BI 101
Principles of Biology (5 credits)
Provides an introduction to the basic principles of biology and a structure/function analysis of the cell. Topics include: chemical principles, cell structure and function, energy, cellular metabolism and growth and an introduction to Mendelian genetics. A weekly lab complements lecture material with appropriate experiments and demonstrations. Fall and Spring. Group: III.

BI 102
Evolution and Biodiversity
Examines the processes of evolution and the sequence of events that lead to the introduction of new forms of life. The course starts with a review of basic information about genes, Mendelian inheritance, the general structure of DNA/genes and control of gene expression. Additional topics include the theories of Darwin, adaptation, the emergence of populations, speciation, biodiversity, the origin of life on earth. The course will cover the evolution of plants and fungi, the move of living organisms from aqueous environments to land, the evolution of animals and human evolution. Novel techniques and initiatives such as the Genographic Project will be discussed. The text will be supplemented with readings from the lay and research literature. Spring.
Prerequisite: BI 101 or permission.
Group: III.

BI 205
Anatomy and Physiology I (5 credits)
Students make a systematic study of the human body, its structures, functions and malfunctions. The course allows the student to observe physiological processes in her own body, as well as in living and preserved laboratory specimens. A weekly lab complements the lecture. Fall.
Prerequisite: BI 101 or permission.
Group: III.

BI 206
Anatomy and Physiology II (5 credits)
A continuation of BI 205. Spring.
Prerequisite: BI 205 or permission.
Group: III.

BI 211
Environmental Issues: Global Problems, Local Solutions
Students learn to relate important environmental issues such as global warming, overpopulation, resource use and the consequences of industrialization to current positions of scientists, educators, politicians and the general public. Emphasis is placed on issues of global concern and local actions proposed to address them. A background of ecological principles begins the course which concludes with students presenting a portfolio on a local grassroots movement. Spring 2012 and alternate years. Group: III.

BI 225
Nutrition
Students study the science of foods, their components, and the human body’s needs, including evaluation of diet and nutritional status using a life span approach. Also included are issues such as women’s health research, diet, heart disease, and malnutrition. Fall 2012 and alternate years. Group: III.

BI 240
The Biology of Women
This course focuses on the biology of women over their life span. Major topics include normal development from conception to death in women; wellness and illness; life span decision making; problems, process, and solution(s); and the current status of research on women. Spring 2013 and alternate years. Group: III.

BI 250
The Biology of HIV and AIDS
Explores the biological aspects of AIDS and HIV (the human immunodeficiency virus). Topics include origins of the virus and the disease, perturbation of the human immune system, pathogenesis of the virus, methods of transmission, current and future epidemiology. Spring 2012 and alternate years. Group: III.

BI 280
Ethical Issues in Science and Technology: America’s Moral Dilemmas
Ethics is the disciplined reflection on the moral intuitions and the moral choices that people make. Bioethics is the analysis of these choices in science and medicine. This course uses a case method of instruction and focuses on the major ethical dilemmas of twenty first century medicine and the natural sciences. Spring 2013 and alternate years. Group: III.

BI 289
Biostatistics
This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of descriptive and inferential statistical analysis for students in the biological and health sciences. Topics covered will include data measurement, frequency distribution and graphic presentation, probability, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, chi square tests and correlation and regression. Additional topics will include relative risk, odds ratio, rates of fatality, rates of morbidity and life tables. The course will have particular focus on the design of experiments, probability theory and alternative methods of analysis. Data are drawn from labs, the lay and research literature. The course includes a weekly one-hour lab. This course fulfills the Pine Manor College quantitative reasoning requirement. Fall and Spring. Prerequisite: MA 102 or equivalent.
Group: III.

BI 301
Cell Biology
This course will focus on the structure and function of eukaryotic cells. The course begins with a very brief review of cell composition and metabolism, and continues to the fundamentals of molecular biology. Further topics include the organization of the genome, DNA replication, RNA transcription, translation, and protein processing, cell signaling and communication, the cell cycle, cell death and renewal, cellular transformation/cancer induction. The text will be supplemented with readings from the lay and research literature. Fall 2012 and alternate years.
Prerequisite: BI 102, BI206, CH 110 or permission. Group: III.

