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Bioinformatics Concentration

The Bioinformatics Concentration is offered to students majoring in Biology, Mathematics, and Computer Science.

In order to obtain a concentration in Bioinformatics a student must complete a number of core and elective requirements. Courses that count towards a student's primary major can be used to simultaneously count towards the bioinformatics core or elective requirements as well. For example, the basic requirements for the biology major will automatically fulfill the required elective course requirement at the level of BIOL 2000 or above, and the BIOL 4200, BIOL 5240, or BIOL 6160 courses can double count to fulfill biology electives. Computer science majors will naturally fulfill the three CS course requirement in their primary coursework. Computer science students taking the B.S. option will also naturally fulfill the Probability requirement through CSCI 2244 (Randomness and Computation).

One elective course may be substituted by a semester of research in bioinformatics. Students wishing to pursue this option should visit the Biology Department (Higgins 355) for course approval.

Concentration in Cell Biology and Development

The fields of cell and developmental biology aim to discover the functions and activities of cells, and how these cells function in concert to develop functional organisms. Cells vary incredibly in form and function, from free-living bacterial spirochetes to meter-long motor neurons. Cell biology focuses on the molecules and macromolecular structures in cells and their respective functions, the biochemistry of the reactions underlying a cell鈥檚 function, and the ways in which cells interact and communicate with each other. Developmental Biology asks how single unspecialized cells differentiate and become more specialized and how groups of cells in multicellular organisms undergo morphogenesis, the process of anatomical structure formation. Fundamentally, the field of Developmental Biology seeks to understand the mechanisms by which organisms go from fertilized egg to functional, reproductive adult.

Courses in this concentration will explore the elaborate architecture of eukaryotic cells, the genetic and molecular basis of cell differentiation and morphogenesis, and the molecular biology of basic cell functions and organismal development. This concentration will provide excellent preparation for students interested in pursuing an allied health career or graduate studies in cell/molecular/developmental biology, direct entry into a research or technical position, or other careers. It is also a good choice for students who simply wish to understand how life works at the cellular level.

Concentration in General Biology

A concentration in General Biology provides students with the greatest degree of course flexibility. Students uncertain of their post-graduate goals or who wish to experience a wide variety of biology sub-disciplines can choose any biology elective 3000 level or higher to complete their degree. Such course selection can complete the requirements for medical school and allied health, prepare students for research and teaching and provide science exposure suitable for a wide variety of careers in areas such as business, public health and law. The General Biology concentration is the default for students not completing one of the other more specific concentrations in Microbiology, Cell Biology and Development, Physiology and Organismal Biology or Genetics and Genomics. All courses within these concentrations (with the exception of biostatistics) can be applied to the General Biology concentration

Concentration in Genetics and Genomics

Genetics is the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity, which all have at their core nucleic acid sequences. The field of genetics examines how genetic information is transmitted from parent to offspring or from cell to cell, and the term genetics also broadly encompasses the use of mutant organisms to assign biological functions to DNA sequences. With advances in DNA sequencing methods, genome-wide analyses have become common. Genomics studies include investigations of the structure and evolution of entire genomes and the simultaneous examination of the role of each gene of an organism鈥檚 genome in a particular biological process or response, e.g., identifying all of the genes that are activated in response to infection with a particular pathogen. Because all biological processes are carried out by the products of genes, genetics is relevant to every life form on Earth, and sequencing technologies are driving a growing role for genetics in research and in human society, e.g., in the identification of linkage between genes and disease risk.

The Genetics and Genomics concentration provides preparation for graduate study in many areas of biological science, as well as professional study in medical school or other post-graduate programs. Graduates with a BS degree may pursue careers in medicine, genetic counseling, biotechnology, bioinformatics, forensics, or work as technicians in university, hospital, government, or industrial research laboratories.

Concentration in Microbiology

Microbiology is the study of organisms that are too small to be seen with the naked eye. This includes, Bacteria, Archaea, viruses, and single-celled eukaryotes. Microorganisms, or microbes, thrive in nearly all environments, from deep sea thermal vents to the human gut where it is estimated that there are more bacteria present than eukaryotic cells in the human body. Microbes perform important functions as part of biogeochemical cycling, bioremediation, biotechnology, and are critical for human health and nutrition, as well as cause human disease. Furthermore, microbes are important experimental systems to study cell physiology, photosynthesis, ecology, evolution, genetics, biotechnology, biochemistry, and human health, reaching into many areas of biology.

The microbiology concentration provides preparation for graduate study in many areas of biological science, as well as professional study in medical, dental, or veterinary school. Graduates with a BS degree may pursue careers in medicine, environmental or food safety, biotechnology, or work as technicians in university, hospital, government, or industrial research laboratories.

Concentration in Physiology and Organismal Biology

Physiology and organismal biology are broad, integrative, and overlapping disciplines that generally focus on the study of life above the cellular level. Physiology integrates molecular, cellular, systems, and whole-body functions of organisms. Related courses in the department mainly emphasize the study of vertebrates and provide a foundation for the understanding of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical basis of human physiology. Organismal biology focuses on the mechanisms that contribute to the form, function, and behavior of whole organisms. Courses in this area approach these subjects in an ecological and evolutionary context. The concentration offers opportunities to gain hands-on experience through upper-level electives that include a laboratory section (e.g., Human Anatomy, Human Physiology) or advanced experience courses (e.g.,聽Vertebrate Biomechanics, 聽Cancer as a Metabolic Disease). Additionally, research, mentoring, or teaching opportunities may be arranged with core faculty.

This concentration prepares students for a wide variety of career paths, including the perusal of advanced degrees in human and veterinary medicine and graduate research in ecology, evolutionary biology, and applied natural sciences. Graduates with this concentration may聽also pursue employment in an array of fields including animal science, biology education, biotechnology, wildlife and fisheries biology, exercise physiology, pharmaceutical/biotechnology research, natural resource management, or conservation.