of mariculture, the aquaculture of marine species. The course introduces students to the various types of mariculture, with special emphasis on Canadian examples. The course then examines all established aspects of the environmental impact of mariculture on coastal marine ecosystems. Legal implications, licensing practices, and other regulatory aspects pertaining to environmental impact will also be discussed. Prerequisites: AQUA 100 and BIOL 203, or usual BIOL prerequisites. 

322      Marine Pollution An example of the sources, types, fate and ecological effects of pollution that enters the marine environment. Lecture material will be augmented, whenever possible, with examples drawn from Atlantic Canada, with special emphasis on the pulp and paper industry, and offshore hydrocarbon exploration and development. Laboratory material will deal with topics such as detection of the pollutants, toxicity testing, regulatory aspects, and effluent treatment. Prerequisites: AQUA 100 and BIOL 203, or usual BIOL prerequisites. 

331      Biostatistics Strongly recommended for all major, advanced major, and honours students. An investigation of statistics and experimental design in the context of biological and health science issues. Topics include analysis of variance, analysis of categorical data, distribution-free tests, and linear and multiple regression. Students will learn how to analyze data and interpret conclusions using a statistical software package. Three credits and a one-hour laboratory. 

335      Developmental Biology An introduction to animal embryology placed in a modern context. Laboratories emphasize key events in embryogenesis of selected animals, including experiments on metamorphosis and regeneration. Three credits and a laboratory. Not offered 1999-2000. 

342      Invertebrate Zoology A comparative study of the morphology, taxonomy, physiology, and ecology of the invertebrate animals with emphasis on phylogeny. A collection of 25 invertebrate specimens emphasizing diversity is a partial requirement for this course. Instructions and materials for the collection can be obtained from the instructor. Three credits and a laboratory. 

343      Comparative Anatomy of Vertebrates A comparative study of the anatomy of chordate animals with emphasis on vertebrate phylogeny. Laboratory study of the anatomy of selected chordate specimens. Three credits and a laboratory.

375      Human Biomechanics This course provides a mechanical analysis of body-motion, including everyday activities from walking to athletic events such as cycling. Laboratories will introduce the basic physical principles, and the use of high speed video cameras in the analysis of physical performance. Three credits and a laboratory. Cross-listed as HKIN 375. Visit the Course Homepage here. 

385      Animal Behavior An introduction to the principles of behavioral ecology using illustrations from throughout the animal kingdom with emphasis on vertebrates. Examination of the physiological and ecological bases of behavior. Several topics relating to communications, mating systems and sociobiology are covered. Three credits and a laboratory. 

387      Paleontology Principles of paleontology including methods of analysis of fossil individuals, populations and species; biostratigraphy; paleoecology; biogeography; evolution and extinction. The origin and major events in the history of life from an evolutionary and ecological perspective. Laboratory study of selected fossil groups, field and laboratory techniques. Prerequisite: GEOL 100 or 170. Cross-listed as GEOL 385. Three credits and a laboratory. 

390      Plant Physiology An introduction to the physiology of vascular plants. Lectures will integrate the knowledge that has been gained by experimentation at the various levels of plant organization, from the molecular to the organ level, into an overall concept of how plants function. Prerequisites: CHEM 255, BIOL 202. Three credits and a laboratory.

395      Cell Biology an introduction into the eukaryotic cell. The relationships between biochemical mechanisms and organelle functions will be emphasized. The techniques used to study cell function will be examined in lectures and in laboratory practicals. Prerequisites: CHEM 100 and 255. Three credits and a laboratory. Visit the Course Homepage here. 

401      Comparative Physiology and Biophysics An introduction to physical aspects of biological systems. Topics include: application of solid and fluid mechanics to living systems and mechanics of locomotion. Prerequisites: BIOL 304, MATH 110, PHYS 100. Three credits and a laboratory. Visit the Course Homepage here. 