BI 330
Microbiology and Human Infectious Disease (5 credits)
Lectures and laboratory provide basic knowledge of the handling and understanding of microorganisms, including their characteristics, activities, distribution, and effects on the human body. Includes study of specific pathogenic organisms and diseases, as well as the body’s natural defense mechanisms and methods of disease prevention and treatment. Fall.
Prerequisite: BI 101 or permission.
Group: III.

BI 345
Psychopharmacology: Drugs and Behavior
Students are introduced to the biological effects of drugs on humans. All major drug classes are studied, with emphasis on those affecting the central nervous system and behavior. Students examine the actions, uses, limitations, and side effects of drugs. Prescription and over-the-counter, as well as herbal and illegal drugs are discussed. Fall 2011 and alternate years.
Prerequisite: BI 101 or PY 101 or permission. Group: III.

BI 360
Introduction to Epidemiology
This course introduces the basic principles and methods of epidemiology and the basic skills needed to interpret the epidemiological literature of medicine and public health. The course includes both lecture and seminar instructions; in the seminars, class discussion of cases illustrate the principles covered in the lectures. Spring 2013 and alternate years.
Prerequisite: BI 289. Group: III.

BI 375
Principles of Genetics and Molecular Biology
This course continues the study of genetic concepts begun in Bi101 and 102. It will focus on classical genetics and molecular genetics in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems. Topics will include transmission genetics, the cellular basis of heredity, linkage analysis, DNA structure and replication, the control of gene expression including epigenetics and RNA interference, and current applications of molecular biological techniques. Reading and analysis of the primary literature will be included in the course.
Fall.
Prerequisite: BI 102, BI 206 or equivalent or permission. Group: III.

BI 380
Pathophysiology: The Biologic Basis of Disease
This upper-level course focuses on the disease process and on the structural and functional change inherent in the pathology of specific human diseases. Spring 2012 and alternate years.
Prerequisite: BI 205 and BI 206 or permission. Group: III.

BI 490
Senior Seminar in Biology
The capstone of the major in Biology, the seminar explores a variety of current research topics, such as advances in the ultrastructure of cells, molecular biology of the cell, the current status of the immunoglobins, human pathophysiology, the biology of antiviral agents, the biololgy of cancer, and hormones and women’s health. Topics vary to include areas of student interest and new research. Spring.
Prerequisite: Senior status

BI 495
Senior Internship in Biology (6 credits)
For 6 course credits, each student works 16 hours per week at a site chosen with regard to career intentions and the content of the Biology Program. Students keep a journal to examine experiences and their relationship to the program. Interns meet weekly to discuss common problems, experiences, and individual perceptions. Additional written assignments complement the discussions. Fall.
Prerequisite: Senior status

BI 496
Senior Internship in Biology II
Extends and expands a Senior Internship, taking newly learned experience and implementing it at another site. Students work 16 hours per week at their site, keep a journal, meet weekly with their faculty sponsor, do relevant scholarly reading, and write a final paper integrating their internship, their readings, and classroom experience. Spring.
Prerequisites: BI 495 and permission of the B.A. Coordinator

Marine Studies Consortium

The following Consortium courses are available to PMC students with sophomore status or higher. Courses are taught at the institutions participating in the Consortium. For locations and times, contact the PMC Registrar. Enrollment in these courses is limited to four students each semester. Students choosing to withdraw from a Marine Studies Consortium course must do so by the third class meeting of that course. Students interested in the Consortium courses must consult with Dr. Elizabeth Gardner for permission to register.

BI 215
New England Coastal Marine Ecology (5 credits)
This course introduces the basic principles and methods of oceanography and marine biology in intensive, two-week classroom and field courses. Field work includes trips to salt marshes, sandy beaches, and rocky intertidal habitats, visits to the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University, the New England Aquarium, the Kendall Whaling Museum in the Gulf of Maine, and a day aboard a research vessel, where students collect and analyze water and plankton samples. Students pay entry fees where appropriate. Summer. Group: III.

