Biological Sciences

This course examines dynamics and control of prokaryotic cellular processes in response to the biotic and abiotic environment including metabolic interactions and metabolic cooperation between microorganisms.

In this course, students review the major groups of invertebrates which, apart from arthropods, account for most of the animal species on the planet. The course provides the tools for describing and understanding biodiversity and many of the species discussed play key ecological and economic roles. Students review classification of invertebrates into major groups and examine some of the extraordinary solutions they have developed to movement, feeding, sensing, and reproduction. Practical sessions illustrate the variety of invertebrate life and include a field trip to search for specimens on the shore. Key skills include scientific drawing and dissection and, above all, the skill of species identification, including classification, use of keys and guidebooks and taxonomic conventions. 

This course is an introduction to the principles and mechanisms of epigenetics, exploring how heritable changes in gene expression occur without changes to the underlying DNA sequence. Topics include DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, and non-coding RNAs. The course will also cover the role of epigenetics in development, disease, and evolution. 

This course examines the diverse and often elegant ways that the bounty of algae, fungi, and bryophytes grow and reproduce right here on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Musqueam people. 

This is a special studies course involving an internship with a corporate, public, governmental, or private organization, arranged with the Study Center Director or Liaison Officer. Specific internships vary each term and are described on a special study project form for each student. A substantial paper or series of reports is required. Units vary depending on the contact hours and method of assessment. The internship may be taken during one or more terms but the units cannot exceed a total of 12.0 for the year.

This course examines fundamental genetic principles, as well as many applications of these fundamentals. Topics include: genotype and phenotype, mechanisms of inheritance, and genetic analysis.

This animal biology course centers on animal behavior, delving into the underlying biological mechanisms such as the nervous system, sensation, perception, learning and memory, and conditioning and development. Additionally, the course takes a broader perspective in examining animal social behavior and evolutionary aspects. Through a combination of lectures, discussions, and hands-on activities, the course explores how animals perceive their environment, interact with one another, and adapt over time.
 

This course examines the field of marine biology, including the fascinating diversity of marine life, their function, ecology and inter-relationships. The topics cover: a) The physical and chemical environments (e.g., light, current, atmospheric -ocean interactions, salinity, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, nutrients) and how these may affect the marine biota; b) Important groups of marine organisms (e.g., phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthos, nekton, marine mammals) and marine food web; c) Major marine habitats and ecosystems (e.g., intertidal, benthic, pelagic, deep sea, coral reefs, mangroves); d) Exploitation of marine biological resources (e.g., fisheries and bioactive compounds); and e) Contemporary issues (e.g. climate change, marine pollution, sustainable use of marine living resources, invasive species).