Biological Sciences

In this course, learn about fundamental principles in cell and molecular biology. Extending to workshops in R, you’ll cultivate essential research skills. Learn about advanced techniques such as CRISPR and qPCR through laboratory sessions. Participate in journal clubs and collaborative student presentations, refining critical employability skills. Enjoy lectures on contemporary research topics such as RNA vaccines in oncology and ethical considerations in AI, delivered by industry experts. With interactive teaching and learning approaches, industry visits, workshops, seminars, and active learning methodologies, this course gives students an employability-focused, current research-led course.

This graduate research course provides training in experimental skills and scientific presentation for doing research in the field of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Students choose their own research topic and perform research under the guidance of a subject matter expert in their field. The course varies depending on the research topic but it may include weekly lab meetings; presentations of up-to-date research articles, and participation in scientific discussion with the instructor and lab colleagues. 

This course is for students who are new to the subject of pharmacology. The course provides an overview of pharmacology and some of the most important mechanisms of drug action; illustrates these actions for you with specific examples of important drugs; provides a foundation in some of the basic theory for pharmacology; illustrates some of the principles of pharmacology whilst providing basic laboratory skills and experience; and introduces principles of laboratory safety. 

In this course, students gain a fundamental knowledge of microbiology, and the experimental tools used. The course focuses on microbes and techniques for studying them, through a combination of theoretical knowledge and hands-on experiments. Students examine the invisible world of microbes, investigating microbiomes of skin, soil and water, and exploring the role of probiotics. The course includes visits to a microbiology-related industry and witnessing real-world applications of their learnings. The course requires students to take General Biology as a prerequisite.

In this course, students study animal physiology, emphasizing how to compare and contrast the physiological processes across different animal groups that govern their day-to-day function. Students gain an appreciation of how response strategies are used to cope with different external environments and how physiological plasticity is key to maintaining and adjusting physiological processes in terrestrial and aquatic animals.

This course studies animal immune systems and the application of a variety of immunological methods to research and diagnosing diseases. Topics include: immunological functions in vertebrates and analogous activities in invertebrates; structures and biological properties of immunoglobulins and T-cell receptors; divergence of antibody genes; emergence and characteristics of lymphoid tissues; major histocompatibility complex; complement pathways; immunity against bacteria, viruses, and parasites; AIDS: vaccinations, hypersensitivity, and autoimmunity; and immunological tests and immunochemical techniques using non-mammalian and mammalian antibodies and their application to various biological problems. 

Developmental biology deals with the various steps necessary for the correct and complete formation of the body of a living organism. In this course, students are introduced to the mechanisms used to produce different cell and tissue types and ensure these cells develop in the correct position and identity. Students learn, using examples such as the eye and limbs, that similar developmental mechanisms are employed by diverse organisms. The role that developmental biology plays in medicine in stem cell therapy, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine are also considered.

This graduate research course provides training in experimental skills and scientific presentation for doing research in the field of Life Sciences. Students choose their own research topic and perform research under the guidance of a subject matter expert in their field. The course varies depending on the research topic but it may include weekly lab meetings; presentations of up-to-date research articles, and participation in scientific discussion with the instructor and lab colleagues. 

This course examines the abiotic environment; plankton and productivity; cephalopods and fish; adaptations to life in the epipelagic; marine turtles, mammals and seabirds - diversity, distribution, adaptations for feeding and reproduction, key Caribbean species and conservation status; life in the deep sea; and tropical coastal communities.