BI 292
Introduction to Marine Mammals
This course explores the biology and natural history of marine mammals in the North Atlantic, including whales, dolphins and seals. Topics include evolution, behavior, field identification, the history of whaling, and contemporary whaling issues. Demonstration laboratory work focuses on a small marine animal. One field trip on Massachusetts Bay is required. Fall.
Prerequisite: BI 101and BI 102 or permission. Group: III.

BI 294
Marine Biology
This lecture/lab course surveys the basic biology, behavior, and life history of marine biota, and reviews the physical aspects of various marine habitats from polar to tropical latitudes. The course focuses on the evolution of adaptive responses to the oceanic environment and the roles of the physical environment and species interactions in structuring marine communities. Laboratory activities include field trips and examination of specimens. Fall.
Prerequisites: BI 101, BI 102, CH 110, or permission. Group: III.

BI 391
Biology of Whales
This upper-level course examines the biology and conservation of cetaceans, whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Topics include physiology, population biology and life history analysis, molecular genetics, morphology, distributional ecology, and social behavior. Early lectures focus on the biology of cetaceans and how they are adapted to the marine environment. Later lectures use case studies to review how biological principles can be applied to the conservation of a wide range of cetacean species. Spring.
Prerequisites: BI 101,BI 102, and two upper-level biology courses. Group: III.

BI 392
Biology of Fishes
This upper-level survey course covers the evolution, systematics, anatomy, physiology, and behavior of freshwater, marine, and anadromous fishes from temperate to tropical environments. The course also examines the diversity of fish interactions in aquatic communities: predator/prey relationships, host/symbiont interactions, and the various roles of fishes as herbivores. Study of inter- and intra-specific predatory-prey relationships among fish populations in aquatic communities integrates principles of ecology. Spring.
Prerequisites: One year of general biology and two upper-level biology courses. Group: III.

BI 393
Water Resources Policy and Management
This course is a comprehensive introduction to the economics and ecology of water supply and water pollution control. Topics include watershed management, groundwater and wetlands protection, wastewater treatment, and coastal zone management. The inherent difficulty in applying static laws and regulations to a dynamic natural resource such as water is a recurring theme in the course. Fall.
Prerequisites: BI 101, BI 102 plus two courses in biology or chemistry. Group: III.

BI 394
Coastal Zone Management
This course presents a survey of the coastal environment, its physical characteristics, natural system economic uses, and development pressures. Lectures examine strategies formulated in the United States for land and water management in the coastal zone. The roles of federal, state, and local government, environmental groups, and resource users are also explored. Finally, by comparing coastal zone management problems in the United States with those elsewhere in the world, students gain a global perspective. Spring.
Prerequisites: BI 101, BI 102 plus two courses in biology or chemistry. Group: III.

BI 395
Wetlands: Ecology, Hydrology, Restoration
This course examines the vital role of wetlands in the hydrology and ecology of global landscapes. The function of inland and coastal marshes, swamps, and bogs, and their role in water and nutrient cycles will be examined. We will also survey the biodiversity of wetlands habitats, from microbes to vertebrates. The biological links between wetlands and human activities, such as agriculture, coastal development, and fisheries will be considered, as well as the legal framework for the protection and restoration of endangered wetlands. Fall.
Prerequisites: One year of an introductory science (geology, chemistry, biology, physics or engineering, or economics); and two semesters of upper–level (elective) science courses. Group: III.

HI 391
Maritime History of New England
The sea has shaped New England. This course surveys the sea’s legacy, from the earliest Indian fishery to the shipbuilding and commerce of today. Course themes include historical, political, and economic developments, with particular attention to insights gleaned from shipwrecks, time capsules of discrete moments from New England’s past. Classes include museum visits, a field session at a marine archeology site, and guest lectures on current research projects. Spring.
Prerequisite: One course each in American History and in the Social Sciences, or permission. Group: II