This course will examine the scientific basis of public policy decision making in areas of human health, the environment, energy, and agriculture. A general understanding of the science involved in these areas - predominantly genetics, cell biology, physiology, and ecology - will be applied to topics such as drug and herbicide resistance, endangered species, regulation of biotechnology, microbial sources of energy, control of toxic substances, and the war against cancer. No formal background in biology or policy is required. The course should be particularly useful for non-science students who would like to gain insight into areas of biology of importance to public decision making and to students of public policy who would like a better background on biological issues.

Advanced version of BIOL 376: Microbial Diversity and Pathogenesis Lab for graduate students only. Additional readings and course work as directed.

Advanced version of BIOL 375: Microbial Diversity and Pathogenesis for graduate students only. Additional readings and course work as directed.

The logic and methodology of genetic analysis in plants and animals. This lecture course will focus on the use of mutations to study gene function and higher order biological processes, methods for reporting and manipulating gene expression, and analysis

Discussion of special research topics.

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 genom

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 genom

Advanced seminar on current topics in human genomics and human evolution. Topics include the methods used for mapping and sequencing genomes; phylogenetic and population genetic analysis; and detecting variation in the human genome. This course is designe