2021-2022 Course List

Field identification of plants with emphasis on local flora. History of systematics, techniques, plant biogeography, methods of plant collection, preservation, preparation of herbarium specimens are covered. Lab and field trips included.

Expands upon general principles of ecology to focus on the factors that regulate the distribution and abundance of plants, analysis of plant populations, and dynamics of plant communities. Lecture and lab (field work) included.

This course will introduce students to the principles and practices of weed science. Lecture will cover topics including weed biology and ecology, an introduction to weed management techniques and methodologies, factors affecting weed control, and environmental issues associated with weed management. Course material will highlight weed management in cropping systems, non-row crop and right-of-ways, natural areas, and aquatic habitats. The laboratory component of the course will focus on weed identification, crop/weed competition, application techniques including effective herbicide use and current weed control practices.

Lecture/laboratory course that presents an integrated view of plant biology, crop science, ecology, sustainability and current issues in biotechnology. Course focuses on issues of global concern such as sustainable food production, cropping techniques, climate change responses, pest management and herbicides, resistance, biofuels, genetically modified crops, molecular pharming, and tissue culture. Fall.

The principle and operation of instruments and their application to biological research. Types of instrumentation examined include spectroscopic, chromatographic, electroanalytic, radiographic, and imaging. Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) will also be examined. Emphasis is placed on GLP, GMP, and ISO9000 practices.

A lecture course covering basic principles of toxicity evaluation in living organisms, mechanisms of responses to chemicals or physical agents within an overview of practical medical, environmental and science policy implications. Presentation of comparisons of specific organ and tissue reactions to toxins in a variety of species follow these introductory concepts. Prereq: BIOL 105, 106, and one year of general chemistry

A lecture/laboratory course that focuses on anthropogenic and natural toxicants, mathematical modeling of the dispersion of chemical and physical agents in the environment, and effects on species and ecosystems with a special section on aquatic risk assessment. The laboratory includes techniques in environmental toxicity and a genuine research project.

A seminar course that involves critical evaluation of published studies in toxicology, student presentations of a selected published manuscript, and requires students to write a paper on one aspect of the course's topic area that semester. Topic areas vary each time the course is offered. Prereq: BIOL 105, 106, and general chemistry

A lecture/laboratory course focusing on the steps necessary to start a research project from project definition through methods testing and evaluation, and a final report that includes a project flow chart. Third year students will have senior and/or graduate mentors. Prereq: BIOL 105, 106, and general chemistry

A lecture/laboratory course where students perform all aspects of their own designed research topic in toxicology while critically evaluating the progress of other projects as well. Students will be expected to keep timelines or develop modified timelines as necessary. The inverted triangle approach of project design will be examined and then included in all designs.

A lecture course that examines mechanisms of drug action, physiological responses and adverse reactions from sensitivities or allergies through overdose. Prereq: BIOL 105, 106, 230, and one year of general chemistry

A lecture course that examines Minnesota State University as your own work place to develop reports on a selected group of chemical and physical hazards of the workplace. Evaluation methods and solutions to existing problems are developed with concise reporting skills. Prereq: BIOL 105, 106, and one year of general chemistry

Role of microorganisms in soil, air, water, and sewage processes as well as methods of measurement and detection. Special emphasis on the role of microorganisms in bioremediation. Lab included.

Viruses infect all living things, such as bacteria, plants, fish, and animals (including humans). There are many viruses that cause significant human mortality and morbidity, such as influenza and smallpox viruses. However, the vast majority of viruses that infect humans have little or no negative impact on our health and well-being. This course will teach Virology by stressing the rules of replication that every virus must follow. The use of viruses as molecular tools, virus-host interactions, and current viral outbreaks will also be discussed.

Fundamental principles of humoral and cell mediated immunity and the application of these principles. Current experimental work in the different areas of immunology will be discussed. Lab included.

This course will cover bacterial, fungal, and viral human pathogens: what diseases they cause, how they cause disease, and how humans defend against and prevent those diseases. In the laboratory, the student will isolate and identify pathogenic microorganisms using microbiological, biochemical, and immunological techniques.

This course presents the physiology and genetics of microorganisms emphasizing those aspects unique to bacteria and archea. Topics include: energy production; biosynthesis of small molecules and DNA, RNA, and proteins; the formation of cell walls and membranes; microbial differentiation and behavior; and the genetic and biochemical regulation of these processes.

The role microbes play in production and spoilage of food products, as prepared for mass market. Topics include food-born pathogens, epidemiology and control, and essential principles in sanitation including Hazard Analysis/Critical Control Point and ISO 9000 requirements. Lab included.

This course will cover both eukaryotic and prokaryotic molecular biology including: DNA and RNA structure, transcription, regulation of gene expression, RNA processing, protein synthesis, DNA replication, mutagenesis and repair, recombination, and insertion elements. A number of important techniques used in recombinant DNA technology will be discussed and practiced.

A basic science methods course designed to prepare prospective grades 5-8 general science and grades 9-12 teachers. Course will cover science teaching methods and support materials as they apply to life science teaching situations. Prereq: 16 credits BIOL and EDFN 345

A variable topic course designed for a selected topic in Biology. Workshops provide an intensive learning experience on a new topic in the biological sciences and/or hands-on experiences in a current area not covered by other course offerings. The course involves background reading, demostrations, and laboratory or field experiences.

This course will focus on the application of biometric principles to the planning and analysis of biological research similar to the student's thesis research. Completion of this course will aid the student in planning and completing her/his thesis.

The design, planning, and writing of a research proposal will be discussed in terms of problem selection, objectives, and appropriate methods. The students will apply information from the class to prepare their thesis proposals.

What does it mean to do biological research ethically? This course will discuss scientific integrity and misconduct, human and animal research, conflicts of interest and the ethical dimension of other topics in modern biological and biomedical research.

How does contemporary dogma influence the development of hypotheses and theory? Using primary literature, this course explores paradigms including equilibria in community ecology, information flow in molecular biology, the naturalist and mechanistic schools, and levels of natural selection. (alt-Spring)