402      Membrane Biology Molecular biology, physiology, and biophysics of membranes in animal cells are studied in order to integrate single membrane function into the operation of tissues and organs. Emphasis is on transport channels, enzymes and their regulation in normal cells and membrane disorders. Prerequisites: BIOL 304, PHYS 100, CHEM 255. Three credits and a laboratory. Not offered 1999-2000. 

404      Comparative Endocrinology Principles and concepts in vertebrate and invertebrate control systems, including principal actions of hormones and neurohormones, hormone interactions and the evolution of endocrine control. Prerequisite: BIOL 304. Three credits and a laboratory. 

415      Biogeography a lecture and seminar course dealing with the description and interpretation of present and past distributions of plants and animals. There will be integration of evolutionary, ecological and historical concepts, and both aquatic and terrestrial organisms will be considered. A term paper is required and students will present a seminar. Three credits and an evening tutorial. 

417      Microbial Pathogenics This course will provide a general overview of a host's defense mechanisms including immune and inflammatory responses, and will describe the pathogenic interactions between humans and different types of microbes with an emphasis on bacterial systems. Students will be required to present at least one seminar and produce a research paper. Prerequisite: BIOL 315. Three credits and a laboratory. Not offered 1999-2000. 

425      Advanced Cell Biology Discussion will focus on currently researched questions in eukaryotic cell structure and function, and will emphasize advanced experimental techniques used to probe the cell. Prerequisites: BIOL 295 or 395 and CHEM 255. Three credits and a laboratory. 

430      Genes and Development An examination of the molecular-genetic basis of development in multicellular organisms, this course highlights the use of model organisms, mutants, gene cloning, and gene-engineering to explore how genes, proteins and cells interact in the development of animal and plant bodies. A research paper and short seminar are required; laboratories examine development in the fruit fly Drosophilaand the mustard cress Arabidoposis. BIOL 355 is a recommended prerequisite. Three credits and a laboratory. Visit the Course Homepage here. 

445      Experimental Phycology A laboratory and seminar course dealing with the biology of marine algae. Seminars will examine a diversity of research-oriented topics in algal development and cell biology. Emphasis will be on laboratory work where students will obtain training in fluorescence microscopy, photomicroscopy and algal culturing. Students will be required to present at least one seminar and produce a research paper. Three credits and a laboratory. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. 

465      Electron Microscopy An introduction to the theory and practical application of electron microscopy to research. Laboratories will emphasize the use of EM techniques to investigate current research problems as well as basic photographic techniques required to prepare a manuscript for publication. A research paper and a short seminar will be required. Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Three credits and a laboratory. Not offered 1999-2000. 

470      Environmental Microbiology This course describes the impact of microorganisms on the structure of natural environments and will cover such topics as plant-microbe interactions, bigeochemical cycling, diagnoses and bioremediation. Microbial ecosystems of aquatic, terrestrial and extreme environments will be discussed and examined in a laboratory setting. Prerequisites: BIOL 315. Three credits and a laboratory. 

472      Freshwater Ecology A study of the physical, chemical and biological features of freshwater that affect the abundance and distribution of plants and animals. A major portion of the laboratory sessions will involve field trips to local examples of typical freshwater ecosystems. Each student will be required to prepare a 20-minute seminar on some aspect of applied freshwater ecology. Three credits and a laboratory. 

473      Wildlife Ecology An introduction to the principles of wildlife ecology including those factors which influence the distribution and abundance of populations. This field-oriented course will focus on vertebrate species, especially those that occupy habitats within the local aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Guest lecturers will emphasize field techniques and current issues in applied wildlife ecology (wildlife management). Three credits and a laboratory. 

475      Accessing the Biological Literature Library resources and on-line databases will be used to write an easy on a topic presented in the department seminar series. Restricted to senior advanced majors and honours students. Students taking this course must also take one other 400-level course, excluding BIOL 491. Three credits. 

491      Senior Seminar Seminars on topics of major biological interest are presented by faculty members and visiting scientists. This course is required of all biology advanced majors and honours students in their final year of study. No credit. 

493      Senior Dissertation (honours) Three credits.